Online Lecture: Women of the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall

In 1864, Congress invited each U.S. state to contribute two statues of prominent citizens for display in the newly designated National Statuary Hall, yet it was not until 1905 that the first statue honoring a woman — Frances E. Willard of Illinois — was dedicated. Only in the twenty-first century did statues of women such as Jeanette Rankin, Helen Keller, Amelia Earhart and Mary McLeod Bethune begin to appear beneath the U.S. Capitol dome, raising questions about whose stories are honored in America’s temple of democracy. In celebration of Women’s History Month, join Carolyn Crouch, founder of Washington Walks, as she explores how women have been represented in Statuary Hall over time and what recent additions reveal about changing ideas of national recognition.

Your online lecture will take place live over the course of 1-2 hours. All times are listed in the EASTERN time zone. If you live in a different time zone, please adjust your schedule accordingly. This live online experience uses Zoom Webinar, an easy-to-use web video service that includes closed captioning. All you need is an Internet connection and your computer. You will receive a confirmation email when you enroll, and a reminder email one week and one day before, as well as the morning of the event with a link and instructions on how to tune in. You will not be pictured on screen during the lecture, but you will have the opportunity to ask the instructor live questions using the Q&A box. Unless otherwise noted, all those who enroll in this program receive access to the live event as well as a recording of the lecture that you can watch any time within the two weeks following the live event.