For three pre-law students who are considering legislative internships in Austin, and who (mostly) enjoy reading, you couldn’t ask for a better afternoon than seeing the US Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, and the US Capitol building. All three were amazing.
Supreme Court
Cinthia Villarreal
As we walked to the Supreme Court, we absolutely marveled at the building’s architecture, which was designed by Cass Gilbert. The building greeted us with a long hallway which had panels describing the judicial branch’s history and responsibilities.
This is a great introduction for anyone who is not familiar with the functionality of the Supreme Court, since it went into detail from the Court’s jurisdiction to landmark cases that we rely on to this day.
Personally, I was able to identify various cases I have read and briefed for my Constitutional Law course with Dr. Domino. This feeling of excitement overtook me as I was able to put my studies into practice and make connections from the textbooks to real life.
The end of the entry way included a statue of the Chief Justice John Marshall, the fourth and longest serving Chief Justice of the Unites States.
Chief Justice Marshall is known for his famous decisions that established not only key legal precedents, but also precedents for how the court would operate.
The main hall intersections with another hall that held some of the former Justices’ portraits. Including, of course, well-known Justices such as William Rehnquist, William Howard Taft (the only Justice to also be a President!), and Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female to be a Justice.
At the other side of the hallway, we were greeted with the special exhibition: “The Rise of Women Attorneys and the Supreme Court.” For aspiring women attorneys like ourselves, it was truly significant to learn about the women that began this movement. Reading their stories helped us put into perspective achievements and the work they undertook to be taken seriously in the field of law. They are the reason we are able to even imagine being attorneys.
We were also able to witness the Court’s spiral staircase, which is an architectural marvel, a mysteriously self-supporting elliptical five-story staircase. Moreover, the staircase’s railing were adorned with a series of rich symbols highlighting the care that builders put into their work, the classical influences on our government, and the beauty of the building.
We exited the building with more knowledge and respect for the Judicial Branch, excitement for our future as women in law, and further admiration for the beauty of the American government.
Library of Congress
Olivia Discon
Walking through the grand halls of the Library of Congress is like stepping into a literary treasure trove. As the world’s largest library, it houses millions of books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and recordings, making it a pilgrimage for scholars, researchers, and book lovers alike.
Entering the Thomas Jefferson Building, the primary building of the Library of Congress, felt like walking into a palace. The grandeur of the Great Hall, with its marble columns, ornate decorations, and stunning dome, left us completely in awe. Some of the world’s greatest minds are featured along the walls, such as Shakespeare, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Homer, and Petrarch.
One of the most fantastic sights was the Gutenberg Bible, the first printed books in the world. To see this meticulously crafted book was a profound moment.
Jefferson’s initial donation to the Library of Congress included his personal collection of over 6,000 books, which he had spent years acquiring.
This collection covered a wide range of subjects, reflecting Jefferson’s diverse interests in philosophy, science, literature, and history. Among the books were rare and valuable editions, some of which were the only copies in North America at the time. Notable works included Shakespeare’s plays, Sophocles’ tragedies, Plato’s “The Republic,” and many other classical and contemporary works. I couldn’t help but comb through the titles and geek over Jefferson’s vast collection!
The Library of Congress is not just a repository of books, it is also a beautiful exhibit space. In fact, we were able to revisit some of our previously studied Dorothea Lange in one of their exhibits on photography.
it is also a place of artistic beauty. The stunning architecture, intricate mosaics, and colorful murals that adorn the walls and ceilings of the building are a testament to the contribution of art and culture to our society.
Visiting the Library of Congress is an experience like no other. It is a journey through time and space, a chance to immerse oneself in the richness of human creativity and ingenuity. This was, by far, my favorite experience of the trip thus far!
US Capitol
One of the benefits of visiting DC during Spring Break is that we don’t miss any classes. One of the drawbacks is that we are in DC at approximately the same time as 1,000,000 eighth graders. Despite this deterrent, we trudged to the US Capitol for a bit of much-needed lunch (the Cafe was much better than the one at the Holocaust Museum) and to do a short tour.
The tours are not extensive. It involves watching a well-done film that lasts about twenty minutes, followed by visits to Statuary Hall and the Rotunda. Both of these are magnificent, if crowded.
Statuary Hall has an eclectic display of statues. Each state is allowed to choose two statues to be in the Hall, and we such interesting figures as Amelia Earhart (KS), Senator Barry Goldwater (AZ), astronaut Jake Swigert (CO), Robert Fulton (PA), and, of course, Sam Houston!
At the risk of delaying the tour, we rushed to the statue and took our photo. The statue was designed by Elizabet Ney, and we’ve seen it before; it is also in the Texas Capitol.
We also had a chance to see the beautiful rotunda, which is highlighted by the “Apotheosis of Washington,” by Constantino Brumidi. It is 4,664 square feet, and it’s a good thing, because it has to be seen from about 180 feet away.
The mural took almost a year to complete, and it was completed when–like now–the nation needed a unifying figure: 1865, the end of the Civil War.
Concluding Thoughts
Our afternoon tour ended with the Capitol Building, and it is appropriate. Washington, DC is divided into quadrants, a feature of Pierre L’Enfant’s design. And in the middle of those quadrants is the people’s branch: the US Congress.
Today, with changed voting laws and immediate communications, we may take interaction with elected officials for granted. But when the government was established in 1789, US Representatives were the only federal officials elected directly by the people. Today, of course, this would also apply to the US Senate and, aside from pro forma technicalities, the President as well. So, it was an appropriate place for us to end our tour. But as aspiring attorneys and newly-formed fans of architecture, it is really tough to beat the awe-inspiring majesty of the Supreme Court and the beauty of the Library of Congress.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 