Magness
Ross reading Menard's poem with the last of Magness' presentation on the screen. Phillip Magness was joined by several other speak- Wasniewski
ers on February 15: Rep. Danny Davis (IL) welcomed attendees to the event; the National Archives' Rodney Ross read a poem by John Willis Menard; and House Historian Matt Wasniewski concluded the event with a discussion of Menard's brief almost-career in Congress. Magness regaled the audience with information about Menard's jam-packed early life, including his education, his travels researching resettlement options for freed African Americans, and his time in Jamaica (where he
got married, was caught up in rioting over the rights of the island's black population, and was collected by US government officials who sent him to safety in New Orleans). Magness concluded with a note that by the time Menard arrived in Washington to defend his right to his House seat, he was just 30 years old.
C-SPAN recorded both events, so keep an eye on their broadcast schedule or check www.uschs.org for updates.
13 THE CAPITOL DOME
SPRING 2012
