US Capitol Historical Society

The objects and purposes of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society are to:

• encourage in the most comprehensive and enlightened manner an understanding by the American people of the founding, growth, and significance of the Capitol of the United States of America as the tangible symbol of their representative form of government;

• undertake research into the history of the Congress and the Capitol and to promote the discussion, publication, and dissemination of the results of such studies;

• foster and increase an informed patriotism of the land in the study of this living memorial to the founders of this Nation and the continuing thread of principles as exemplified by their successors; and

• mutually cooperate with the standing committees of the Congress, the Library of Congress, the Architect of the Capitol, and relevant departments and agencies of the executive branch of the Federal Government in furthering the objectives of the corporation.

• Regular webinars that feature renowned historians, scholars, and industry experts who help teach the history of our nation and the issues that impact our democracy.

• Walking tours of the U.S. Capitol that feature trained guides teaching the history of the structure and its employees, Congress and its staffs, Washington, D.C., and the cultural touchpoints that shape each.

• This year, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, White House Historical Association, and Supreme Court Historical Society hosted the “Three Branches Institute,” a three-day virtual workshop that provided teachers from across the country with historical stories, connections, and resources about the three branches of government.

• An example of our online materials includes the “We the People Constitution Tour Hub”: a new virtual teaching resource where educators can find digital learning tools from the National Archives, the National Parks Service, the White House Historical Association, the Supreme Court Historical Society, the Capitol Visitors Center, and the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, all in one place.

• This year, we helped produce a new open educational resource: the play, “Beautiful Agitators,” the true story of a civil rights-era beauty shop owner from Mississippi. This play, and the accompanying lesson plans, will help young people learn about our nation’s struggle to achieve equality.

• Each year we host the Freedom Award to honor at least one individual whose contributions to our society help strengthen our understanding of, and belief in, American democracy.

• This year we will host a symposium for historians and scholars to discuss the state of our national economy, its current distribution of wealth, and the historical context of each.

• Beginning this year, we will undertake an oral history project in which we’ll document the stories of those impacted by the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection to ensure its facts and lessons are never lost to time.

We continue to achieve our strategic goals through the addition of seasoned professionals to our staff, a competitive paid-internship program, a large group of dedicated volunteers, work with organizations that share our values, and the guidance and support of a board of industry experts and leaders.

Our 2020 Annual Report can be found here: https://uschs.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/USCHS-Annual-Report-for-FY20.pdf