[112th Congress Public Law 174]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 126 STAT. 1311]]

Public Law 112-174
112th Congress

                                 An Act


 
    To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to accept a statue 
   depicting Frederick Douglass from the District of Columbia and to 
provide for the permanent display of the statue in Emancipation Hall of 
   the United States Capitol. <<NOTE: Sept. 20, 2012 -  [H.R. 6336]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Frederick Douglass, born Frederick Augustus Washington 
        Bailey in Maryland in 1818, escaped from slavery and became a 
        leading writer, orator, and publisher, and one of the Nation's 
        most influential advocates for abolitionism, women's suffrage, 
        and the equality of all people.
            (2) The contributions of Frederick Douglass over many 
        decades were crucial to the abolition of slavery, the passage of 
        the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution of the 
        United States, the support for women's suffrage, and the 
        advancement of African-Americans after the Civil War.
            (3) After living in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Frederick 
        Douglass resided for 25 years in Rochester, New York, where he 
        published and edited ``The North Star'', the leading African-
        American newspaper in the United States, and other publications.
            (4) Self-educated, Frederick Douglass wrote several 
        influential books, including his best-selling first 
        autobiography, ``Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an 
        American Slave'', published in 1845.
            (5) Frederick Douglass worked tirelessly for the 
        emancipation of African-American slaves, was a pivotal figure in 
        Underground Railroad activities, and was an inspiration to 
        enslaved Americans who aspired to freedom.
            (6) As a well-known speaker in great demand, Frederick 
        Douglass traveled widely, visiting countries such as England and 
        Ireland, to spread the message of emancipation and equal rights.
            (7) Frederick Douglass was the only African-American to 
        attend the Seneca Falls Convention, a women's rights convention 
        held in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848.
            (8) During the Civil War, Frederick Douglass recruited 
        African-Americans to volunteer as soldiers for the Union Army, 
        including 2 of his sons, who served nobly in the Fifty-Fourth 
        Massachusetts Regiment.
            (9) In 1872, Frederick Douglass moved to Washington, DC, 
        after a fire destroyed his home in Rochester, New York.

[[Page 126 STAT. 1312]]

            (10) Frederick Douglass was appointed as a United States 
        Marshal in 1877 and was named Recorder of Deeds for the District 
        of Columbia in 1881.
            (11) Frederick Douglass became the first African-American to 
        receive a vote for nomination as President of the United States 
        at a major party convention for the 1888 Republican National 
        Convention.
            (12) From 1889 to 1891, Frederick Douglass served as 
        minister-resident and consul-general to the Republic of Haiti.
            (13) Frederick Douglass was recognized around the world as 
        one of the most important political activists in the history of 
        the United States.
            (14) Frederick Douglass died in 1895 in Washington, DC and 
        is buried in Rochester, New York.
            (15) Frederick Douglass's achievements and influence on the 
        history of the United States merit recognition in the United 
        States Capitol.
SEC. 2. ACCEPTANCE OF STATUE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS FOR PLACEMENT 
                    IN EMANCIPATION HALL.

    (a) Acceptance.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Joint Committee on the Library shall accept 
from the District of Columbia the donation of a statue depicting 
Frederick Douglass, subject to the terms and conditions that the Joint 
Committee considers appropriate.
    (b) Placement.--The Joint Committee shall place the statue accepted 
under subsection (a) in a suitable permanent location in Emancipation 
Hall of the United States Capitol.

    Approved September 20, 2012.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 6336:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 158 (2012):
            Sept. 10, considered and passed House.
            Sept. 12, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>