United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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Objects

Artifacts and stories go hand in hand. Watch eyewitnesses to House history talk about memorable objects—from portraits to baseball trophies—that are now in the House Collection.

Chairman Portrait: Ronald V. Dellums

Chairman Portrait: Ronald V. Dellums

Former Congressman Ronald Dellums of California talks about the portrait that commemorates his service as Armed Services Committee Chairman.

Congressional Baseball Game Trophy

Congressional Baseball Game Trophy

Former Representative Michael Oxley of Ohio, manager of the Republican team for the 2005 Congressional Baseball Game, describes what it was like to hoist the trophy in victory that year.

Declaration of War Gavel

Declaration of War Gavel

Former reading clerk Irving Swanson recalls how Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn of Texas signed and presented him the gavel he used during the votes to declare war against Germany and Italy.

September 11th Commemorative Ribbon

September 11th Commemorative Ribbon

Staff member Rayne Lykes talks about how making lapel ribbons helped staffers regain a sense of purpose after September 11, 2001.

Speaker Portrait: J. Dennis Hastert

Speaker Portrait: J. Dennis Hastert

Former Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois describes the symbols of the House and why he chose to include them in his portrait.

Featured

Portrait of Representative Ronald V. Dellums

Portrait of Representative Ronald V. Dellums

Portrait of Speaker J. Dennis Hastert

Portrait of Speaker J. Dennis Hastert

Highlight: War Resolution against Japan

Highlight: War Resolution against Japan

Highlight: House Acceptance of the Sèvres Vases

Highlight: House Acceptance of the Sèvres Vases

Search the Collection

Search the Collection

Congressional Baseball

Congressional Baseball

About the Project

Learn more about the oral history project, editing practices, and rights and reproductions.

List of Interviewees

Search a list of individual interviews, and access audio and video clips, transcripts, interview abstracts, and related images and artifacts.

Educational Resources

Utilize lesson plans and teaching tips to incorporate information from oral history interviews in the classroom.

Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov