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- Utah Rep. Burgess Owens proposes renaming the House press gallery for Frederick Douglass.
- The amendment honors Douglass's contributions to journalism and civil rights, gaining bipartisan support.
- Douglass, a former slave, reported on key amendments and advanced Black Americans' rights.
WASHINGTON — Several rooms located in the House press gallery at the U.S. Capitol could be renamed to honor abolitionist Frederick Douglass under an amendment making its way through the House by Utah Rep. Burgess Owens and other Republicans.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced a measure on Wednesday that would formally rename the space the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery to recognize Douglass's contributions to journalism and civil rights. It's a major move for the gallery, which acts as a hub for dozens of outlets serving local, national, and international audiences.
"Frederick Douglass rose from slavery to become one of America's greatest champions for liberty and equality," Owens, the only Black member of Congress from Utah, said in a statement. "Through faith, self-discipline, and relentless determination, he transformed not only his own life but also the conscience of an entire nation. Renaming the U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery in his honor is a lasting tribute to a man who advanced the fight for freedom in these very halls."
The amendment has garnered bipartisan support and was cosponsored by Reps. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Andre Carson, D-Ind., Steven Horsford, D-Nev., Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, and John James, R-Mich.
Douglass made history as the first Black member of the congressional press galleries in 1871 as he reported for primarily Black audiences on the Reconstruction Era, during which Congress debated and established the legal status for Black Americans such as citizenship and voting rights. Douglass himself escaped from slavery in 1838.
Douglass worked in the press galleries currently in use by modern journalists as he reported on the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, which abolished slavery, granted birthright citizenship to slaves, and gave Black citizens the right to vote.
Douglass went on to be named the editor of the New National Era, a newspaper he later purchased as a symbol of progression for Black Americans.
It's not yet clear when the amendment will be brought to the floor for a full vote, although it's likely to garner bipartisan support.
