Fall Lecture Series Sponsored by the U.S. Capitol Historical Society: DC and Capitol Art, History, and Memorials

The U.S. Capitol Historical Society will present five lunchtime lectures this fall, including book talks and discussions about DC and Capitol art, history, and memorials. All talks will be held on Wednesdays from noon to 1 pm in Ketchum Hall (VFW Building at 200 Maryland Ave. NE; Washington, DC 20002). These brown bag lectures are free and open to the public, though pre-registration is requested. Visit www.uschs.org for more information or links to pre-register.

September 20: Author James Head will speak about his book (An Affair with Beauty—The Mystique of Howard Chandler Christy: The Magic of Youth) on artist Howard Chandler Christy, who is perhaps best known for his Signing of the Constitution painting in the Capitol. Talk title: “An Affair with Beauty: The Mystique of Howard Chandler Christy”

October 11: Capitol Fellow Matthew Restall (Penn State University) will use the Statue of Freedom to examine ways that European imperialism manifests in Capitol artwork, especially in depictions of Native Americans. Talk title: “Kissing Freedom, Stealing from Columbus”

October 18: Scholar Fabian Jud will discuss the National Mall as a space for American identity and memories, focusing on the period from 1900 to 1950. Talk title: “The National Mall as an American Memory Space, 1900-1950”

November 8: Mark Ozer will speak about his latest book, which details DC’s recent history: Washington DC: The World Capital in The American Century 1941-1990.

December 13: Scholar Pamela Scott will focus on how maps—such as plans for DC, including those by Peter L’Enfant and Andrew Jackson Downing—can both create and record design changes. Talk title: “An Historical Atlas of Washington, DC, 1780s to 2015”

The United States Capitol Historical Society (USCHS), founded in 1962, is chartered by Congress to educate the public on the history and heritage of the U.S. Capitol, its institutions, and the people who have served therein.