Abolitionist John Willis Menard was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1868, and although he was never seated, he was the first African American to address the House chamber. In this program, Phillip Magness of George Mason University and Matthew Wasniewski, the Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives tell the life story of John Menard.
The event was held in the U.S. capitol and hosted by the U.S. Capitol Historical Society.