111th Congress, 2nd Session
The first African-American Capitol Police woman
October 15, 1973
On this date Arva “Marie” Johnson became the first African-American woman to serve on the Capitol Police force. Born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on February 3, 1950, Johnson attended public schools in the Tarheel State before moving to Washington, D.C. When the Capitol Police—the congressional law enforcement agency originally founded in 1828—opened its force to women in 1974, Johnson applied and was hired. At the age of 24, she joined three other women officers in the inaugural class. Johnson holds the distinction of being the first black woman on the force, as well as the first woman in uniform—two of the women officers worked a plain-clothes detail. Upon her retirement in January 2007, after a 32-year career as a Capitol Police officer, Johnson reminisced, “If I was young again and could do it, I would come here and work. Yes, it's a good opportunity, and knowing what I know, I would come back.”
Related Highlight Subjects
Cite this Highlight
Office of History and Preservation, Office of the Clerk, http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/highlights.html?action=view&intID=369, (December 02, 2010).For Additional Information
Office of History and Preservation(202) 226-1300
history@mail.house.gov
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Officer Arva “Marie” Johnson at her post, circa. 1979
Image courtesy of Arva “Marie” Johnson, provided by Office of History and Preservation, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives
Teaching Tip
Ten Questions
Have students select a highlight date which focuses on a person connected to the House (Speaker, Member, House Officer, Page, etc.). Compile 10 questions to ask this person concerning his/her career in the House. In pairs, have one student play the part of the interviewer, while the other is the interviewee. Conduct research to devise answers that would likely be made by the person being interviewed.
