Monuments and Memorials Authorized and
Completed Under the Commemorative Works
Act in the District of Columbia
Jacob R. Straus
Analyst on the Congress
October 9, 2014
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R43743
Monuments and Memorials Completed Under the Commemorative Works Act
Summary
Since the enactment of the Commemorative Works Act (CWA) in 1986, Congress has authorized
31 commemorative works to be placed in the District of Columbia or its environs. Seventeen of
these works have been completed and dedicated.
This report contains a catalog of the 18 authorized works that have been completed and dedicated
since 1986. For each memorial, the report provides a rationale for each authorized work, as
expressed by a Member of Congress, as well as the statutory authority for its creation; and
identifies the group or groups which sponsored the commemoration, the memorial’s location, and
the dedication date. A picture of each work is also included. The Appendix includes a map
showing each completed memorial’s location.
For more information on the Commemorative Works Act, see CRS Report R41658,
Commemorative Works in the District of Columbia: Background and Practice, by Jacob R.
Straus; CRS Report R43241, Monuments and Memorials in the District of Columbia: Analysis
and Options for Proposed Exemptions to the Commemorative Works Act, by Jacob R. Straus; and
CRS Report R43744, Monuments and Memorials Authorized Under the Commemorative Works
Act in the District of Columbia: Current Development of In-Progress and Lapsed Works, by Jacob
R. Straus.
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Monuments and Memorials Completed Under the Commemorative Works Act
Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Commemorative Works Areas of the District of Columbia ............................................................. 1
Reserve ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Area I ......................................................................................................................................... 2
Area II ........................................................................................................................................ 2
Authorized Commemorative Works ................................................................................................ 2
Completed Commemorative Works ................................................................................................. 3
Women in Military Service for America ................................................................................... 4
Francis Scott Key ...................................................................................................................... 5
Korean War Veterans ................................................................................................................. 6
American Armored Force .......................................................................................................... 8
Vietnam Women ........................................................................................................................ 9
George Mason ......................................................................................................................... 10
African-American Civil War-Union Soldier/Sailors ............................................................... 11
Japanese American Patriotism in World War II ....................................................................... 12
World War II ............................................................................................................................ 13
Victims of Communism ........................................................................................................... 14
Mahatma Gandhi ..................................................................................................................... 16
Lincoln Memorial “I Have a Dream” Speech.......................................................................... 17
Tomas G. Masaryk ................................................................................................................... 18
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ...................................................................................... 19
American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial ..................................................................... 20
Other Memorials ............................................................................................................................ 21
United States Air Force ............................................................................................................ 22
Veterans Who Died as a Result of Service in the Vietnam War .............................................. 22
Senator Robert J. Dole Plaque ................................................................................................. 23
Figures
Figure 1. Women in Military Service for America Memorial .......................................................... 4
Figure 2. Francis Scott Key Memorial ............................................................................................. 6
Figure 3. Korean War Veterans Memorial ....................................................................................... 7
Figure 4. American Armored Force Memorial ................................................................................ 8
Figure 5. Vietnam Women’s Memorial ............................................................................................ 9
Figure 6. George Mason Memorial ................................................................................................ 11
Figure 7. African-American Civil War-Union Soldiers/Sailors Memorial .................................... 12
Figure 8. Japanese American Patriotism in World War II Memorial ............................................. 13
Figure 9. World War II Memorial .................................................................................................. 14
Figure 10. Victims of Communism Memorial ............................................................................... 15
Figure 11. Mahatma Gandhi Memorial.......................................................................................... 16
Figure 12. Lincoln Memorial “I Have a Dream” Speech Plaque ................................................... 17
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Monuments and Memorials Completed Under the Commemorative Works Act
Figure 13. Tomas G. Masaryk Memorial ....................................................................................... 18
Figure 14. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial .......................................................... 19
Figure 15. American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial ........................................................... 21
Figure 16. Air Force Memorial ...................................................................................................... 22
Figure 17. Veterans Who Died as a Result of Service in the Vietnam War Plaque ........................ 23
Figure 18. Senator Robert J. Dole Plaque at the World War II Memorial ..................................... 24
Figure A-1. Location of Commemorative Works in the District of Columbia .............................. 25
Tables
Table 1. Completed Commemorative Works ................................................................................... 2
Appendixes
Appendix. Location of Commemorative Works in the District of Columbia ................................ 25
Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 25
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Monuments and Memorials Completed Under the Commemorative Works Act
Introduction
Since November 1986, the Commemorative Works Act (CWA) has provided the legal framework
for the placement of commemorative works in the District of Columbia. The CWA was enacted to
establish a statutory process for ensuring “that future commemorative works in areas
administered by the National Park Service (NPS) and the General Services Administration (GSA)
in the District of Columbia and its environs (1) are appropriately designed, constructed, and
located and (2) reflect a consensus of the lasting significance of the subjects involved.”1 Since the
CWA’s enactment, 31 memorials have been authorized for placement in the District of Columbia.
This report provides a catalog of the 18 memorials in the District of Columbia that have been
authorized, completed, and dedicated since the passage of the CWA. A summary of the work is
provided. The report also provides information—located within text boxes for easy reference—on
the statute(s) authorizing the work; the authorized organization; legislative extensions, if any; the
memorial’s location; and the dedication date. A picture of each work is also included. The
Appendix includes a map showing each memorial’s location.
For a further discussion of the placement of memorials in the District of Columbia see CRS
Report R41658, Commemorative Works in the District of Columbia: Background and Practice,
by Jacob R. Straus and CRS Report R43744, Monuments and Memorials Authorized Under the
Commemorative Works Act in the District of Columbia: Current Development of In-Progress and
Lapsed Works, by Jacob R. Straus.
Commemorative Works Areas of the District of
Columbia
The CWA divides land under the jurisdiction of the NPS and GSA in the District of Columbia and
its environs into three sections for the placement of memorials: the Reserve, Area I, and Area II.
For each area, the standards for memorial placement are specified in law, and congressional
approval of monument location is required. Property not under the jurisdiction of the NPS or GSA
is not subject to the CWA. See Figure A-1 for a map of the commemorative works areas of the
District of Columbia.
Reserve
The Reserve was created in November 2003, by P.L. 108-126, to prohibit the addition of future
memorials in an area defined as “the great cross-axis of the Mall, which generally extends from
the United States Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, and from the White House to the Jefferson
Memorial.”2 This area is legally considered “a substantially completed work of civic art.”3 Within
1 40 U.S.C. §8901(4).
2 40 U.S.C. §8902.
3 P.L. 108-126, §202(a), 117 Stat. 1348, November 17, 2003.
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this area, “to preserve the integrity of the Mall … the siting of new commemorative works is
prohibited.”4
Area I
Created as part of the original CWA statute in 1986, Area I is reserved for commemorative works
of “preeminent historical and lasting significance to the United States.”5 Area I is roughly
bounded by the West Front of the Capitol; Pennsylvania Avenue NW (between 1st and 15th Streets
NW); Lafayette Square; 17th Street NW (between H Street and Constitution Avenue); Constitution
Avenue NW (between 17th and 23rd Streets); the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
waterfront area; Theodore Roosevelt Island; National Park Service land in Virginia surrounding
the George Washington Memorial Parkway; the 14th Street Bridge area; and Maryland Avenue
SW, from Maine Avenue SW, to Independence Avenue SW, at the United States Botanic Garden.
Area II
Also created as part of the original CWA statute, Area II is reserved for “subjects of lasting
historical significance to the American people.”6 Area II encompasses all sections of the District
of Columbia and its environs not part of the Reserve or Area I.
Authorized Commemorative Works
Since the passage of the Commemorative Works Act (CWA) in 1986, Congress has authorized 31
commemorative works to be placed in the District of Columbia or its environs, 18 of which have
been completed and dedicated—15 under the auspices of the CWA and three outside of the CWA
process. The other 13 authorized commemorative works are either in progress or have a lapsed
authorization. Table 1 lists the commemorative works authorized and dedicated since 1986.
Table 1. Completed Commemorative Works
Congress Memorial
Authorizing
Legislation
Located on Property Under CWA Jurisdiction
99
Women in Military Service for America
P.L. 99-610, 100 Stat. 3477, November 6, 1986
99
Francis Scott Key
P.L. 99-531, 100 Stat. 3022, October 27, 1986
99
Korean War Veterans
P.L. 99-572, 100 Stat. 3226, October 28, 1986
4 40 U.S.C. §8901 note; and 40 U.S.C. §8908 (c). The placement of museums and visitors centers is also prohibited
under 40 U.S.C. §8905 (b)(5) and 40 U.S.C. §8908 (c).
5 40 U.S.C. §8908 (b)(1). The Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services, after seeking the
advice of the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, can recommend that a memorial be placed in Area I. If
either the Secretary or the Administrator recommends placement in Area I, he or she must notify the House Committee
on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Secretary or the Administrator
notifies Congress by sending a letter to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. If the
recommendation is not enacted into law within 150 calendar days, the recommendation is not adopted and the
memorial sponsor must consider sites in Area II.
6 40 U.S.C. §8908 (b)(2).
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Congress Memorial
Authorizing
Legislation
99
American Armored Force
P.L. 99-620, 100 Stat. 3493, November 6, 1986
100
Vietnam Women’s Memorial
P.L. 100-660, 102 Stat. 3922, November 15, 1988
101
George Mason
P.L. 101-358, 104 Stat. 419, August 10, 1990
102
African-American Civil War-Union
P.L. 102-412, 106 Stat. 2104, October 14, 1992
Soldiers/Sailors
102
Japanese American Patriotism in World War II
P.L. 102-502, 106 Stat. 3273, October 24, 1992
103
World War II
P.L. 103-32, 107 Stat. 90, May 25, 1993
103
Victims of Communism
P.L. 103-199, Title IX, §905, 107 Stat. 2331,
December 17, 1993
104
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
P.L. 104-333, Div. I, Title V, §508, 110 Stat. 4157,
November 12, 1996
105
Mahatma Gandhi
P.L. 105-284, 112 Stat. 2701, October 26, 1998
106
American Veterans Disabled for Life
P.L. 106-348, 114 Stat. 1358, October 24, 2000
106
Lincoln Memorial “I Have a Dream” Speech
P.L. 106-365, 114 Stat. 1409, October 27, 2000
107
Tomas G. Masaryk
P.L. 107-61, 115 Stat. 410, November 5, 2001
Located on Property Not Subject to the CWA
103
United States Air Forcea
P.L. 103-163, 107 Stat. 1973, December 2, 1993
106
Veterans Who Died as a Result of Service in
P.L. 106-214, 114 Stat. 335, June 15, 2000
the Vietnam Warb
111
Senator Robert J. Dole Plaque
P.L. 111-88, §128, 123 Stat. 2933, October 30, 2009
Source: 40 U.S.C. §8903 note and CRS analysis of memorial legislation.
Notes:
a. The United States Air Force Memorial was constructed on land not governed by the Commemorative
Works Act. For more information, see the section below on the “United States Air Force” Memorial and
the Air Force Memorial Foundation, http://www.airforcememorial.org.
b. In authorizing the plaque to honor other Vietnam veterans who died as a result of service in the Vietnam
War, Congress specifically exempted the American Battle Monuments Commission from 40 U.S.C.
§8903(c), which prohibits the creation of a commemorative work to an event, individuals, or groups “until
the 25th anniversary of the event, death of the individual, or death of the last surviving member of the
group.”
Completed Commemorative Works
Since 1986, 18 commemorative works have been completed within the District of Columbia and
its environs. These memorials honored groups of individuals, such as women who have served in
the U.S. military; veterans from World War II as well as the Korean War; and individuals
including George Mason, Francis Scott Key, and Mahatma Gandhi. The memorials presented here
are listed in order of authorization. For each memorial, a short background and a picture is
included. Additionally, a text box is provided that includes information on the authorizing statute;
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the sponsor organization; statutory extensions of the sponsor’s authorization, if necessary;7 the
memorial’s location; and the date of dedication.
Women in Military Service for America
In October 1986, Congress authorized the Women in Military Service for America Memorial
Foundation to construct a commemorative work, on federal land, to honor women who had
served in the U.S. Armed Forces.8 Located at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National
Cemetery, the Women in Military Service for America Memorial is a “30-foot high curved
neoclassical retaining wall”9 and a fountain. While the foundation has raised nonfederal funds to
construct the memorial, because the memorial was built to complement the existing main gate
and plaza of Arlington National Cemetery, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Army to
provide “engineering, design, construction management, and related services on a reimbursable
basis.”10 Figure 1 shows the Women in Military Service for America Memorial.
Figure 1. Women in Military Service for America Memorial
Source: Women in Military Service for America Foundation.
7 Pursuant to the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. §8903(e)(1)), all sponsor groups are provided with a seven-
year period to complete (i.e., dedicate) the memorial. This time period can be extended administratively if the Secretary
of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services issues a construction permit, or if Congress amends the initial
statute to provide for additional time to complete the memorial’s design and construction. For more information, see
CRS Report R41658, Commemorative Works in the District of Columbia: Background and Practice, by Jacob R.
Straus.
8 P.L. 99-590, 100 Stat. 3330, October 30, 1986; and P.L. 99-610, 100 Stat. 3477, November 6, 1986. For more
information on the authorization of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, see U.S. Congress, House
Committee on House Administration, Memorial to Honor Women Who Have Served in or with the Armed Forces,
report to accompany H.J.Res. 36, 99th Cong., 1st sess., October 29, 1985, H.Rept. 99-342 (Washington: GPO, 1985);
and U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Authorizing a Memorial to Women Who Have
Served in the Armed Forces of the United States, report to accompany H.J.Res. 36, 99th Cong., 2nd sess., September 19,
1986, S.Rept. 99-461 (Washington: GPO, 1986).
9 Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, “History,” About, at
http://www.womensmemorial.org/About/history.html.
10 P.L. 103-337, §2855, 108 Stat. 2663, October 5, 1994.
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Authorization Statute:
P.L. 99-610, 100 Stat. 3477, November 6, 1986
Sponsor Organization:
Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation
(http://www.womensmemorial.org)
Statutory Extension:
Extended to 10 years from date of enactment
(P.L.
103-321,
108
Stat.
1793,
August
26,
1994)
Location:
Area I
Dedication:
October 18, 1997
Francis Scott Key
In October 1986, the Francis Scott Key Park Foundation was authorized by Congress to construct
a commemorative work on public grounds in the District of Columbia to “honor and in
commemoration of Francis Scott Key, the author of the words to ‘The Star Spangled Banner,’ our
National Anthem, who lived and practiced law in Washington, District of Columbia at the time he
penned those immortal words.”11 The memorial is located in a park close to the site of Francis
Scott Key’s home, which was demolished in 1947,12 and is adjacent to the Georgetown entrance
to Key Bridge, which is also named for Francis Scott Key. The memorial consists of a round
stone base and a bust of Francis Scott Key and is shown in Figure 2.
11 P.L. 99-531, §1, 100 Stat. 3022, October 27, 1986. For more information on the authorization of the Francis Scott
Key Memorial, see “Francis Scott Key Memorial,” Senate debate, Congressional Record, vol. 132, part 21 (October 9,
1986), pp. 29898-29899; and U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Authorizing a
Memorial to Francis Scott Key, report to accompany S. 2370, 99th Cong., 2nd sess., September 19, 1986, S.Rept. 99-457
(Washington: GPO, 1986).
12 James M. Goode, Washington Sculpture: A Cultural History of Outdoor Sculpture in the Nation’s Capital
(Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008), p. 584.
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Figure 2. Francis Scott Key Memorial
Source: Author’s photo of the Francis Scott Key Memorial. Taken July 12, 2011.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 99-531, 100 Stat. 3022, October 27, 1986
Sponsor Organization:
Francis Scott Key Park Foundation, Inc.
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Area II
Dedication:
September
14,
1993
Korean War Veterans
In October 1986, the American Battle Monuments Commission13 was authorized by Congress to
construct a memorial on federal land in Washington, DC, “to honor members of the Armed Forces
of the United States who served in the Korean War, particularly those who were killed in action,
are still listed as missing in action, or were held as prisoners of war.”14 Located to the southeast of
the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial contains 19 stainless steel statues, a
13 For more information on the American Battle Monuments Commission, see http://www.abmc.gov, or CRS Report
R41658, Commemorative Works in the District of Columbia: Background and Practice, by Jacob R. Straus.
14 P.L. 99-572, §1, 100 Stat. 3326, October 28, 1986.
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mural wall etched with bas-relief images of photographs of Korean War scenes from the National
Archives, a pool of remembrance, an honor roll, a low stone wall listing the 22 nations that
participated in the war, and a dedication stone.15 “The memorial commemorates the sacrifices of
the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed services during the three-year period of
the Korean War.... During its relatively short duration from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953,
54,246 Americans died in support of their country. Of these, 8,200 are listed as missing in action
or lost or buried at sea. In addition 103,284 were wounded during the conflict.”16 Figure 3 shows
the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
Figure 3. Korean War Veterans Memorial
Source: American Battle Monuments Commission “Korean War Veterans Memorial,” at http://www.abmc.gov/
images/kr6w.jpg.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 99-572, 100 Stat. 3326, October 28, 198617
Sponsor Organization:
American Battle Monuments Commission
(www.abmc.gov)
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Reserve18
15 American Battle Monuments Commission, “Korean War Veterans Memorial,” at http://www.abmc.gov/memorials/
memorials/kr.php.
16 Ibid.
17 The Korean War Veterans Memorial authorization was amended by P.L. 100-202 (101 Stat. 1329, December 22,
1987) to establish a Treasury Fund for memorial expenses and for the deposit of private contributions to the memorial.
18 Because the Korean War Veterans Memorial was initially authorized in 1986, prior to the creation of the Reserve,
Congress authorized the memorial’s placement in Area I pursuant to P.L. 100-267, 102 Stat. 41, March 29, 1988.
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Dedication:
July 27, 1995
American Armored Force
In November 1986, Congress authorized 25 private armored force committees and associations to
create a memorial on federal land to “honor members of the American Armored Force who have
served in armored units.”19 The memorial was authorized to “commemorate the exceptional
professionalism of the members of the American Armored Force and their efforts to maintain
peace worldwide.”20 Located on Memorial Drive at the entrance to Arlington National
Cemetery,21 the American Armored Force Memorial (Figure 4) depicts armored forces engaged
in battle surrounded by the logos of the various armored divisions.
Figure 4. American Armored Force Memorial
Source: Author’s photograph of the American Armored Force Memorial. Taken September 23, 2011.
Note: The text under the memorial relief reads: “A balanced team of combat arms and services of equal
importance and equal prestige.” – Maj. Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, Father of the American Armored Force.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 99-620, 100 Stat. 3493, November 6, 1986
Sponsor Organization:
The Armored Force Monument Committee; the United States Armor
Association; the United States Field Artillery Association; the World Wars
Tank Corps Association; the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge; the 11th
Armo
red Calv
ary Regim
ent Associati
on;
the T
ank Destro
yer Associati
on;
the
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 16th Armed
19 P.L. 99-620, 100 Stat. 3493, November 6, 1986.
20 Ibid.
21 This section of Memorial Drive has long been designated for “unit” and “branch” Armed Forces Memorials. Other
memorials, all authorized prior to the Commemorative Works Act, on this section of Memorial Drive include the 101st
Army Airborne Division Monument, the Fourth Infantry Division Memorial, the Seabees Monument, and the Spanish
War Veterans Memorial (known as “The Hiker”).
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Division Associations; the Council of Armored Division Associations; and the
National Association of Uniformed Services
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Area II
Dedication:
November
11,
1991
Vietnam Women
In November 1988, Congress authorized the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project to establish a
memorial on federal land in the District of Columbia to “honor women who served in the Armed
Forces of the United States in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era.”22 Located next to
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial is designed to honor all women
who served during the Vietnam War. The bronze statue of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial statue
(Figure 5) depicts “a nurse—in a moment of crisis—… supported by sandbags as she serves as
the life support for a wounded soldier lying across her lap. The standing woman looks up, in
search of a med-i-vac helicopter or, perhaps, in search of help from God.”23
Figure 5. Vietnam Women’s Memorial
Source: U.S. Department of Defense, “Memorials Honoring Women Scattered Across Nation,” American Forces
Press Service, at http://www.defense.gov/DODCMSShare/NewsStoryPhoto/2000-04/hrs_20004073b_300.jpg.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 100-660, 102 Stat. 3922, November 15, 1988
P.L.
101-187,
103
Stat.
1350,
November
28,
1989
Sponsor Organization:
Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project, Inc.
22 P.L. 100-660, 102 Stat. 3922, November 15, 1988.
23 Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation, “Vietnam Women’s Memorial: Sculptor’s Notes,” at
http://www.vietnamwomensmemorial.org/memorial.php.
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(http://www.vietnamwomensmemorial.org)
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Area I24
Dedication:
November
11,
1993
George Mason
In August 1990, the Board of Regents of Gunston Hall25 was authorized to build a memorial to
George Mason on federal land in the District of Columbia.26 Located in West Potomac Park, near
the Tidal Basin, Jefferson Memorial, and George Mason Memorial Bridge,27 the George Mason
Memorial (Figure 6) was designed in the style of Mason’s Gunston Hall plantation and features a
statue of the American patriot and statesmen seated on a bench.28 Following congressional
authorization of the site location,29 the memorial was placed as an addition to an existing
commemorative work to George Mason—the south-bound span of the 14th Street Bridge—that
had been authorized in 1959.30
24 The Vietnam Women’s Memorial was originally authorized for placement in Area I. Pursuant to 40 U.S.C. §8908(c),
the memorial is now located in the Reserve.
25 Gunston Hall was the home of George Mason and is a National Historic Landmark now owned by the
Commonwealth of Virginia. For more information on George Mason and Gunston Hall, see “Gunston Hall: Home of
George Mason,” http://www.gunstonhall.org.
26 P.L. 101-358, 104 Stat. 419, August 10, 1990.
27 James M. Goode, Washington Sculpture: A Cultural History of Outdoor Sculpture in the Nation’s Capital
(Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008), p. 491.
28 National Park Service, “George Mason Memorial,” http://www.nps.gov/gemm/planyourvisit/upload/
Mason%20web.pdf.
29 P.L. 102-277, 106 Stat. 127, April 28, 1992. See also, U.S. Congress, House Committee on Interior and Insular
Affairs, Approval of Location of Memorial to Honor George Mason, report to accompany H.J.Res. 402, 102nd Cong.,
2nd sess., March 30, 1992, H.Rept. 102-472 (Washington: GPO, 1992).
30 P.L. 86-86, 73 Stat. 196, July 13, 1959. See also, U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration,
Authorizing the Colonial Dames at Gunston Hall to Establish a Memorial to George Mason in the District of
Columbia, report to accompany S. 1543, 101st Cong., 2nd sess., February 28, 1990, S.Rept. 101-245 (Washington: GPO,
1990), p. 1.
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Figure 6. George Mason Memorial
Source: American Society of Landscape Architects. “George Mason Memorial,” at http://www.asla.org/guide/
site.aspx?id=35787.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 101-358, 104 Stat. 419, August 10, 1990
Sponsor Organization:
Board of Regents of Gunston Hal
Statutory Extension:
Authorization extended to August 10, 2000
(P.L.
105-182,
112
Stat.
516,
June
19,
1998)
Location:
Area I31
Dedication:
April
9,
2000
African-American Civil War-Union Soldier/Sailors
In October 1992, Congress authorized the government of the District of Columbia to establish a
memorial on federal land “to honor African-Americans who served with Union forces during the
Civil War.”32 Located at 12th and U Streets NW the African-American Civil War-Union
Soldiers/Sailors Memorial (Figure 7) features a granite plaza surrounded by a wall of honor on
three sides. In the center is a statue featuring “uniformed black soldiers and a sailor poised to
leave home. Women, children, and elders on the cusp of the concave inner surface seek strength
together.”33
31 The George Mason Memorial was originally authorized for placement in Area I. Pursuant to 40 U.S.C. §8908(c), the
memorial is now located in the Reserve.
32 P.L. 102-412, 106 Stat. 2104, October 14, 1992.
33 Ibid.
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Figure 7. African-American Civil War-Union Soldiers/Sailors Memorial
Source: Author’s photograph of the African-American Civil War-Union Soldiers/Sailors Memorial. Taken
August 4, 2011.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 102-412, 106 Stat. 2104, October 14, 1992
Sponsor Organization:
Government of the District of Columbia
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Area II
Dedication:
July 18, 1998
Japanese American Patriotism in World War II
In October 1992, Congress authorized the Go for Broke National Veterans Association
Foundation to create a memorial on federal land in the District of Columbia “to honor Japanese
American patriotism in World War II.”34 Located at the intersection of New Jersey Avenue NW,
Louisiana Avenue NW, and D Street NW, the memorial contains a statue of a crane surrounded by
the names of the 10 relocation camps used to house Japanese Americans during World War II.35
The Japanese American Patriotism in World War II Memorial (Figure 8) also contains the names
34 P.L. 102-502, 106 Stat. 3273, October 24, 1992.
35 National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, “Virtual Tour,” at http://njamf.com/vt4.htm.
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of Japanese Americans killed in uniform during World War II, a bell, a reflecting pond with five
granite boulders, and a quotation by Senator Daniel Inouye.36
Figure 8. Japanese American Patriotism in World War II Memorial
Source: National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, “Electronic Press Kit,” at http://njamf.com/images/
docs/njamf_epk%204%2014%2009.pdf, p. 6.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 102-502, 106 Stat. 3273, October 25, 1992
Sponsor Organization:
Go for Broke National Veterans Association Foundation
(http://www.njamf.com)
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Area I
Dedication:
November 9, 2000
World War II
In May 1993, Congress authorized the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a
memorial “to honor members of the Armed Forces who served in World War II and to
commemorate the participation of the United States in that war.”37 Located on the National Mall
between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial between the eastern edge of the
Reflecting Pool and 17th Street NW,38 the World War II Memorial (Figure 9) consists of 24
bronze bas-relief panels flanking the ceremonial entrance, 56 granite columns around the
Rainbow Pool39 to “symbolize the unprecedented wartime unity among the forty-eight states,
36 National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, “Virtual Tour of the Memorial,” at http://njamf.com/index.php/
virtual-tour-of-the-memorial.
37 P.L. 103-32, 107 Stat. 90, May 25, 1993.
38 P.L. 107-11, 115 Stat. 19, May 28, 2001.
39 The Rainbow Pool is an historic reflecting pool that was located at the east end of the main reflecting pool between
the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Upon construction of the World War II Memorial, the Rainbow
Pool was restored and made part of the memorial. For more information, see National World War II Memorial,
(continued...)
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several federal territories, and the District of Columbia.” Two 43-foot tall pavilions proclaiming
“American victory on the Atlantic and Pacific fronts” are located to the North and South of the
pool.40
Figure 9. World War II Memorial
Source: WWII Memorial, Washington, DC “The Memorial Plaza,” at http://www.wwiimemorial.com/
construction/photos/photo.asp?picname=2004-5memorial_plaza.jpg.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 103-32, 107 Stat. 90, May 25, 1993
Sponsor Organization:
American Battle Monuments Commission
(http://www.abmc.gov)
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Area I41
Dedication:
May 29, 2004
Victims of Communism
In December 1993, Congress authorized the National Captive Nations Committee to “construct,
maintain, and operate in the District of Columbia an appropriate international memorial to honor
victims of communism.”42 Located on Massachusetts Avenue NW between New Jersey Avenue
NW and G Street NW, the Victims of Communism Memorial (Figure 10) features the statue
(...continued)
“Memorial Design,” at http://www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=design.asp&subpage=memorialdesign.
40 National Park Service, “History and Culture,” World War II Memorial, at http://www.nps.gov/nwwm/historyculture/
index.htm.
41 The World War II Memorial was originally authorized for placement in Area I. Pursuant to 40 U.S.C. §8908(c), the
memorial is now located in the Reserve.
42 P.L. 103-199, §905, 107 Stat. 2331, December 17, 1993.
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“Goddess of Democracy,” a “bronze replica of a statue erected by Chinese students in Tiananmen
Square, Beijing, China in the spring of 1989.”43
Figure 10. Victims of Communism Memorial
Source: Author’s photograph of Victims of Communism Memorial. Taken March 16, 2011.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 103-199, §905, 107 Stat. 2331, December 17, 1993
Sponsor Organization:
National Captive Nations Committee, Inc.
(http://www.victimsofcommunism.org)
Statutory Extension:
P.L. 105-277, §326, 112 Stat. 2681-291, October 21, 1998
Location:
Area II
43 Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, “About the Foundation,” at http://www.victimsofcommunism.org/
about.
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Dedication:
June
12,
2007
Mahatma Gandhi
In October 1998, Congress authorized the government of India to establish and maintain a
memorial “to honor Mahatma Gandhi on Federal land in the District of Columbia.”44 Located
outside the Embassy of India in a park surrounded by Q Street NW, Massachusetts Avenue NW
and 21st Street NW, “[t]he sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi is cast in bronze as a statue to a height of
8 feet 8 inches. It shows Gandhi in stride, as a leader and man of action evoking memories of his
1930 protest march against salt-tax, and the many padyatras (long marches) he undertook
throughout the length and breadth of the Indian sub-continent.”45 The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial
(Figure 11) is located in a memorial plaza, which includes “[t]hree inscription panels in ruby red
granite, mounted on gray granite bases, [and] are located on the eastern side of the plaza facing
the park.”46
Figure 11. Mahatma Gandhi Memorial
Source: Embassy of India, “About the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial – Detail,” at http://www.indianembassy.org/
memorial-detail.php.
44 P.L. 105-284, 112 Stat. 2701, October 26, 1998.
45 Embassy of India, “The Statue and Pedestal,” at http://www.indianembassy.org/the-statue-and-pedestal.php.
46 Embassy of India, “Site of the Memorial & the Memorial Plaza,” at http://www.indianembassy.org/site-of-the-
memorial-and-the-memorial-plaza.php.
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Authorization Statute:
P.L. 105-284, 112 Stat. 2701, October 26, 1988
Sponsor Organization:
Government of India
(http://www.indianembassy.org/about-mahatma-gandhi-memorial.php)
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Area II
Dedication:
September
16,
2000
Lincoln Memorial “I Have a Dream” Speech
In October 2000, Congress authorized the placement at the Lincoln Memorial of a plaque
commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s August 28, 1963, “I Have a Dream” speech.47
Located on the Lincoln Memorial steps at the spot where Dr. King spoke, the plaque (Figure 12)
commemorates the speech and the August 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Figure 12. Lincoln Memorial “I Have a Dream” Speech Plaque
Source: Rhonda Sheehan, “Fifty Years Ago: ‘I Have a Dream,’” ProQuest Blog, August 27, 2013, at
http://blogs.proquest.com/elibrary/fifty-years-ago-i-have-a-dream/.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 106-365, 114 Stat. 1409, October 27, 2000
Sponsor Organization:
Secretary of the Interior
Statutory Extension:
N/A
47 P.L. 106-365, 114 Stat. 1409, October 27, 2000. For more information on the authorizing legislation, see U.S.
Congress, House Committee on Resources, Commemorating the “I Have a Dream” Speech at the Lincoln Memorial,
report to accompany H.R. 2879, 106th Cong., 1st sess., November 4, 1999, H.Rept. 106-448 (Washington: GPO, 1999);
and U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative
Plaque, report to accompany H.R. 2879, 106th Cong., 2nd sess., July 10, 2000, S.Rept. 106-334 (Washington: GPO,
2000).
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Location:
Reserve
Dedication:
August 22, 200348
Tomas G. Masaryk
In November 2001, Congress authorized the government of the Czech Republic to maintain and
“establish a memorial to honor Tomas G. Masaryk [Czechoslovakia’s first president] on Federal
land in the District of Columbia.”49 Located on Massachusetts Avenue NW, Florida Avenue NW,
and Q Street NW, the memorial (Figure 13) “honors Tomas Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1937), the
founder and first president of Czechoslovakia.… [and] was modeled from life in 1937 shortly
before Masaryk died.”50
Figure 13. Tomas G. Masaryk Memorial
Source: National Park Service, “Masaryk, Tomas Garrigue – Statue – Res. 57,” at http://www.hscl.cr.nps.gov/
insidenps/report.asp?STATE=DC&PARK=NAMA&STRUCTURE=&SORT=&RECORDNO=166.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 107-61, 115 Stat. 410, November 5, 2001
Sponsor Organization:
Government of the Czech Republic
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Area II
48 U.S. Department of the Interior, “MLK ‘I Have a Dream’ Commemorative Inscription Unveiling Ceremony
Scheduled for Aug. 22,” press release, August 20, 2003, at http://www.doi.gov/archive/news/03_News_Releases/
030820a.htm.
49 P.L. 107-61, 115 Stat. 410, November 5, 2001.
50 James M. Goode, Washington Sculpture: A Cultural History of Outdoor Sculpture in the Nation’s Capital
(Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008), p. 367.
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Dedication:
September
19,
2002
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In November 1996, Congress authorized the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to establish a memorial
“to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.”51 Located on the National Mall in the northeast corner of the
Tidal Basin, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (Figure 14) features a statue of Dr. King in
an engaging landscape experience tied to other landscapes and monuments, not as a single
object or memorial dominating the site. The composition of the memorial utilizes landscape
elements to powerfully convey three fundamental and recurring themes of Dr. King’s life:
justice, democracy and hope. The circular geometry of the memorial, juxtaposed within the
triangular configuration of the site, engages the Tidal Basin and frames views to the water.52
Figure 14. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Source: National Memorial Project Foundation, “MLK Construction Cam, August 29, 2011,” at
http://www.mlkmemorial.org/site/c.hkIUL9MVJxE/b.6053219/k.C7C4/EarthCam.htm.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 104-333, §508, 110 Stat. 4157, November 12, 1986
P.L.
106-176,
§108,
114
Stat.
26,
March
10,
2000
Sponsor Organization:
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
51 P.L. 104-333, §508, 110 Stat. 4157, November 12, 1986.
52 National Memorial Project Foundation, “About the Memorial,” at http://www.mlkmemorial.org/site/
c.hkIUL9MVJxE/b.1190591/k.B083/About_the_Memorial.htm.
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(http://www.mlkmemorial.org)
Statutory Extensions: Until
November
12,
2006
(P.L.
108-125,
117
Stat.
1347,
November
11,
2003)
Until November 12, 2008
(P.L.
109-54,
§134,
119
Stat.
527,
August
2,
2005)
Until November 30, 2010
(P.L.
111-88,
§129,
123
Stat.
2933,
October
30,
2009)
Location:
Area I53
Dedication:
October 16, 201154
American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial
In October 2000, Congress authorized the Disabled Veterans’ LIFE Memorial Foundation, Inc., to
establish a commemorative work, on federal land, in the District of Columbia “to honor veterans
who became disabled while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States.”55 The American
Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is located near the Rayburn House Office Building between
Washington Avenue SW and 2nd Street SW across from the United States Botanic Garden’s
Bartholdi Park. The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial features an eternal flame
(Figure 15) and images of, and quotations about, disabled veterans.
53 The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was originally authorized for placement in Area I. Pursuant to
40 U.S.C. §8908(c), the memorial is now located in the Reserve.
54 The White House, “Remarks by the President at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Dedication,” press release,
October 16, 2011, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/16/remarks-president-martin-luther-king-jr-
memorial-dedication.
55 P.L. 106-348, 114 Stat. 1358, October 24, 2000.
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Figure 15. American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial
Source: Author’s photograph of American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. Taken October 6, 2014.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 106-348, 114 Stat. 1358, October 24, 2000
Sponsor Organization:
Disabled Veterans’ LIFE Memorial Foundation
(http://www.avdlm.org)
Statutory Extension:
Authorization
extended
through
October
24,
2015
P.L.
110-106,
121
Stat.
1022,
October
25,
2007
Location:
Area II
Dedication:
October
5,
201456
Other Memorials
Since 1986, three commemorative works have been authorized by Congress for placement within
the District of Columbia, but were either exempted from a portion of the CWA or were ultimately
placed outside of the area defined by the act. The Air Force Memorial was located near the
Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, a plaque to honor Vietnam veterans who died as a result of
service in the Vietnam War was placed at the Vietnam Memorial, and a plaque to honor Senator
Robert J. Dole’s contribution to creating the World War II Memorial was placed at the memorial’s
site.
56 The White House, “President Obama Speaks at the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial Dedication,”
press release, October 5, 2014, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/10/05/president-obama-speaks-american-
veterans-disabled-life-memorial-dedication.
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United States Air Force
In December 1993, Congress authorized the Air Force Memorial Foundation to establish a
memorial to “honor the men and women who have served in the United States Air Force and its
predecessors.”57 Pursuant to P.L. 107-107, the Air Force Memorial is located at the Arlington
Naval Annex near the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.58 The United States Air Force Memorial
(Figure 16) was constructed on land not covered by the Commemorative Works Act and is not
managed by the National Park Service or the General Services Administration.
Figure 16. Air Force Memorial
Source: U.S. Air Force, “Veterans Day 2013,” at hhttp://www.af.mil/mobile/Photos.aspx?igphoto=2000719317.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 103-163, 107 Stat. 1973, December 2, 1993
Sponsor Organization:
Air Force Memorial Foundation
(http://www.airforcememorial.org)
Statutory Extension:
Extended
to
December
2,
2005
(P.L.
106-302,
114
Stat.
1062,
October
13,
2000)
Location: Outside
Commemorative
Works
Act
(Authorized by P.L. 107-107, §2863, 115 Stat. 1330, December 28, 2001)
Dedication:
October 14, 200659
Veterans Who Died as a Result of Service in the Vietnam War
In June 2000, Congress authorized the American Battle Monuments Commission to place a
plaque at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial “to honor those Vietnam veterans who died after their
service in the Vietnam War, but as a direct result of that service, and whose names are not
57 P.L. 103-163, 107 Stat. 1973, December 2, 1993.
58 P.L. 107-107, §2863, 115 Stat. 1330, December 28, 2001.
59 U.S. President (George W. Bush), “Remarks at the United States Air Force Memorial Dedication in Arlington,
Virginia, October 14, 2006,” Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, vol. 42 (October 23, 2006), pp. 1828-
1830. Also see Air Force Memorial Foundation, “About the Foundation,” http://www.airforcememorial.org/foundation/
index.asp.
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otherwise eligible for placement on the memorial wall.”60 Located at the northeast corner of the
plaza surrounding the Three Serviceman statue at the Vietnam War Memorial, the plaque (Figure
17) is in memory of the soldiers who died as a result of their service in the Vietnam War, after the
war’s conclusion.
Figure 17. Veterans Who Died as a Result of Service in the Vietnam War Plaque
Source: Texas Tech University, The Vietnam War In Memory Memorial Plaque Project, at
http://www.vietnamproject.ttu.edu/inmemory/vietwarmem/plaque2.htm.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 106-214, 114 Stat. 335, June 15, 2000
Sponsor Organization:
American Battle Monuments Commission
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Reserve
Dedication:
November
10,
2004
Senator Robert J. Dole Plaque
In October 2009, in the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2010, Congress authorized the placement of a plaque to honor Senator
Robert J. Dole at the World War II Memorial. The plaque was to “commemorate the extraordinary
leadership of Senator Robert J. Dole in making the Memorial a reality on the National Mall.”61
Located on the south side of the World War II Memorial, the Dole Plaque (Figure 18) honors the
Senator for his contributions to the World War II Memorial on the National Mall.
60 P.L. 106-214, 114 Stat. 335, June 15, 2000.
61 P.L. 111-88, §128, 123 Stat. 2933, October 30, 2009.
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Figure 18. Senator Robert J. Dole Plaque at the World War II Memorial
Source: Author’s photo of Senator Robert J. Dole Plaque. Taken November 14, 2011.
Authorization Statute:
P.L. 111-88, §128, 123 Stat. 2933, October 30, 2009.
Sponsor Organization:
Secretary of the Interior
Statutory Extension:
N/A
Location:
Reserve
(at
World
War
II
Memorial)
Dedication:
November
10,
2004
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Appendix. Location of Commemorative Works in
the District of Columbia
Figure A-1 shows a map with the location of commemorative works authorized and dedicated
since 1986.
Figure A-1. Location of Commemorative Works in the District of Columbia
Source: Congressional Research Service, Calvin C. DeSouza, Geospatial Information System Analyst, October
6, 2014.
Author Contact Information
Jacob R. Straus
Analyst on the Congress
jstraus@crs.loc.gov, 7-6438
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