United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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Events

The U.S. House of Representatives has played a pivotal role in many historic events. Watch eyewitness accounts of the shooting in the House Chamber in 1954, the U.S. Capitol on September 11, 2001, and other turning points which changed the institution. Detailed descriptions and personal reflections shed light on events that propelled Congress into the national spotlight.

World War II

World War II

On December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed Congress to ask for a declaration of war after Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt’s speech, Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin’s lone vote against war, and security at the Capitol are discussed in these first-hand accounts of the World War II era.

1954 Shooting

1954 Shooting

On March 1, 1954, a group of Puerto Rican nationalists fired onto the House Floor from the galleries wounding five U.S. Representatives. Eyewitnesses recall the attack and the aftermath of the violence.

Civil Rights

Civil Rights

Sparked by a growing grassroots movement during the mid-20th century, Congress passed landmark legislation to protect American civil rights and to prevent discrimination. Narratives from the era include accounts of racial and gender barriers, as well as historic firsts in the House of Representatives.

Watergate

Watergate

The House of Representatives took a leading role in the impeachment investigation of President Richard M. Nixon during the Watergate Scandal in the 1970s. Interviewees recall the highly-publicized Judiciary Committee hearings and reflect on the era’s lasting effects on American government.

September 11, 2001

September 11, 2001

Believing the U.S. Capitol to be a likely target for terrorists on 9/11, officials evacuated the building and, in a rare occurrence, the House suspended its activities for the day. Recollections ranging from Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert to House Pages, document how the chamber responded to the unprecedented crisis.

Featured

Documentary: Selma and the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Documentary: Selma and the Voting Rights Act of 1965

The House and Civil Rights

The House and Civil Rights

Irving Swanson and World War II

Irving Swanson and World War II

Representative Paul Kanjorski: Eyewitness to the 1954 Shooting

Representative Paul Kanjorski: Eyewitness to the 1954 Shooting

Highlight: Voting Rights and Representative Hale Boggs

Highlight: Voting Rights and Representative Hale Boggs

Tally Sheet, 1941 Declaration of War

Tally Sheet, 1941 Declaration of War

About the Program

Learn more about the oral history program, editing practices, and rights and reproductions.

List of Interviewees

Search a list of individual interviews, and access audio and video clips, transcripts, interview abstracts, and related images and artifacts.

Educational Resources

Utilize lesson plans and teaching tips to incorporate information from oral history interviews in the classroom.

Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov