Videos

The history, art, and architecture of the U.S. Capitol from its opening in 1800 to the present were presented in a special 107-minute version of The Capitol. The documentary featured the imp…

This C-SPAN Original Production look inside the U.S. Senate explores its history, traditions, and constitutional powers.

C-SPAN toured the U.S. Senate Chamber, in use since 1859, to learn about its history, art, and artifacts, including the famous Senate desks.

C-SPAN toured the Old Senate Chamber, where the body met from 1810-1859, is where the Senate grew in stature and became the primary forum for debating the issues of the day, including slaver…

Senate Historian Emeritus Richard Baker told the story of President George Washington personally paying a visit to the Senate to lobby the body for its immediate approval of a treaty. Rebuff…

Congressional historians Richard Baker, Ray Smock, and Donald Ritchie talked about American history and the U.S. Congress.

President Lyndon Johnson’s calls with Senator Everett Dirksen about negotiations on key legislation including the Civil Rights and Voting Rights bills, bargaining over key appointments and a…

The 1963-1969 calls between President Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Everett Dirksen as they negotiate over key legislation, including the Civil Rights, Voting Rights bills and tax and…

Richard Baker talked about the historical narrative he co-wrote with Neil MacNeil, The American Senate: An Insider’s History. The book details the emergence of the U.S. Senate as what Mr. Ba…

The history, art, and architecture of the U.S. Capitol from its opening in 1800 to the present were featured through taped segments on the various public and private spaces in the building, …

Norman Ornstein presented the award to Richard Baker, who became the first Senate historian in 1975. An advocate for the openness of government, he drafted the Senate’s first rules for acces…

Richard Baker told stories from the history of the Senate and showed some rare photographs of senators. Mr. Baker retired in August 2009 after 34 years as the first historian of the United S…

Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, Senate Historian Richard Baker, and the Wall Journal's Capitol Hill reporter Janet Hook talked about the history of Senate procedures. Topics includ…

Richard Baker provided historical perspective on the role of the Senate in the U.S. political system. He was the first Senate historian and retired after 35 years in 2009. Topics included S…

Panelists discussed, “What Would the Founders Think of Congress Today?” The event was held by the Institute on Congress and American History, which sponsored a week-long symposium for high s…

Richard Baker talked about the history of party control in the House and Senate. Topics included control turnovers in the past, the implications of the current party control turnover in the …

Mr. Baker was interviewed about the history of the U.S. Senate, as well as past major leaders and debates conducted in the body. He also talked about his academic training, experiences in th…

Senator Daschle and Mr. Baker spoke to reporters about the discovery of several old ledgers dating from 1791 to 1881 in which were recorded the expenses of the Senate. The first volume also …

Mr. Baker spoke about the history of confirmation hearings in the Russell Senate Caucus Room. He also discussed other hearings held inside the Caucus Room including the Watergate and Teapot …

Senate Historian Richard Baker conducted a tour of the area in a sub-basement of the U.S. Capitol where a rare U.S. Senate Ledger, dated 1790-1881, was found. Mr. Baker was interviewed along…