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You are here: Experts > Arts/Humanities > Political Science > Legislation, Presidential & Congressional Politics > Congressional buildings
Expert: Ted Nesbitt - 11/6/2009
Question
Ted, this is may be an odd question and may be outside of your expertise, but perhaps you can point me in the right direction.
In the middle of a conversation about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a friend mentioned that the Dirksen building was named after one of the men involved in that legislation. I don't actually find Dirksen's name attached to the Civil Rights Act, but it has made me curious as to how congressional buildings receive their names. Can you enlighten me?
Thank you.
Answer
Dear Sarah:
The office buildings for the Senate and the House of Representatives are named for exceptional leaders in both branches of the legislature.
Senator Everett Dirksen represented the state of Illinois for 16 years in the House and 18 years in the Senate, becoming the Minority Leader of the U. S. Senate. Serving 34 years in the Congress was one of the reasons for the building's being named for him.
Also, when there was a filibuster preventing the cloture vote on the Civil Rights Bill, Sen. Dirksen cast the vote, ending the filibuster. That single vote allowed the entire Senate to stop arguing and start voting. Thus, the Civil Rights Bill was passed. When Dirksen ended the filibuster, he said, "Victor Hugo wrote in his diary substantially this sentiment, 'Stronger than all the armies is an idea whose time has come.' The time has come for equality of opportunity in sharing of government, in education, and in employment. It must not be stayed or denied."
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is frequently misinterpreted by paritisan politicians. Some people would lead us to believe that the Republican Party was totally against Civil Rights, in general, and black people, in particular. That is not the case.
According to the vote [Congressional Quarterly, June 26, 1964), the Senate voted this way:
Democrats FOR -- 46 AGAINST -- 21 [69% FOR]
Republicans FOR -- 27 AGAINST -- 6 [82% FOR]
House of Representatives
Democrats FOR -- 152 AGAINST -- 96 [61%]
Republicans FOR -- 138 AGAINST -- 34 [80%]
My own senator, Democrat Robert C. Byrd, voted AGAINST the bill. So did Al Gore's father, another Democrat.
If you need a list of all the office buildings and the persons for whom they are named, you can find them here:
http://www.aoc.gov/
It's the home page for the Architect of the Capitol.
Ted Nesbitt
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