By: Fred Lucas | September 8, 2025
John Adams is a giant among American Founders, yet something is missing: a memorial in the nation’s capital.
That could be changing, not just for the second president of the United States but for the entire Adams family.
There is bipartisan support in Congress to provide up to $50 million, to be backed by private matching funds, for a memorial to be completed by 2032.
So why did it take this long for an Adams memorial?
“John Adams was caught between two enormous figures,” said Jackie Gingrich Cushman, president of the Adams Memorial Foundation.
He was overshadowed by his predecessor, George Washington, and lost an election to Thomas Jefferson.
Then there was the sixth president of the United States.
Cushman called John Quincy Adams “among the most overlooked” statesmen in American history.
The daughter of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Cushman said, “The memorial will reflect that America is so strong because of families.”
Cushman testified before the House Natural Resources Committee in July, advocating for the project and the enabling legislation, the “Great American Heroes Act,” introduced by Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.).
This tribute would include a library in a garden and honor not just two presidents but other family members, including the profoundly influential Abigail and later generations like Charles and Henry.