History tells us that the most omnipresent icon of liberty and freedom in our nation is the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. It has even been called the ‘Temple of Liberty’ since the edifice supposedly represented the concepts of freedom and liberty albeit it, in juxtaposition with the slave holdings of White House held occupants that owned slaves including Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and James Madison.
After the Capitol was completed in 1820, it has taken 190 years for the United States of America to recognize the contribution of slaves and other freed Africans in the construction of the building. Congress will acknowledge the work of the slaves who helped build the U.S. Capitol in a ceremony scheduled for June 16. African Americans — both free and slave — are noted by historians to be among those who helped build landmarks like the U.S. Capitol building and the White House.
Estimates, via the the London newspaper The Independent, suggest that over 400 slaves assisted in the construction of both the U.S. Capitol and the White House. At least 12 presidents in total were slave owners. The authority to build the U.S. Capitol was established by the Residence Act of 1790. A self-taught and free African American mathematician and astronomer Benjamin Banneker determined the true north pole for the survey to construct the building.
The celebration will include a plaque that will commemorate the contribution of slaves and will be placed in the Rayburn Room of the capitol. –torrance stephens
