The Churchill Centre to Donate Bust of Sir Winston Churchill to the U.S. Capitol

Historic Work to Join Prestigious National Collection

The Churchill Centre has announced that it has been invited to donate a bust of Winston Churchill to the U.S. Capitol for permanent display in the Congressional art collection, alongside images of great figures from American history. Very few non-Americans are represented in the Capitol building and this will be the most significant recognition accorded to Churchill by the United States government in many years. 

The donation is made at the invitation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to House Resolution 497 approved on the 70th anniversary of Churchill’s historic address to a joint session of Congress shortly after America’s entry into World War Two. The Resolution noted Churchill’s status as an Honorary Citizen of the United States and recognized that his “persistence, determination and resolve remain an inspiration to freedom-fighters all over the world.”

Ronald Reagan Closer to Place of Honor in US Capitol

From The Reagan Foundation

Since 1864, each American state has been authorized to send two statues of heroic people from their state to be honored in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol Building in Washington, DC.

In 2006, the California Legislature decided to honor Ronald Reagan with one of their two statues. The Reagan Foundation recently announced artist Chas Fagan has been selected to create the statue of President Reagan.

Fagan was selected from among numerous artists who submitted designs and models for the Reagan statue.

“I think Chas Fagan has done a wonderful job of capturing my husband,” said former First Lady Nancy Reagan. “I am honored that this statue will reside in our Capitol for years to come.”

President Reagan’s statue will replace that of Thomas Starr King, a Unitarian minister from San Francisco whose speeches were credited with keeping California in the Union during the Civil War. An occupant of Statuary Hall since 1931, the Starr statue will be moved to a place of honor at the California state capitol in Sacramento.

California’s other statue honors Father Junipero Serra, who established missionary outposts throughout California in the 1700s. When Ronald Reagan was sworn in for his first term as governor of California in 1967, he took the oath of office on a Bible brought to California by Father Serra.