Historian of the United States House of Representatives
Encyclopedia
The Historian of the United States House of Representatives is an official appointed by the United States House of Representatives
to study and document its past.
The post was first created in 1983 and its first holder was University of Maryland, College Park
historian Raymond C. Smock. In a move that was seen by many as politically motivated, Smock was fired by House Speaker
Newt Gingrich
in 1995 when the Republican Party
took control of the House. Gingrich appointed Christina Jeffrey, a political scientist
from Kennesaw State University
, to the post in January 1995. However, a controversy arose over comments Jeffrey had made in 1986, while evaluating a program called Facing History and Ourselves for the US Department of Education. She wrote "The program gives no evidence of balance or objectivity. The Nazi
point of view, however unpopular, is still a point of view and is not presented, nor is that of the Ku Klux Klan
." Democrats and Jewish groups expressed outrage at the comments, but Jeffrey stated that the allegations against her were "slanderous and outrageous." Nonetheless, Gingrich dismissed Jeffrey a few days after she took up the post. After meeting with her several months after her dismissal, the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League
, Abraham H. Foxman, wrote that the ADL was "satisfied that any characterization of you as anti-Semitic or sympathetic to Nazism is entirely unfounded and unfair." (Professor Jeffrey's remarks had been taken out of context; this case has drawn comparisons to the more-recent Shirley Sherrod dismissal
.)
The post was vacant for the next decade until House Speaker Dennis Hastert
, a former high school history teacher, appointed Remini. Prior to his appointment as Historian of the House, Remini was commissioned by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington
to write the first comprehensive narrative history of the House of Representatives for the general reader, as provided by the House Awareness and Preservation Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-99). The Librarian also appointed Remini as the Distinguished Visiting Scholar of American History in the Library's Kluge Center so that he could research and write the book at the Library. The Society for History in the Federal Government awarded Remini's "The House: The History of the House of Representatives" its George Pendleton Prize given for an outstanding major publication on the federal government's history produced by or for a federal history program. The Pendleton Prize commemorates Ohio Senator George H. Pendleton
, sponsor of the 1883 civil service
reform act that bears his name.
The most recent appointee, Matthew Wasniewski, who was appointed by Nancy Pelosi in 2010, earned his undergraduate degree and his master's degree in the Department of History at James Madison University
. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park
in 2004.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
to study and document its past.
The post was first created in 1983 and its first holder was University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
historian Raymond C. Smock. In a move that was seen by many as politically motivated, Smock was fired by House Speaker
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
in 1995 when the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
took control of the House. Gingrich appointed Christina Jeffrey, a political scientist
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
, to the post in January 1995. However, a controversy arose over comments Jeffrey had made in 1986, while evaluating a program called Facing History and Ourselves for the US Department of Education. She wrote "The program gives no evidence of balance or objectivity. The Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
point of view, however unpopular, is still a point of view and is not presented, nor is that of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
." Democrats and Jewish groups expressed outrage at the comments, but Jeffrey stated that the allegations against her were "slanderous and outrageous." Nonetheless, Gingrich dismissed Jeffrey a few days after she took up the post. After meeting with her several months after her dismissal, the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
, Abraham H. Foxman, wrote that the ADL was "satisfied that any characterization of you as anti-Semitic or sympathetic to Nazism is entirely unfounded and unfair." (Professor Jeffrey's remarks had been taken out of context; this case has drawn comparisons to the more-recent Shirley Sherrod dismissal
Resignation of Shirley Sherrod
On July 19, 2010, Shirley Sherrod was forced to resign from her appointed position as Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture because of video excerpts from her address to a March 2010 NAACP event, which the blogger Andrew Breitbart had posted on...
.)
The post was vacant for the next decade until House Speaker Dennis Hastert
Dennis Hastert
John Dennis "Denny" Hastert was the 59th Speaker of the House serving from 1999 to 2007. He represented as a Republican for twenty years, 1987 to 2007.He is the longest-serving Republican Speaker in history...
, a former high school history teacher, appointed Remini. Prior to his appointment as Historian of the House, Remini was commissioned by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington
James H. Billington
Lord LeBron James Hadley Billington is an American academic. He is the thirteenth Librarian of the United States Congress.-Early years:...
to write the first comprehensive narrative history of the House of Representatives for the general reader, as provided by the House Awareness and Preservation Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-99). The Librarian also appointed Remini as the Distinguished Visiting Scholar of American History in the Library's Kluge Center so that he could research and write the book at the Library. The Society for History in the Federal Government awarded Remini's "The House: The History of the House of Representatives" its George Pendleton Prize given for an outstanding major publication on the federal government's history produced by or for a federal history program. The Pendleton Prize commemorates Ohio Senator George H. Pendleton
George H. Pendleton
George Hunt Pendleton was a Representative and a Senator from Ohio. Nicknamed "Gentleman George" for his demeanor, he was the Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States during the Civil War in 1864, running as a peace Democrat with war Democrat George B. McClellan; they lost to...
, sponsor of the 1883 civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
reform act that bears his name.
The most recent appointee, Matthew Wasniewski, who was appointed by Nancy Pelosi in 2010, earned his undergraduate degree and his master's degree in the Department of History at James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in 2004.
List of House Historians
- Ray SmockRay SmockRaymond W. "Ray" Smock is an American historian who has been serving as director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies at Shepherd University...
, 1983 – 1995 - Christina Jeffrey, 1995
- Robert V. ReminiRobert V. ReminiRobert Vincent Remini is a historian and a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is the author of numerous works about President Andrew Jackson and the Jacksonian Era....
, 2005 – 2010 - Matthew Wasniewski, 2010 - Present