June 10, 2025 Story by: Editor
In a historic and unanimous voice vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution formally renaming the primary media workspace in the Capitol as the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery.
The resolution, H.Res. 137, officially designates rooms H‑315 through H‑319 in the House Press Gallery for the lifelong abolitionist, journalist, and statesman—a symbolic yet significant tribute to his legacy.
Photo captions: American abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass, 1862. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-DIG-ds-07422)
The resolution was spearheaded by Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who initially introduced the legislation this February. Co-sponsors included a cross-party coalition: GOP Reps. Burgess Owens (Utah), Wesley Hunt (Texas), John James (Michigan), alongside Democrats André Carson (Indiana) and Steven Horsford (Nevada), among others.
Rep. Donalds echoed this sentiment on the House floor, describing Douglass as someone who “embodied the best of Americans,” highlighting Douglass’s role as the first Black reporter granted access to the congressional press galleries in 1871.
Photo caption: Frederick Douglass sits for a portrait in April 1870. (Photo courtesy of: George Francis Schreiber / Library of Congress)
Honoring Douglass’s trailblazing career
Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in 1838, teaching himself to read and write. By the early 1870s, during Reconstruction, he became the first Black correspondent in the Capitol press gallery, reporting on monumental legislation—the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments—which reshaped citizenship and voting rights for formerly enslaved Americans.
He founded and edited influential publications including The North Star, Frederick Douglass’s Paper, Douglass’s Monthly, and New National Era. His commitment to journalism extended beyond reporting, establishing a permanent presence in the corridors of power where he often studied and wrote.
Source: donalds.house.gov / Deseret News
