Watch the United States Capitol Historical Society's webinar programs related to the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Journalist Jamie Stiehm shared her experience inside the Capitol on January 6, 2021, as chronicled in her book, The War Within: What I Witnessed From Inside the Capitol on Jan. 6. On that day, public officials and members of the press, including Stiehm, were caught in the midst of unprecedented turmoil within the U.S. Capitol. Through her deeply reflective columns, Stiehm recounts the events as they unfolded, providing a journalist’s perspective on the tensions leading up to that day, and the lasting impact it has had on the nation. As a nonpartisan journalist, Stiehm focuses on reporting and analyzing political events with objectivity and depth.
Speaker Bio: Jamie Elizabeth Stiehm is a Washington journalist whose syndicated columns focus on national politics and history. Her work has been published in major outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. With a long-standing career in journalism, including positions at The Baltimore Sun and The Hill, Stiehm is known for her balanced and informative commentary on key political events.
USCHS Trustee and NPR News Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving moderated a fascinating discussion with Harvard Law Professor and author Alan Jenkins about his groundbreaking new series, 1/6: The Graphic Novel. Written by Jenkins and New York Times bestselling author Gan Golan and illustrated by veteran comic book artist Will Rosado, 1/6 answers the question: What if the January 6 Insurrection had been successful?
This graphic novel chillingly demonstrates how strategic disinformation and extremism convinced ordinary Americans to undermine cherished constitutional values and support violent sedition. Inspired by speculative fiction such as 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Twilight Zone, and Parable of the Sower, 1/6 explores themes of autocracy, scapegoating, and more, all presented through a captivating, character-driven story.
By using graphic novels as a medium, 1/6 aims to encourage readers to engage in meaningful discussions about democracy and the need to protect our values. Additionally, 1/6 includes an Education and Action Guide developed by the Western States Center, a nonprofit organization that works with communities and organizations to strengthen democracy.
Speaker Bio: Alan Jenkins is a writer, Harvard Law professor, and human rights advocate. He teaches courses on racial justice, strategic communications, and Supreme Court jurisprudence and is a frequent commentator in broadcast and print media. He is also a screenwriter, selected as a Blacklist/Google screenwriting fellow, and named a “2022 Top 25 Screenwriter to Watch” by the International Screenwriters Association.
Jenkins’s previous positions include President and Co-Founder of the social justice communication lab The Opportunity Agenda, Director of Human Rights at the Ford Foundation, Assistant to the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice, and Assistant Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Jenkins holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an M.A. in Media Studies from the New School for Public Engagement, and a B.A. in Psychology and Social Relations from Harvard College.
Moderator Bio: Ron Elving is Senior Editor and Correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News, where he is frequently heard as a news analyst and writes regularly for NPR.org. He currently serves on the U.S. Capitol Historical Society’s Board of Trustees.
He is also a professorial lecturer and Executive in Residence in the School of Public Affairs at American University, where he has also taught in the School of Communication. In 2016, he was honored with the University Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching in an Adjunct Appointment. He has also taught at George Mason and Georgetown.
Author and NBC reporter Ryan Reilly discussed his latest book, Sedition Hunters: How January 6th Broke the Justice System, a compelling exploration into the unprecedented events that unfolded on January 6th, 2021. Reilly provided insights into the complex dynamics at play in the aftermath of that day and the ongoing challenges to the American justice system.
The attack on the Capitol building following the 2020 presidential election was an extraordinarily large and brazen crime. Conspiracies formed on social media in full public view, and the individuals involved paraded on national television with undisguised faces while influential figures openly cheered them on. The event exposed vulnerabilities in our justice system, which was overwhelmed by the sheer number of participants and the widespread perception that their actions were justified.
A mass of online tipsters–“sedition hunters”–have mobilized, simultaneously providing the FBI with valuable intelligence and creating an ethical dilemma. Who gets to serve justice? How can law enforcement still function as a pillar of civil society? As the foundations of our government are questioned, the FBI and Department of Justice are the first responders to a crisis of democracy and law that threatens to spread, and fast.
In this work of extraordinary reportage, Ryan Reilly gets to know would-be revolutionaries, obsessive online sleuths, and FBI agents, and shines a light on a justice system that’s straining to maintain order in our polarized country. From the moment the police barriers were breached on January 6th, 2021, Americans knew something had profoundly changed. Sedition Hunters is the fascinating, high-stakes story of what happens next.
As our nation continued to grapple with the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol Building – and American democracy itself – the U.S. Capitol Historical Society convened a panel of renowned academics and public figures on January 27th, 2021 to help us make sense of what took place. President/CEO Jane Campbell moderated a discussion between former Senator and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Yale University historian Dr. Joanne B. Freeman, and Emory University political scientist Dr. Andra Gillespie as they examined the historical context, societal realities, and geopolitical impacts of this tragic event.
In this crucial webinar, we explore the events of January 6, 2021, when the U.S. Capitol was stormed, an event that has left the nation in shock and contemplation. In this special webinar, Derek W. Black, esteemed Ernest F. Hollings Chair in Constitutional Law at the University of South Carolina, explains the legal and historical dimensions of this unprecedented event. Accompanied by USCHS President and CEO Jane Campbell, Black provides insightful analysis into the significance of these events. This discussion not only sheds light on the constitutional implications of the Capitol siege but also emphasizes the crucial role of an informed citizenry and the steadfastness of the rule of law in contemporary America.