It’s been six months since a group of right-wing rioters stormed the Capitol. More than 500 people have been arrested in connection to the January 6 insurrection. While folks have taken to Twitter to condemn those who incited the riot and to commemorate those whose lives were put at risk, New Jersey congressman Andy Kim announced that he donated the blue suit he wore during the insurrection to the Smithsonian.
6 months ago today I wore this blue suit as I cleaned the Capitol after the insurrection, now I just donated it to the Smithsonian. Jan6 must never be forgotten. While some try to erase history, I will fight to tell the story so it never happens again. Here is one story…(THREAD) pic.twitter.com/GKePd1ZMrr
— Andy Kim (@AndyKimNJ) July 6, 2021
Kim intended to wear the suit to President Biden’s inauguration. Instead, he wore the suit as he helped cleaned the mess that the rioters left behind and once again a week later to cast his vote to impeach Donald Trump. After that, the congressman vowed to never wear the suit again because it “only brought back terrible memories.” However, he later received cards and letters of encouragement from people across the country, which he says made him feel stronger and resilient. “I told the Smithsonian yes to donating the blue suit because the telling of the story of Jan 6 isn’t optional,” Kim said in a tweet. “It’s necessary.”
While pro-Trump politicians have tried to erase the significance of the insurrection, others are trying to keep the memory alive. The House of Representatives approved a committee to investigate the Jan. 6 riot, after the Senate blocked a plan for an independent commission.
Before becoming Research Editor, Damare Baker was an Editorial Fellow and Assistant Editor for Washingtonian. She has previously written for Voice of America and The Hill. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she studied international relations, Korean, and journalism.
