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James A. Johnson Jr. at the Capitol Page School

James A. Johnson Jr. at the Capitol Page School/tiles/collection/1/12027.xml
James A. Johnson Jr. at the Capitol Page School/tiles/collection/3/37689.xml
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Date

1959-02-27

Maker

U.P.I. Telephoto

Dimensions

7 × 9 in. (17.8 × 22.9 cm)

Accession Number

PA2014.04.0044

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

James Johnson Jr. attended the Capitol Page School from February 1959 to June 1961. Although the House retracted his official appointment as a House Page, likely based in racial discrimination, several Representatives found a workaround so that Johnson could still attend the school. Photographed here registering for class with the principal, the teenager won academic awards and scholarships at the Capitol Page School. “If you give me an opportunity, I’m not going to waste it,” Johnson explained in an oral history. “I’m going to find some way to succeed whatever the challenges or barriers are.”

Rights and Reproduction Information

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James Johnson describes the different responsibilities he had compared to floor Pages and the moment he finally went on the House Floor.

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From the Blog: “I’m Not Going to Waste It”
From the Blog: “I’m Not Going to Waste It”
Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov