African-American slaves who sacrificed their lives to construct the United States Capitol receive recognition for their hard labor, by the American Congress. On Wednesday, June 16, Congress awarded commemorative plaques inside of the building they built, to honor those who had no choice in sacrificing for their country.
The plaques read:
This original exterior wall was constructed between 1793 and 1800 of sandstone quarried by laborers, including enslaved African Americans who were an important part of the work force that built the United States Capitol.
"In remembering the slaves who labored here," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said at the ceremony. "We give them in death some measure of the dignity they were so cruelly denied in life.
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