. >> frank mitchell appointed in on the centennial of lincoln's assassination. a lincoln connection, a civil war connection. e's here among others, ongressman gerald ford and congressmanless aarons. was the whip. we r discussing with them, went to an anti-room and cameras video where they are probably, i don't know, eight or 10 of them and other reporters asking questions and it was whirlwind experience. i want to emphasize. this was 1965. >> frank mitchell the first negro to serve as a page in the the of representatives, clipping from my hometown newspaper. >> for a long time, we thought actually the very first african-american page to serve in the house. were able to do some research about the reconstruction period because you have african-american serving in the house for the first time. 206.e's a total who served in the latter part of th century. two over in the senate. staff levels. african-americans in appointed positions. 1871, a oifee, was in member who represented a encompassed t couple of the towns south of the james river, he was a civil war veteran w

this was 1965. >> frank mitchell the first negro to serve as a page in the house of representatives, the clipping from my hometown newspaper. >> for a long time, we thought mitchel was actually the very first african-american page to serve in the house. but we were able to do some research about the reconstruction period because you have african-american members serving in the house for the first time. there's a total 206. who served in the latter part of the 19th century. two over in the senate. and from the staff levels. african-americans in appointed positions. ur emmroifee, was in 1871, a member who represented a district that encompassed richmond and a couple of the towns south of the james river, he was a civil war veteran who came on. he became a political carpet bagger. when virginia was elected to the union, he does what he can to represent this district. they adopt martin q. powell in manchester, wisconsin. he comes to the house chamber. we don't know about powell. he was 14 years old. we know his family came over and we heard reports that he was the first african-american p

. >> this is frank mitchell who was appointed in 1965. this is on the centennial of lincoln's assassination. he is from springfield. there is the link in connection. connection.r he is here with gerald ford and les arrons. then after a few minutes discussing some things with them, we when intuit anteroom and -- into an anteroom and cameras, still video were there probably 8 or 10 of them. and other reporters asking questions. it was quiet the whirlwind experience. i want to emphasize this was 1965. mitchell of springfield, illinois, became the first negro to serve as a page in the house. a clipping from my hometown newspaper. >> for a long time we thought that mitchell was actually the very first african-american page to serve. but we were able to do some research about the reconstruction period. which is interesting because you have african-american members serving in the house for the first time. there is a total of 20 who served in the latter part of the 19th century. and what you see at the staff level is that there are african-americ

russell building in 1933, about the thomas frank roosevelt's inauguration -- about the time of franklin roosevelt's inauguration. he talked about seeing mitchellalking by himself to union station. the man was all by himself leaving. he showed up with a retinue of bank officials but he was all by himself or it -- that led to pecora carrying on an extensive and careful investigation into wall street banks and brokerages. he was not a senator. he was the chief counsel. often this is called the pecora investigation. it is the only investigation known for a staff person rather than for the chairman of the committee. it's mis-identified sometimes as the pecora commission. there was no commission. it was a committee, the banking committee of the senate. that was very important because the senators were also anticipating a questioning and listening to witnesses. that led to some of the most significant financial legislation that congress has ever passed. it really helped not only to get out of the depression but also to shore up the american economy and the financial system for the next 60 years. it's major legislation that stayed on the books, includ