THIS SANDSTONE WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL'S EAST FRONT, CONSTRUCTED IN 18-24-1826. The slaves joined a work force that included local white laborers and artisans from Maryland and Virginia, as well as immigrants from Ireland, Scotland, and other European nations.Īdditionally, the architect of the Capitol's official website notes a special plaque was placed above a sandstone marker that was unveiled in the section of the building named Emancipation Hall in February 2012, to commemorate the contributions of slaves. Enslaved people quarried and cut the rough stone that was later dressed and laid by Scottish masons to erect the walls of the President's House. Stonemason Collen Williamson trained enslaved people on the spot at the government's quarry at Aquia, Virginia. However, response to recruitment was dismal and soon they turned to African American-enslaved and free-to provide the bulk of labor that built the White House, the United States Capitol, and other early government buildings. commissioners, charged by Congress with building the new city under the direction of the president, initially planned to import workers from Europe to meet their labor needs. The decision to place the capital on land ceded by two slave states-Virginia and Maryland-ultimately influenced the acquisition of laborers to construct its public buildings. The White House Historical Association described how the government gathered labor for the construction of the capital city of Washington, D.C.: They acknowledged that Black slaves were intricately involved in the work, in addition to freed men, and other laborers. In 2005, Congress put together a task force to investigate the role slaves played in constructing many major monuments in Washington, D.C. Its construction began in 1793, and since then it has been burnt, rebuilt, and extended.īut it was only a few decades ago that the contribution of enslaved Black people in the building’s construction was acknowledged. Capitol’s iconic dome building has long served as the seat of the legislative branch of the U.S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |