October 9, 2013

Historic Ceremony Will Take Place in the United States Capitol

Historic Statuary HallThe Churchill Centre is honored to announce 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 since 1963 when he became an Honorary Citizen.

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.”

The work being donated by the Centre is a rare Estate casting of a historic bust of Churchill sculpted from life by renowned artist Oscar Nemon. Only two other such copies are in existence, in the Churchill War Rooms in London and in the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow.

2024 International Churchill Conference

Join us for the 41st International Churchill Conference. London | October 2024

More

An invitation-only Congressional ceremony to unveil the bust will be held in Statuary Hall in the Capitol on Wednesday morning, October 30, 2013. In announcing the ceremony, the Speaker noted “Placing a bust of Churchill in the Capitol is a fitting recognition of his service to the cause of freedom and his friendship to the United States. Next month, we will come together to salute this great statesman and honor his legacy of persistence, determination, and resolve.”

All Congressional Leaders from both parties will participate along with numerous other members of Congress, the Churchill family, representatives of the American and British governments and additional dignitaries from Washington and across the country.