Gwen Moore: “Slaves augmented a number of projects, perhaps most notably…”

“And they were excluded from the very freedom that it embodies. The lengthy process of constructing the US Capitol relied upon free and enslaved laborers at every step. For example, Slaves augmented a number of projects, perhaps most notably the Statue of Freedom that is atop the U.S. capitol dome and is owed in part to the label and skill of enslaved artisan Philip Reed. But of course, their contributions went unhidden and unrecognized. But now we have a plaque here. And this very hall really recognizes the labor of those folks.” (01:03–01:22)

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