The Rotunda of the United States Capitol, completed in 1824, has since been considered the most suitable place for the nation to pay final tribute to its most eminent citizens by having their remains lie in state or in honor. These occasions are either authorized by a congressional resolution or approved by the congressional leadership, when permission is granted by survivors. Those who have been so honored are listed below; information about the historic catafalque on which most have lain is also available.

Henry Clay

July 1, 1852, following a memorial service in the Senate Chamber (S-228). Member of the House of Representatives for five non- consecutive terms (1811-25). Served as Speaker in 1811-14, 1815-20, and 1823- 25. Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829. U.S. Senator from Kentucky intermittently for eighteen years between 1806 and 1852. Died June 29, 1852, in Washington, D.C. during the 32nd Congress, 1st Session. No resolution.

 

Abraham Lincoln

April 19-21, 1865. Member of the House of Representatives from Illinois, March 4, 1847, to March 3, 1849. President of the United States from March 4, 1861, until his death. Assassinated April 14, 1865, in Washington, D.C., and died there April 15, 1865. Died after adjournment of the 38th Congress, 2nd Session. No resolution.

 

Thaddeus Stevens

August 13-14, 1868, prior to a memorial service in the Rotunda. Member of the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, March 4, 1849, to March 3, 1853, and again from March 4, 1859, until his death August 11, 1868, in Washington, D.C., during recess of the 40th Congress, 2nd Session. No resolution.

 

Charles Sumner

March 13, 1874, prior to a memorial service in the Senate Chamber. U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, April 24, 1851, until his death, March 11, 1874, in Washington, D.C., during the 43rd Congress, 1st Session. No resolution.

 

Henry Wilson

November 25-26, 1875, prior to a memorial service in the Senate Chamber. U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, January 31, 1855, to March 3, 1873, when he resigned to become Vice President. Vice President of United States from March 4, 1873, until his death. Died November 22, 1875, in the Vice President's room in the Capitol, Washington, D.C., after adjournment of the 43rd Congress, 2nd Session. No resolution.

 

James Abram Garfield

September 21-23, 1881, prior to a memorial service in the Rotunda. President of the United States from March 4, 1881, until his death. Member of House of Representatives from Ohio, March 4, 1863, to November 8, 1880, when he resigned, having been elected President. Assassinated July 2, 1881, in Washington, D.C., and died September 19, 1881, in Elberon, New Jersey, after adjournment of 46th Congress, 3rd Session. No resolution.

 

John Alexander Logan

December 30-31, 1886, prior to a memorial service in the Senate Chamber. Member of House of Representatives from Illinois, March 4, 1859, to April 2, 1862, when he resigned to enter the Union Army, and again from March 4, 1867, until March 3, 1871. U.S. Senator from Illinois, March 4, 1871, to March 3, 1877, and again from March 4, 1879, to December 26, 1886. Died December 26, 1886, in Washington, D.C., during the 49th Congress, 2nd Session. No resolution.

 

William McKinley, Jr.

September 17, 1901, following a memorial service in the Rotunda. Member of House of Representatives from Ohio, March 4, 1877, to May 27, 1884, and again from March 4, 1885, to March 3, 1891. Governor of Ohio from 1892 to 1896. President of United States, March 4, 1897, until his death. Assassinated September 6, 1901, in Buffalo, New York, and died there September 14, 1901, after adjournment of the 56th Congress, 2nd Session. No resolution.

 

Pierre Charles L'Enfant

(re-interment) April 28, 1909, prior to a memorial service in the Rotunda. Planner of the city of Washington, D.C. Died June 4, 1825, and was buried on Digges farm, Prince George's County, Maryland. Remains were brought to Capitol, April 28, 1909, to be re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery. Authority for use of the Rotunda granted by Senate Concurrent Resolution 2, 61st Congress, 1st Session, agreed to March 26, 1909.

 

George Dewey

January 20, 1917, during a memorial service in the Rotunda. Admiral of the Navy and hero of Manila Bay in the Spanish-American War. Died January 16, 1917, in Washington, D.C. Authority for use of the Rotunda was granted by House Concurrent Resolution 68, 64th Congress, 2nd Session, agreed to January 18, 1917.

 

Unknown Soldier of World War I

November 9-11, 1921. Chosen to honor and perpetuate the memory of the heroes who gave their lives in World War I. The body was that of an unknown American who served as a member of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe. Congress was in session, 67th Congress, 1st Session. No resolution.

 

Warren Gamaliel Harding

August 8, 1923, following a memorial service in the Rotunda. U.S. Senator from Ohio, March 4, 1915, to January 13, 1921, when he resigned, having been elected President. President of United States March 4, 1921, until his death. Died August 2, 1923, in San Francisco, California, after adjournment of the 67th Congress, 4th Session. No resolution.

 

William Howard Taft

March 11, 1930. President of United States March 4, 1909, to March 4, 1913. Chief Justice of U.S. Supreme Court, July 11, 1921, to February 3, 1930. Died March 8, 1930, in Washington, D.C., during 71st Congress, 2nd Session. No resolution.

 

John Joseph Pershing

July 18-19, 1948. General of the Armies of the United States. Graduated from U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1886 and devoted his entire life to military service. Chief of Staff of the Army 1921-24; Commander of American Expeditionary Forces, World War I; distinguished service during the Philippine insurrection and Spanish-American War. Died July 15, 1948, in Washington, D.C., during recess of the 80th Congress, 2nd Session. No resolution.

 

Robert Alphonso Taft

August 2-3, 1953, prior to a memorial service in the Rotunda. U.S. Senator from Ohio, January 3, 1939, until his death. Died July 31, 1953, in New York City, during 83rd Congress, 1st Session, Senate Resolution 158, 83rd Congress, 1st Session, agreed to August 1, 1953, extended invitation to the memorial service in the Rotunda, August 3, 1953.

 

Unknown Soldiers of World War II and the Korean War

May 28-30, 1958. Chosen to honor and perpetuate the memory of the heroes who gave their lives while serving overseas in the Armed Forces of the United States during World War II and the Korean War, and whose identities were unknown. Authority for use of the Rotunda granted by House Concurrent Resolution 242, 85th Congress, 2nd Session, agreed to March 6, 1958.

 

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

November 24-25, 1963, following a memorial service in the Rotunda. Member of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts, January 3, 1947, to December 3, 1953. U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, January 3, 1953, to December 22, 1960, when he resigned to become President. President of the United States from January 20, 1961, until his death. Assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963, during the 88th Congress, 1st Session. No resolution.

 

Douglas MacArthur

April 8-9, 1964. Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point 1919-22; appointed Chief of Staff of the Army, November 21, 1930; appointed General of the Army, December 18, 1944. From July 26, 1941, through April 11, 1951, he served in the Pacific and Far East in various allied commands. Died April 5, 1964, in Washington, D.C. Authority for use of the Rotunda granted by Senate Concurrent Resolution 74, 88th Congress, 2nd Session, agreed to April 6, 1964.

 

Herbert Clark Hoover

October 23-25, 1964. Secretary of Commerce for Presidents Harding and Coolidge. Food Administrator under President Wilson. Chairman of Commission on the Organization of Executive Branch of Government in 1947-49 and 1953-55. President of the United States from March 4, 1929, to March 3, 1933. Died October 20, 1964, in New York City, after adjournment of the 88th Congress, 2nd Session. No resolution.

 

Dwight David Eisenhower

March 30-31, 1969. Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1915, promoted to General of the Army in 1944, and named President of Columbia University in 1948. President of the United States from January 20, 1953, to January 20, 1961. Died March 28, 1969, in Washington, D.C., during the 91st Congress, 1st Session. No resolution.

 

Everett McKinley Dirksen

September 9-10, 1969, following a memorial service in the Rotunda. Member of the House of Representatives from Illinois, March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1949. U.S. Senator from Illinois, January 3, 1951, until his death. Died September 7, 1969, in Washington, D.C. Senate Resolution 254, 91st Congress, 1st Session, agreed to September 8, 1969, extended invitations to memorial service in the Rotunda, September 9, 1969.

J. Edgar Hoover

May 3-4, 1972, following a memorial service in the Rotunda. First Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1924 until his death. Died May 2, 1972, in Washington, D.C. Authority for use of the Rotunda granted by House Concurrent Resolution 600, 92nd Congress, 2nd Session, agreed to May 2, 1972.

 

Lyndon Baines Johnson

January 24-25, 1973, following a memorial service in the Rotunda. Member of the House of Representatives from Texas, April 10, 1937, to January 3, 1949. U.S. Senator from Texas January 3, 1949, to January 3, 1961, when he resigned, having been elected Vice President. Vice President from January 20, 1961, to November 22, 1963, when he assumed the Presidency. President of the United States from November 22, 1963, to January 20, 1969. Died January 22, 1973, near Johnson City, Texas. Authority for use of the Rotunda granted by House Concurrent Resolution 90, 93rd Congress, 1st Session, agreed to January 23, 1973.

 

Hubert Horatio Humphrey

January 14-15, 1978, prior to a memorial service in the Rotunda. U.S. Senator from Minnesota, January 3, 1949, to December 29, 1964, when he resigned to become Vice President. Vice President from January 20, 1965, to January 20, 1969. Returned to the Senate from November 3, 1970, until his death. Died January 14, 1978, in Waverly, Minnesota, after adjournment of the 95th Congress, 1st Session. Authority for use of the Rotunda was granted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Majority Leader of the Senate. No resolution.

 

Unknown Soldier of the Vietnam Era

May 25-28, 1984. Chosen to honor the unknown Americans who lost their lives while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States in Southeast Asia during 1959-72. Authority for use of the Rotunda was granted by House Concurrent Resolution 296, 98th Congress, 2nd Session, agreed to May 17, 1984.

 

Claude Denson Pepper

June 1-2, 1989, following a memorial ceremony in the Rotunda. U.S. Senator from Florida November 4, 1936, to January 3, 1951. Member of the House of Representatives from Florida, January 3, 1963, until his death May 30, 1989, in Washington, D.C. Authority for use of the Rotunda was granted by House Concurrent Resolution 139, 101st Congress, 1st Session, agreed to May 31, 1989.

 

Jacob Joseph Chestnut and John Michael Gibson

July 28, 1998, prior to and following a memorial ceremony in the Rotunda. United States Capitol Police officers killed at the Capitol in the line of duty on July 24, 1998. Authority for use of the Rotunda was granted by House Concurrent Resolution 310, 105th Congress, 2d Session, agreed to July 27, 1998. Officer Chestnut and Detective Gibson were the first persons whose remains lay in honor in the Rotunda.

 

Ronald Wilson Reagan

June 9-11, 2004, following a memorial ceremony in the Rotunda. Governor of California from 1967 to 1975. President of the United States from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989. Died June 5, 2004, in Bel Air, California. Authority for use of the Rotunda was granted by Senate Concurrent Resolution 115, 108th Congress, 2nd Session, agreed to June 9, 2004.
 

Rosa Parks

October 30-31, 2005. Civil rights pioneer. Died October 24, 2005, in Detroit, Michigan. Authority for use of the Rotunda granted by Senate Concurrent Resolution 61, 109th Congress, 1st Session, agreed to October 29, 2005.

 

Gerald R. Ford, Jr.

December 30, 2006-January 2, 2007. Member of the House of Representatives from Michigan, January 3, 1949, to December 6, 1973, when he resigned to become Vice President. Vice President from December 6, 1973, to August 9, 1974, when President Richard M. Nixon resigned. President of the United States from August 9, 1974, to January 20, 1977. Died December 26, 2006, in Rancho Mirage, California, after adjournment of the 109th Congress, 2d session. Authority for use of the Rotunda granted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Majority Leader of the Senate. No resolution.