Black History Month: Artifacts you have to see
The nation's black history is deeply intertwined with Washington. ¶ As the capital city, the area long attracted prominent African Americans, including civic leaders and artists. Slaves in the District of Columbia were freed before the Emancipation Proclamation, African American men had voting rights before those elsewhere and institutions such as Howard University were a draw as well. ¶ But the vestiges of that history won't always be found in statues or memorials. ¶ "It is all around us," says Marya McQuirter, an adjunct professor at George Washington University and the author of Cultural Tourism DC's African American Heritage Trail guide. "There is so much to choose from and so much we don't know." ¶ You'll find the story in historic homes, quietly displayed in our art museums and public spaces and in simple etchings. ¶ With Black History Month approaching, we're singling out eight of Washington's quiet treasures, the artifacts that are full of resonance, even if you have to look twice to notice them. Each has a story to tell, and some will downright surprise you. Make it a point to see them all.
Read full article >>Craig Whitlock 19 Jan, 2012
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Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=1d42548377a86a6043a89d684303fff0
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