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Portrait honors first black congressman

A portrait of the first African-American member of the House of Representatives will be unveiled today in the foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building.

The painting of Rep. Joseph H. Rainey, a Republican from Georgetown, S.C., who served from 1870 to 1879, will be the first portrait of an African-American congressman to be displayed in the Capitol.

Rainey was a leader in the fight to obtain civil rights for newly freed slaves.

The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m.; Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) and House Administration Committee Chairman Robert Ney (R-Ohio) plan to attend.

Jackie Kucinich