As lying in state has finished for former President George Herbert Walker Bush (Bush 41) and is on his way back to Houston for his final burial, there has been some mention in the news that only 12 people had lain in state,
As lying in state has finished for former President George Herbert Walker Bush (Bush 41) and is on his way back to Houston for his final burial, there has been some mention in the news that only 12 people had lain in state, and no details given as to who they were.
Bush 41 lain in state December 3-5, 2018. He became the 13th president lying in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.
I know you can look it up and search it on the Internet, but I wanted do some research into this and provide some more details from a few more sources othe r than pulling down the PDF file (link below) listing who they were and get into some of the policies and politics that go into who gets the honor of lying in state.
Since the practice started in 1852, 33 people, including 13 presidents and four Unknown Soldiers from WWI, WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War have been extended the honor to lay in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. (Bush 41 is included in these figures).
The first person to have this honor bestowed upon him was not a president, but the Speaker of the House, Henry Clay, in 1852.
According to information from the Architect of the Capitol (AOC):
Clay was a member of the House of Representatives for five non- consecutive terms (1811-25). He served as Speaker of the House in 1811-14, 1815-20 and 1823- 25. He was Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829. Clay also served as U.S. Senator from Kentucky intermittently for 18 years between 1806 and 1852. He died June 29, 1852, in Washington, D.C. during the 32nd Congress, 1st Session, becoming the first person honored by a funeral ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda. No resolution.
Clay was part of the group automatically honored by lying in state. He was a congressman, and was a senator when he died. He didn’t need a resolution from Congress to lie in state. That’s what “no resolution” above means.
So who gets the honor to lay in state an