1790 Compromise of 1790–Federal Residence Act

1791 FR Act amended to include Alexandria, Va.

1800 Congress moves to DC

1801 Organic Act of 1801

1812 City destroyed in War of 1812

1846 Referendum called and act of Congress returns Alexandria County to Virginia (economic reasons)

1850 Compromise of 1850 bans Slave Trade in DC

1861 Lincoln creates Potomac Army to defend DC in Civil War

1862 Slavery Abolished in DC, eight months prior to Emancipation Proclamation

1864 Battle of Fort Stevens

1868 14th Amendment to US Constitution is ratified–“no state shall make or pass laws which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the US; nor shall they deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to anyone within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

1870 15th Amendment to US Constitution is ratified–“The right of citizens of the US to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the US or by any state on a basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude”

1871 District of Columbia Organic Act 

1874 Territorial government and non-voting Delegate abolished

1878 Organic Act of 1878 finalizes the acts of 1874.

1888 Conservative newspaperman Theodore Noyes of the Washington Star launched campaign for Congressional Representation. 

1914-1919–DC Suffers 635 casualties in WW1–more than three other states.

1915 First Legislature is introduced proposing to give DC a vote in the Presidential Election

1919 Board of Trade and Chamber of Commerce advocate congressional representation and oppose home rule.
Labor unions urge elected officials.

1920 19th Amendment to constitution is ratified–“the right of citizens of the US to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the US or by any state on a basis of sex.

1934 Committee recommends nonvoting delegate but no home rule

1943 Board of Trade appears before Senate Committee to support representation in Congress but opposes local self-government

1943-1945 DC suffers 3,575 casualties in WWII–more than four other states

1950-1953 DC suffers 547 casualties in the Korean War–more than eight other states

1952 President Eisenhower speaks out about the injustice of taxing DC residents and forcing them to fight in American wars, without the right to vote.

1955 Act of August 12 directs Board of Commissioners to appoint a three-member Board of Elections

1960 Segregationist Rep. John McMillan favors DC Vote for President

1961 23rd Amendment gives DC three votes in the Electoral College

1964 DC residents vote in their first Presidential Election

1964-1973 DC suffers 243 casualties in the Vietnam War–more than 10 other states

1965 Federal Voting Rights Act is passed, strengthening the 14th and 15th amendments on voting rights. Over half a million African-Americans who live in DC, however, are still without voting representation in Congress.

1968 DC residents elect a Board of Education

1971 Statehood committee formed; first ‘DC Statehood day’; first bill is introduced into Congress (Ronald Dellums–D; Fred Schwengel–R)

1973 DC Home Rule Act–The DC Self-Government Reorganization Act–grants the city an elected mayor and a 13-member council

1974 First Mayor and council are elected

1976 House calls for a floor vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to give DC voting representation in Congress. The amendment wins the majority of the vote (229:181) but is still not passed.

1977 President Carter back DC Congressional Vote

1978 DC Voting Rights Constitutional Amendment approved in Congress–would give the District 2 senators and 1 Congressman if authorized–requires ratification from a majority of the states

1981 DC Statehood commission and DC Compact Commission established

1982  DC Statehood Constitutional Convention drafts a state constitution; Statehood initiative formally approved by DC Residents

1985 DC Voting Rights Amendment fails after 13 slate legislatures reject it

1987  House DC committee approves DC Home Rule Charter (statehood and voting rights)

1990 President Bush announces he opposes Statehood
Shadow Statehood Delegation elected

1991 Senator Jesse Jackson begins term as first Senior Shadow Senator for DC with Florence Pendleton as his Junior Senator.

1992 House DC Committee again vote on statehood

1993 DC Statehood Bill defeated 277:153 in Congress

1995 Congress rules to terminate DC delegate from House of Representatives, removing any present voter privileges

1996 Paul Strauss elected as Senior Shadow Senator, with 74 percent of the public vote.

1998 Residents sue for voting rights, DC government supports the case.

2000 A judicial panel rules on Citizens’ lawsuit–2:1 vote that Constitution excludes DC in voting rights–Supreme Court refuses to hear appeal

2003 Tom Davis (R- Va) introduces Bill to grant DC voting representative in House (and extra for Utah)–No Taxation Without Representation Act of 2003 (S.617) (H.R. 1285)–nine cosponsors

2005 DC Vote Poll suggests 82 percent (1007) DC Adults want statehood

2006 Davis’ bill is reintroduced with support of Representative Holmes-Norton

2007 Washington Post poll suggests 61 percent (788) DC Adults want statehood

2008 DC allowed to spend money on lobbying for statehood

2009 Senate prepares to vote on similar bill proposed by Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)

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