Norton Calls for Equal Treatment of D.C. Seal in Library of Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today wrote the Chair and Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on the Library and the Architect of the Capitol calling on them to take action to depict the seal of the District of Columbia on the stained-glass windows in the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress, where the seals of the states are depicted. Currently, the stained-glass windows contain the seals of all states and territories that existed when the building was constructed, except for the District of Columbia's.

In her letter, Norton said, "The residents of the District of Columbia have always had all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes and service in all the nation's wars, including the War of 1812, during which the Capitol building, which housed the Library of Congress, was burned, prompting construction of the current Library of Congress building with the state and territory seals. It is, therefore, without question that the District and its residents should receive equal treatment among the stained-glass windows that portray the history of the United States. D.C. residents deserve to have their history and American citizenship recognized."

Norton has successfully fought to correct the omission of D.C. residents from many of the symbols of American citizenship, with two victories in the last year alone. Last week, after a nearly 12-year legislative fight to permit D.C., like the 50 states, to display a statue in the U.S. Capitol, the District's first-ever statue was unveiled in the U.S. Capitol. D.C.'s Frederick Douglass statue now sits in the Capitol alongside the statues from the 50 states. In January, the President signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which contained a provision Norton sought requiring the armed services to display the District of Columbia flag whenever the flags of the 50 states are displayed. Norton has also succeeded in getting legislation enacted to give D.C. a coin after it was omitted from legislation creating coins for the 50 states, and D.C.'s Duke Ellington coin is in circulation today. Norton also successfully worked with the U.S. Postal Service to create a D.C. stamp, like the stamps for the 50 states. She also got the National Park Service to fly the D.C. flag alongside the states flags at Union Station.

Although Hawaii and Alaska are unrepresented among the seals, since they did not exist as states or territories when the building was constructed, Norton was glad to learn that their state seals nevertheless have been completed and will be installed as part of a larger stained-glass restoration project. "However, this makes the omission of the District of Columbia even more unacceptable because neither of those two states were a part of the Union when the building was constructed, while the District was not only part of the United States, but was and remains the home of the Library of Congress," Norton said in her letter.

The full text of Norton's letter follows.

Dear Chairman Harper, Vice-Chairman Schumer and Architect Ayers:

A constituent who was a docent at the Library of Congress recently informed me that the stained-glass windows in the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress contain the seals of all states and territories that existed when the building was constructed, except for the District of Columbia. I request that you immediately correct this omission and include the D.C. seal on the stained-class windows.

The residents of the District of Columbia have always had all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes and service in all the nation's wars, including the War of 1812, during which the Capitol building, which housed the Library of Congress, was burned, prompting construction of the current Library of Congress building with the state and territory seals. It is, therefore, without question that the District and its residents should receive equal treatment among the stained-glass windows that portray the history of the United States. D.C. residents deserve to have their history and American citizenship recognized.

Over the last year, Congress has twice acknowledged that symbols matter and enacted laws to correct disparate treatment of D.C. residents. Just last week, the Vice President and the congressional leadership unveiled the District of Columbia's first-ever statue in the U.S. Capitol. D.C.'s Frederick Douglass statue now sits in the U.S. Capitol alongside the statues of the 50 states. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which was signed into law on January 2, 2013, contained a provision that requires the armed services to display the District of Columbia flag and the flags of the territories whenever the flags of the 50 states are displayed. We heard countless stories from D.C. servicemembers, veterans and their families about the disappointment they felt when the D.C. flag was not recognized on an equal basis with the flags of the states. The statue and the D.C. flag law are powerful symbols of D.C.'s right to equal treatment.

I know that my colleagues from Hawaii and Alaska, the only states currently unrepresented among the seals, have been working to have their state seals added to the stained-glass windows. I was glad to learn that their seals have been made and will be installed as part of a larger stained-glass restoration project. However, this makes the omission of the District of Columbia even more unacceptable because neither of those two states were a part of the Union when the building was constructed, while the District was not only part of the United States, but was and remains the home of the Library of Congress.

Sincerely,

Eleanor Holmes Norton

Published: June 26, 2013