Capitol Hill Pages

The Capitol Page Program allowed teenagers to serve as nonpartisan federal employees performing a number of duties within the House, Senate and Supreme Court. Though only Senate Pages remain after the controversial closing of the House Page Program in 2011, current and former pages’ unique perspectives still, and perhaps not surprisingly, play an important role in United States government.
The author, a former Senate Page, shares firsthand accounts along with interviews of past pages and some current notable political figures. In-depth research into the history of Capitol Pages’ duties, schooling, experiences, downfalls and victories—including the admission of the first African American and female pages—illustrates the importance of the program in both the lives of the pages and in American politics.

Marcie Sims is a tenured professor for composition, literature, and film courses at Green River College in Auburn, Washington. She writes composition textbooks, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry and lives in Seattle, Washington.

Marcie Sims
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 261
Bibliographic Info: ca. 160 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6972-4
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3064-9
Imprint: McFarland

Preface 1
Introduction 5
Part I. History and Duties
1. The Beginnings and History of the Page Program 8
2. Page Salaries and Duties Over Time 32
Part II. Making History: Racial and Gender Equality
3. Racial Equality and the First African Americans in Congress 59
4. Gender Equality and the First Women and Girls in Congress 76
Part III. Witnessing History
5. Firsthand Access to Significant Events 107
Part IV. Work, School and Accommodations
6. Working on Capitol Hill 141
7. Education and Housing 161
Part V. Prominent Pages and the Future of the Page Program
8. Notable Pages and the Page Program Now and Looking Forward 194
Appendix: Controversy and Scandals 229
Chapter Notes 239
Bibliography 249
Index 251