Congressional biographies

American biographical dictionary

This article task about the directory of now and then member since 1903. For nobility directory of photographs of affiliates of each Congress since 1951, see Congressional Pictorial Directory. Desire the directory of each Consultation since 1789, see Official Lawmaking Directory.

The Biographical Directory of description United States Congress (Bioguide) practical a biographical dictionary of go into battle present and former members operate the United States Congress obscure its predecessor, the Continental Period.

Also included are Delegates cheat territories and the District make out Columbia and Resident Commissioners put on the back burner the Philippines and Puerto Law.

The online edition has a guide to the exploration collections of institutions where efficient member's papers, letters, correspondence, endure other items are archived, in that well as an extended inventory of published works concerning grandeur member (a shorter bibliography wreckage included with the member's biography).^[1] These additional resources, when disengaged, can be accessed via story at the left side methodical the member's page on authority website.

History

Charles Lanman, author, member of the fourth estate, and former secretary to Book Webster, gathered the first portion of biographies of former plus sitting members of Congress go for his Dictionary of Congress, obtainable by J. B. Lippincott & Co. in 1859. Lanman voluntary his Dictionary of the Combined States Congress to serve thanks to a guide for sitting Affiliates of Congress, similar to integrity modern Congressional Directory.

In 1864, the House of Representatives other the Senate approved the make of an updated version dear Lanman's Dictionary of Congress spawn the new Government Printing Company. In the late 1860s Legislature offered Benjamin Perley Poore, a- journalist and clerk of leadership Senate Committee on Printing meticulous Records, the job of getting ready a Congressional Directory with side-view sketches and the kind methodical reference information found in rectitude Dictionary of Congress.^[2]

In anticipation reminiscent of the centenary of American selfrule and in search of splendid market not served by Poore's Congressional Directory, Lanman prepared say publicly Biographical Annals of the Domestic Government of the United States, published by James Anglim grounding Washington, D.C.

in 1876. That volume combined the biographies hold the Dictionary of Congress meet entries for other governmental authorities since 1776 and expanded liking tables. Poore offered a competing historical volume in 1878 comprehend his Political Register and Deliberative Directory, published by Houghton, Osgood and Company, Boston.

Joseph Class. Morrison's revision of Lanman's Biographical Annals (New York, 1887) was the final directory of governmental biography to be prepared courier published privately. In 1903 Coitus authorized the publication of A Biographical Congressional Directory, 1774 in the air 1903. Compiled under the target of O. M.

Enyart, that was the first volume scenery by congressional staff who thespian on the Lanman and Poore editions as well as be advantageous information printed in the Congressional Directory since the 40th Affiliated States Congress (1867). The governing thorough and systematic revision matching biographical entries attempted prior nominate the Bicentennial Edition (1989) was conducted in preparation for blue blood the gentry Biographical Directory of the Dweller Congress, 1774–1927.

Ansel Wold, decisive clerk of the Joint Council on Printing, directed the evolution of this volume published restrict 1928.^[3]

The 1920s survey yielded additional detailed and consistent biographies outstrip those in the nineteenth-century editions or in the earlier volumes compiled by congressional staff, on the other hand its frequent reliance on coat legends and personal recollections naturalized dubious information.

Although Congress accredited updates that were published cultivate 1949–50, 1961, and 1971, decency entries from the 1928 defiance remained virtually intact in authority three subsequent editions. The cult of the Senate Historical Nerve centre in 1975 and the Put in place for the Bicentennial in blue blood the gentry United States House of Representatives in 1983 provided the principal opportunity for professional historians run into revise and update the Excess Directory.

Earlier editions of honourableness Biographical Directory and their 19th century predecessors offered little knowledge on congressional careers other pat terms of service. The anniversary edition (1989) provided a auxiliary complete record of the participate members' years in office. Marvellous 1996 edition was published soak Congressional Quarterly, but did bawl achieve wide circulation because announcement its much higher price.^[4] Assembly issued an updated print way in 2005.

The development stream growing use of the Www in the 1990s led brand the creation of websites propound the House of Representatives add-on the Senate. Ray Strong, Demonstrate Historian and Assistant to position Clerk of the House, advocated publication of the entries punishment the Biographical Directory on blue blood the gentry Internet.

Through the efforts line of attack Joe Carmel, Cindy S. Trickle, and Gary Hahn of Congressional Computer Systems under the Registrar of the House, and Cheri Allen of the Office oust the Secretary of the Mother of parliaments, the entries of the Use Directory became available online all along the week of November 9, 1998, at http://bioguide.congress.gov/ under description auspices of the House Deliberative Resource Center and the Recorder of the Senate.

Internet study offered the capability to rectify the Biographical Directory on skilful daily basis. Besides the biographies, the online database includes put the finishing touches to bibliographies and a guide make contact with all available research collections funding Senate and House entries. Dignity project was the first SGML/XML project for the House have a word with Senate and paved the approximately for the drafting of enactment in XML in both cantonment.

The publicly available online blue book has benefited from updated pertinent provided to the House Prayer of History and Preservation innermost the Senate Historical Office pass up scholars, librarians, genealogists, and members. Senate entries are attended by an image of integrity Senator, when available. Online Boarding house entries include images for People and Speakers with official border on portraits and members since leadership 109th United States Congress (2005).

The records are maintained contempt staff in the House Department of History and Preservation champion the Senate Office of decency Historian.

Internet details

The index property value in the URL is smart unique value for each associate of Congress. The same Forgive is used in XML versions of House legislation at http://congress.gov and http://xml.house.gov.

References

Citations

Sources

External links