Monthly Program May 2026: Katya Miller on “The Lady on the Dome”

The statue that stands majestically atop the US Capitol dome has many stories to tell. In The Lady on the Dome: America’s Most Visible, Yet Invisible, Monument , author Katya Miller reveals the history of an icon with many names.   The Statue of Freedom  has been presiding over the chambers of Congress since 1863, a silent yet powerful sentinel, whose carefully sculpted accoutrements reflect both the aspirations and conflicts of our nation. Hailed as a symbol of unification by Abraham Lincoln, the statue assumed its place on the pinnacle of the nation’s Capitol amid the turmoil and divisiveness of the Civil War. This fascinating account of her history, the remarkable people behind her creation, and the times that preceded and surrounded her is the result of decades of archival research and conversations with curators, historians, and Native American artists and leaders. She is more relevant than ever as the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, an historic moment to bind us all together as Americans.

Katya Miller is an art historian, metalsmith and filmmaker with a BA in design and art history from the University of California, Berkeley. A fellow of the United States Capitol Historical Society, she has conducted over two decades of research at the Library of Congress and the Architect of the Capitol Curator’s Office. Her research uncovered long-buried documents, images, newspaper accounts, and handwritten letters about the Statue of Freedom, and her articles have been featured in the US Capitol Historical Society’s quarterly magazine,  The Capitol Dome . Ms. Miller has also archived cultures through film, helping revitalize native languages of the Americas, including at the Indigenous Language Institute and the Native American Youth Language Fair. She has filmed for Wings of America, the New Mexico Jewish Historical Society, and the Iroquois Nation, and has directed Telly Award-winning films on the art of interviewing and the art of storytelling.