WASHINGTON — The House on Tuesday acknowledged the use of African- American slaves in the construction of the U.S. Capitol, ordering officials to place a marker inside the new Capitol Visitor Center, using some of the original stone quarried by those slaves for the historic building.
“This physical and permanent marker will pay tribute to the blood, sweat and tears of the African-American slaves who helped build this magnificent building and ensure that their story is told and never, never, ever forgotten,” said Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.
The vote was 399-1, with Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, the lone dissenter. The Senate is considering a similar measure.
Historians have discovered that slaves worked 12-hour days, six days a week, on construction of the Capitol. The federal government rented the slaves from local owners at a rate of $5 per person per month.
In addition to working on the building, slaves worked in quarries where they extracted the stone for the Capitol. Other slaves provided carpentry skills, and sawed stone and timber. Slave women and children were used to mold clay in kilns.
The House also took up a resolution directing the Architect of the Capitol to engrave the Pledge of Allegiance and the national motto “In God We Trust” in conspicuous places in the three-story underground visitor center. The Senate passed the same resolution Monday night as part of a spending bill. A House vote was expected today.
The measure was promoted in the Senate by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who had threatened to delay the opening of the center in December because he said it glorified the role of government while ignoring America’s religious foundations.
