On February 23, 1895, three days after Frederick Douglass died in his Anacostia home and two days before his funeral was held at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, just blocks from the White House, Richard F. Pettigrew from South Dakota rose on the Senate Floor to offer a resolution for immediate consideration.
“If it is to be passed at all it must be passed now,” Pettigrew said.
The resolution read, “Whereas in the person of the late Frederick Douglass death has borne away one of our most illustrious fellow-citizens, who served his country long, faithfully, and honorably as citizen, diplomat and statesmen: Therefore, Be it resolved, That out of respect to his memory his remains be permitted to lie in state in the rotunda of the National Capitol between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on to-morrow.”
Arthur Poe Gorman, a senator from Douglass’ native Maryland, was not interested. “Let the resolution go over,” he said.
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Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C.: The Lion of Anacostia 