Builders of the Monument The <em>Washington Post</em> published an article highlighting the contributions of laborers who built the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/36">Washington Monument</a>. The article included an illustration of the individuals profiled and revealed their occupational backgrounds. Some worked on ships and others on railroads before joining the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/281">Monument's construction crews</a>. One of the workers highlighted was African American concrete mixer Lewis O'Brien. The images in the center of this illustration represent the entrance to the monument (left), and Superintendent P. H. McLaughlin testing the elevator with some workmen (right). <em>The Washington Post</em> 12/7/1884 <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1860-1889">1860-1889</a>