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Historical U.S. Capitol Events

Black and white images capturing significant moments involving the U.S. Capitol, including political discussions and historic funerals.

Officer Playing Taps after Funeral of U.S. President Warren G. Harding, Capitol Building in Background, Washington DC, USA, National Photo Company, August 9, 1923

DA-SC-88-05943. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Practice Inaugural Parade. CPT Brian Whalen, mounted on Molly, SPC Octavis Smiley, mounted on May, and PFC Marcos Alanitz, mounted on Duba await for a snowy Inaugural Parade practice. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

State Funeral of President Kennedy: Lying in repose in the East Room of the White House. The late President John F. Kennedy lies in repose in the East Room of the White House; President Kennedy's flag-draped casket sits at center left. Members of the honor guard stand watch. Washington, D.C.

Parade of the Klux Klan through counties in Virginia bordering on the District of Columbia 1926

President Kennedy arrives on the Ellipse by helicopter. President John F. Kennedy arrives via United States Marines helicopter on the Ellipse, President's Park South, Washington, D.C.

A U.S. Soldier with New York National Guard, conducts patrol near the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Jan 16, 2021. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from several states have traveled to Washington to provide support to federal and district authorities leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration.

President Eisenhower with civil defense helicopter at White House

Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to Bravo Troop, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, stand guard Jan. 11, 2021, in Washington, D.C. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from several states have traveled to Washington to provide support to federal and district authorities leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration.

Inauguration of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, Washington DC, USA, Harris & Ewing, March 4, 1933

Vintage Photograph. Soldier stands guard in front of tomb of the unknown soldier.

Grand Review of the Armies of the United States at Washington, DC, May 23, 1865. Troops marching up Pennsylvania Avenue, before passing the reviewing stand. End of USA Civil War.

Changing of Guard, London, England , Military parades & ceremonies, Castles & palaces, Buckingham Palace London, England. Edmund L. Mitchell Collection

Radio and Television Report to the American People on the Soviet Arms Buildup in Cuba (Cuban Missile Crisis), 7:00PM. Cameramen film President John F. Kennedy (far right, seated at desk) as he delivers a radio and television address to the nation regarding the Soviet Union's military presence in Cuba. White House Secret Service agents Dennis Halterman and Gerald Jerry Blaine (arms folded) stand in the background, left of doorway. Oval Office, White House, Washington, D.C.

Corps Legislatif. Unknown maker, French

DA-SC-86-09127. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Washington, D.C. Soldier springing the trap for the execution of Captain Henry Wirz, November 1865. Heinrich Hartmann Wirz better known as Henry Wirz (November 25, 1823 - November 10, 1865) was a Swiss-born Confederate officer in the American Civil War. He is best known for his command of Camp Sumter, the Confederate prisoner of war camp near Andersonville, Georgia; he was tried and executed after the war for conspiracy and murder relating to his command of the camp.

State Funeral of President Kennedy: Lying in repose in the East Room of the White House. The late President John F. Kennedy lies in repose in the East Room; President Kennedy's flag-draped casket sits in center, following his body's arrival at the White House. Mourners observe; members of the honor guard stand watch. Those pictured include: First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy; Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy; Jean Kennedy Smith; Ethel Skakel Kennedy; Director of the Peace Corps, R. Sargent Shriver; Janet Auchincloss; Hugh D. Auchincloss; Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara; Special Assistants to President Kennedy, Kenneth P. O'Donnell and Larry O'Brien; Naval Aide to President Kennedy, Captain Tazewell Shepard; White House Secret Service agents, Bill Greer and Clint Hill. Members of the honor guard stand at attention, including: Lieutenant Samuel R. Bird (U.S. Army), Yeoman George A. Barnum (USCG), Seaman Hubert Clark (USN), Sergeant James L. Felder (U.S. Army), Lance Corporal Timot

The U.S. Army, Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps marches past the the Presidential viewing stand during the inaugural parade honoring President Barack Obama, Monday Jan. 21, 2013, in Washington. Obama was sworn-in as the nation's 44th President earlier in the day.

Annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally "Ride for Freedom"--on behalf of the Prisoners of War-Missing in Action (POW/MIA) cause--through Washington, D.C., with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne among the participants

President Kennedy arrives on the Ellipse by helicopter. President John F. Kennedy steps off a United States Marines helicopter, following his arrival on the Ellipse, President's Park South, Washington, D.C.

DA-ST-88-04871. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A fireworks display marks the end of the National Victory Celebration honoring the coalition forces of Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Opening Day of Alexander Hamilton Bicentennial in Washington, DC. Picture shows Alexander Hamilton statue.

Civil air patrol member Roger McCracken and U.S. Capitol Patrolman Scan the security zone around the capitol during the Inauguration of William J. Clinton. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Visit of Civil Air Patrol cadets, 9:50AM. President John F. Kennedy visits with a group of Civil Air Patrol cadets in the Rose Garden of the White House, Washington, D.C. Also pictured: National Park Service (NPS) Photographer, Abbie Rowe; United Press International (UPI) photographer, James K. W. Atherton; Air Force Aide to the President, Brigadier General Godfrey T. McHugh; White House Stenographer, Jack Romagna; White House Secret Service agent, Roy Kellerman; White House correspondent for United Press International (UPI), Helen Thomas; Special Assistant to the President, John J. McNally.

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedys (JBK) Musical Program for Youth, 10:35AM. A United States Marines helicopter lands behind the South Lawn fountain of the White House, Washington, D.C.; President John F. Kennedy arrived at the White House from Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, via Andrews Air Force Base before addressing attendees of the fourth in First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's series of Musical Programs for Youth by Youth. The Jefferson Memorial is visible in the distance.

Midshipman assemble for noontime quarters in the courtyard in front of Bancroft Hall on Tecumseh Court. Base: Annapolis State: Maryland (MD) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An aerial view of the Pentagon. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The caption reads: The President of the United States delivers his momentous message to Congress declaring that a State of War existed between the United States and Germany. President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany on April 2, 1917.

Annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally "Ride for Freedom"--on behalf of the Prisoners of War-Missing in Action (POW/MIA) cause--through Washington, D.C., with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne among the participants

In the triangular field of service of the Korean War Veterans Memorial, located on the National Mall near the west end of the Reflecting Pool, 19 stainless steel statues depict a squad on patrol. The figures represent members of the Air Force, Army, Marines, and Navy from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The strips of granite and scrubby juniper bushes suggest the rough terrain and the windblown ponchos suggest the harsh weather encountered. Portion of the Lincoln Memorial can be seen in the background. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Winter weather at Arlington National Cemetery at Arlington, Va., Jan. 16, 2024.

Group of camera men ca. between 1918 and 1928.

031005-F-0171B-001. State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

Dr. Allison Finkelstein, senior historian, Arlington National Cemetery, gives a history lecture to visitors in the Memorial Amphitheater during the first Flowers of Remembrance Day at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., May 28, 2022. Visitors were given the opportunity to cross the plaza and place a flower in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This event pays homage to the first official Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day, which originally took place at the cemetery in 1868 as a way to honor the sacrifices of those who fought and died in the Civil War.

The Joint service band rehearses at the Lincoln Memorial in preparation for the Pre-Inaugural celebration "American Reunion on the Mall". Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-87-06972. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

September 26, 2003 - Aerial photograph of the Pentagon with the River Parade Field in Arlington, Virginia.

Military members and families of the 184 lives lost in the 2001 terrorist attack at the Pentagon sit in attendance of the 21st 9/11 Pentagon Observance Ceremony on Sept. 11, 2022, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

010912-F-3050V-008. Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE EAGLE Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-87-06978. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A fireworks display marks the end of the National Victory Celebration honoring the coalition forces of Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. air force. September 28, 1948.

Flag raising at the White House. Morgan collection of Civil War drawings. Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865, White House (Washington, D.C.), 1860-1870, Rites & ceremonies, 1860-1870, Political parades & rallies, 1860-1870, Buildings, 1860-1870, United States, History, Civil War, 1861-1865, Social aspects, United States, District of Columbia, Washington (D.C.) , 12th Regiment.

Pentagon tribute in memory of the 5th anniversary of the 911 attacks

Maj. Gen. Allan M. Pepin (right), commanding general, Joint Task Force -National Capital Region, and Jana Černochová (left), minister of defence, Czech Republic, walk down the west steps of the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., April 21, 2022. While visiting ANC, Černochová participated in an Armed Forces Full Honors Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

An overall aerial view, two days later, of the impact point on the Pentagon where the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757-200 entered, breaking up in the process. Shortly after 8 AM on September 11, 2001 in an attempt to frighten the American people, five members of Al-Qaida, a group of fundamentalist Islamic Muslims, hijacked Flight 77 from Dulles International Airport just outside Washington DC. About 9:30 AM they flew the aircraft and 64 passengers into the side of the Pentagon. The impact destroyed or damaged four of the five "rings," in that section, that circle the building. That section of the Pentagon was in the finishing stages of a renovation program to re-enforce.... Complete Scene Caption: An overall aerial view, two days later, of the impact point on the Pentagon where the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757-200 entered, breaking up in the process. Shortly after 8 AM on September 11, 2001 in an attempt to frighten the American people, five m

THE RECRUIT (2003), directed by ROGER DONALDSON.

An aerial view of the Pentagon. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Servicemen and women from the military complex participate in the cite's annual Veterans Day parade. Base: Jacksonville State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

National Guard soldier with tourist outside Union Station in DC

The President and Vice President welcome the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride to the White House in celebration of the eighth annual Soldier Ride

Secretary Dirk Kempthorne with U.S. Park Police for July 4th group shot at Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

Address at Veterans Day Ceremonies, Arlington National Cemetery, 11:01AM. President John F. Kennedy delivers a speech as part of Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally "Ride for Freedom"--on behalf of the Prisoners of War-Missing in Action (POW/MIA) cause--through Washington, D.C., with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne among the participants

Annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally "Ride for Freedom"--on behalf of the Prisoners of War-Missing in Action (POW/MIA) cause--through Washington, D.C., with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne among the participants

Inter-American Defense College Staff, Faculty and Students tour Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pa., Sept. 23, 2022. The Park protects and interprets the landscape of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. There are 43,000 American Civil War artifacts that are displayed in the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center. The Visit It is an academic field study that is part of the master's program offered by the college.

Department of the Interior-hosted dinner event honoring wounded veterans, with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and other senior officials presiding

Elevated view of a group of Vietnam Veterans marching across Memorial Bridge in the funeral procession for the Unknown Serviceman of the Vietnam Era, en route to Arlington National Cemetery. A state funeral service will be held in the Memorial Amphitheater, followed by interment at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Europe, Russia, Siberia, Irkutsk, Victory Park. unknown soldier flame

Snow falls at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Jan. 19, 2024.

Soldiers Marching in American Bicentennial Parade, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Royal Artillery Memorial, Royal Artillery Memorial of the First World War, Hyde Park Corner, London, Great Britain

Event honoring the 186th birthday of Ulysses S. Grant, at the General Grant National Memorial, New York City, New York, with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne delivering remarks and joining participating dignitaries incluiding U.S. Army Brigadier General Robert Caslen, Commandant of the Corps of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy; Adrian Benepe, New York City Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation; Maria Burks, Commissioner of the National Parks of New York Harbor; and Ulysses Grant Dietz, the great-great grandson of General Grant. Also on hand for the event, featuring a wreath-laying ceremony, were members of the U.S. Military Academy Corps of Cadets Honor Guard.

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