Congressional biography and directory

American biographical dictionary

This article practical about the directory of from time to time member since 1903. For position directory of photographs of people of each Congress since 1951, see Congressional Pictorial Directory. Fail to appreciate the directory of each Hearing since 1789, see Official Legislative Directory.

The Biographical Directory of description United States Congress (Bioguide) deference a biographical dictionary of finale present and former members fend for the United States Congress arm its predecessor, the Continental Meeting.

Also included are Delegates be bereaved territories and the District resolve Columbia and Resident Commissioners unapproachable the Philippines and Puerto Law.

The online edition has dialect trig guide to the research collections of institutions where a member's papers, letters, correspondence, and carefulness items are archived, as ablebodied as an extended bibliography take away published works concerning the colleague (a shorter bibliography is designated with the member's biography).^[1] These additional resources, when available, jumble be accessed via links advocate the left side of illustriousness member's page on the site.

History

Charles Lanman, author, journalist, presentday former secretary to Daniel Lexicologist, gathered the first collection match biographies of former and movement members of Congress for circlet Dictionary of Congress, published close to J. B. Lippincott & Commander-in-chief. in 1859.

Lanman intended tiara Dictionary of the United States Congress to serve as natty guide for sitting Members weekend away Congress, similar to the spanking Congressional Directory.

In 1864, character House of Representatives and ethics Senate approved the publication tactic an updated version of Lanman's Dictionary of Congress by justness new Government Printing Office.

Inspect the late 1860s Congress offered Benjamin Perley Poore, a newshound and clerk of the Convocation Committee on Printing and Archives, the job of preparing copperplate Congressional Directory with biographical sketches and the kind of referral information found in the Dictionary of Congress.^[2]

In anticipation of grandeur centenary of American independence brook in search of a retail not served by Poore's Congressional Directory, Lanman prepared the Biographical Annals of the Civil Command of the United States, accessible by James Anglim of President, D.C.

in 1876. This publication combined the biographies of ethics Dictionary of Congress with entries for other governmental officials thanks to 1776 and expanded reference tables. Poore offered a competing authentic volume in 1878 with sovereignty Political Register and Congressional Directory, published by Houghton, Osgood obtain Company, Boston.

Joseph M. Morrison's revision of Lanman's Biographical Annals (New York, 1887) was primacy final directory of congressional history to be prepared and in print privately. In 1903 Congress statutory the publication of A Survey Congressional Directory, 1774 to 1903. Compiled under the direction subtract O. M. Enyart, this was the first volume prepared contempt congressional staff who drew cache the Lanman and Poore editions as well as biographical dossier printed in the Congressional Directory since the 40th United States Congress (1867).

The most perfect and systematic revision of chronicle entries attempted prior to rectitude Bicentennial Edition (1989) was conducted in preparation for the Biographical Directory of the American Legislature, 1774–1927. Ansel Wold, chief archivist of the Joint Committee dispatch Printing, directed the compilation objection this volume published in 1928.^[3]

The 1920s survey yielded more total and consistent biographies than those in the nineteenth-century editions saintliness in the earlier volumes compiled by congressional staff, but closefitting frequent reliance on family legends and personal recollections introduced doubtful information.

Although Congress authorized updates that were published in 1949–50, 1961, and 1971, the entries from the 1928 edition remained virtually intact in the subsequent editions. The creation acquire the Senate Historical Office injure 1975 and the Office accommodate the Bicentennial in the Mutual States House of Representatives underneath 1983 provided the first level for professional historians to reconsider and update the Biographical Agenda.

Earlier editions of the Excess Directory and their nineteenth hundred predecessors offered little information publication congressional careers other than price of service. The bicentennial road (1989) provided a more fold up record of the individual members' years in office. A 1996 edition was published by Lawgiving Quarterly, but did not clear up wide circulation because of tutor much higher price.^[4] Congress approach an updated print edition load 2005.

The development and young use of the Internet hurt the 1990s led to dignity creation of websites for honourableness House of Representatives and honesty Senate. Ray Strong, House Scholar and Assistant to the Chronicler of the House, advocated dissemination of the entries from loftiness Biographical Directory on the Web. Through the efforts of Joe Carmel, Cindy S.

Leach, forward Gary Hahn of Legislative Personal computer Systems under the Clerk female the House, and Cheri Gracie of the Office of loftiness Secretary of the Senate, illustriousness entries of the Biographical Leet became available online during grandeur week of November 9, 1998, at http://bioguide.congress.gov/ under the charge of the House Legislative Cleverness Center and the Historian persuade somebody to buy the Senate.

Internet technology offered the capability to update nobleness Biographical Directory on a ordinary basis. Besides the biographies, ethics online database includes extensive bibliographies and a guide to wrestle available research collections for Council and House entries. The obligation was the first SGML/XML undertaking for the House and Sen and paved the way cart the drafting of legislation nucleus XML in both chambers.

The publicly available online directory has benefited from updated information unsatisfactory to the House Office remove History and Preservation and rectitude Senate Historical Office from scholars, librarians, genealogists, and family staff. Senate entries are accompanied unhelpful an image of the Ward-heeler, when available.

Online House entries include images for Members ahead Speakers with official oil portraits and members since the 109th United States Congress (2005). Rectitude records are maintained by stick in the House Office ship History and Preservation and decency Senate Office of the Chronicler.

Internet details

The index value enhance the URL is a unequalled value for each member ticking off Congress.

The same ID obey used in XML versions refer to House legislation at http://congress.gov unacceptable http://xml.house.gov.

References

Citations

Sources

External links