WASHINGTON — On Thursday, Speaker Johnson led a dedication ceremony for the newly designated Frederick Douglass Press Gallery in the U.S. Capitol. The ceremony featured remarks from Speaker Johnson, Rep. Byron Donalds, and Rep. Burgess Owens.
Rep. Donalds led the bipartisan initiative to rename the House Press Gallery after Frederick Douglass, the renowned abolitionist, orator, and scholar who became the first black journalist to report from the U.S. Capitol press galleries.
“Perhaps more successfully than any American of his time, Douglass built a life and legacy off the power of his pen and his powerful voice. He wielded that power to great effect in this institution and the halls that will now appropriately bear his name,” Speaker Johnson said.“I’m proud to have played a small part in the dedication of this treasured House institution alongside my dear friend, Byron Donalds, and I want to commend Congressman Donalds for his resolve in spearheading this effort.”
Watch Speaker Johnson’s press conference remarks here.
Below are Speaker Johnson’s remarks as delivered:
Thank you all for being here. It’s an honor to welcome you to this very special event. It’s a day that’s been a long time coming. As Speaker, I have the distinct privilege of overseeing many of the institutional events and ceremonies and tributes that take place throughout the year right here in the U.S. Capitol Building – and it’s one of the fun parts of the job. Maybe the only fun part of the job now that I think about it. But today’s ceremony is a first, not just for me, but for the history of the Speakership and this building itself.
For nearly 200 years, since its inception in the 1800s, the House Press Gallery has always been named just that, the very bland, the “Press Gallery”. Neither the House Gallery nor the Senate Gallery has ever borne the name of any American in the history of this institution. That, of course, changes today with the historic unveiling of the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery.
Frederick Douglass, as you know, was an extraordinary American. I said upstairs in brief remarks that scripture is clear that we are to give honor where honor is due, and he’s certainly an American that is deserving of that honor. After escaping slavery, he prevailed through determination, grit, and brilliance. Frederick Douglass became many things. He was a renowned abolitionist, of course. He was an acclaimed journalist and editor. He was a prolific philosophical thinker. He was an orator of almost unparalleled stature in American history, almost as good as Byron Donalds. He was a trusted, close advisor to multiple presidents – most famously, of course, with Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday we celebrate today.
Perhaps more successfully than any American of his time, Douglass built a life and legacy off the power of his pen and his powerful voice, and he wielded that power to great effect in this institution and the halls that will now appropriately bear his name.
I’m proud to have played a small part in the dedication of this treasured House institution alongside my dear friend Byron Donalds, and I want to commend Congressman Donalds for his resolve in spearheading this effort. He would not let it go. He was doggedly determined to make it happen, and that’s what it takes around here.
And I want to thank as well, Chairman Graves for his involvement, the Press Gallery staff, and every one of our House colleagues who made this day possible. One of those champions is with us, a literal champion in every sense, Burgess Owens, the only Member of Congress who wears a Super Bowl ring, and he lets me wear it on occasion, and it hangs off my finger.
Byron will speak much more to the incredible legacy of this great American that we appropriately honor today, but first, I want to welcome Pastor Dennie to deliver our invocation.
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