September * October * November * Ongoing (Sept.-Nov.)

September Events:

Sept. 5 - Oct. 13:
The Playground Series by Anne Marchand
Zenith Gallery
202-783-2963
www.zenithgallery.com

An exhibit featuring acrylic, mica, and glass paintings inspired by the Westminster Playground Project. Anne Marchand's newest abstract work, The Playground Series celebrates the energy created by community. Inspired by a recent project in which the artist created a 35 foot mural at the Westminster Playground located at 913 Westminster Street, NW in the Shaw/U-Street neighborhood. The paintings grew out of the passion put into the mural by the entire community. In typical Marchand fashion, she draws on the beauty that is urban Washington DC. By fusing the energy of the playground project with her inherent skill as an abstract artist, Anne has created some of her most remarkable work to date. Admission: Free. Mon., 11 am -4 pm; Tues.-Fri., 11 am -6 pm; Sat., noon-7 pm; Sun., noon-5 pm. 413 7th St., NW.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 6-Oct. 11:
Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Elizabeth Catlett: Prints and Original Works
Addison/Ripley Fine Art Gallery
202-338-5180
www.addisonripleyfineart.com

Addison/Ripley Fine Art is pleased to exhibit works by Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Elizabeth Catlett. The exhibit features prints, paintings and sculpture by these celebrated artists. Admission: Free. Tues.-Sat., 11 am-6 pm. 1670 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU to Georgetown Shuttle
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Sept. 12 & 14:
SoleMates - Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble in collaboration with Step Afrika!
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at University of Maryland (Kay Theatre)
301-405-1000
www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

Back by popular demand, Footworks returns to the Kay stage in a powerful new performance with Step Afrika! SoleMates features music, song and dance associated with white and black communities in America, while tracing the roots of these connected forms in African dance, Irish dance and more. Admission: $25 Single; $20 Subscription. Fri., 8 pm (pre-performance discussion at 7 pm); Sun., 3 pm (pre-performance discussion at 2 pm). University of Maryland, College Park MD.
Metro: College Park
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Sept. 12-Oct. 14:
Artist and Influence: Romare Bearden's St. Martin
Parish Gallery - Georgetown
202-944-2310
www.parishgallery.com

An exhibition curated by Gaines Clore Wynn of seven artists from St. Martin juxtaposed with three Romare Bearden watercolors. Artists in this exhibition are: Ruby Bute, Ras Mosera, Joe Dominique, Maximilian Phelipa, Cynric Griffith, Roland Richardson, and Gloria Lynn. The late renowned American artist, Romare Bearden dreamed of creating a gallery to exhibit the works of Caribbean artists. In 1985, Bearden and his wife, Nannette, a native of St. Martin, started the nonprofit gallery that now showcases paintings by a local artist every month. An acclaimed modernist, Bearden became a cultural icon for his emotive images of black culture in America and the Caribbean. In this exhibition, these artists affiliated with St. Martin’s, Nannette Bearden Fine Arts Gallery, explore the inspiration and energy generated by Romare Bearden’s presence in St. Martin for over twenty years. Inspired by the people and sights of St. Martin, Bearden spent the last years of his life creating collages and watercolors that are still being sold to help fund the museum. Admission: Free. Tues.-Sat. noon-6 pm. 1054 31st St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU or Rosslyn. Take Georgetown Connection bus

Sept. 14
Slide Lecture
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

An illustrated slide overview of the complex and colorful images that recall and document the world of Romare Bearden will introduce the exhibition The Art of Romare Bearden to the public. Ruth Fine, curator of the exhibition, National Gallery of Art, will illuminate the career of one of America's most distinctive 20th-century artists. Admission: Free. 2-5 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building, Large Auditorium.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 14
Panel Discussion: A Bearden Celebration
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

Original members of Spiral-a group of African American artists, including Romare Bearden-who gathered in the 1960s in response to the Civil Rights Movement, and other experts will present a lively discussion about the Spiral experience and its importance to their work. Participating Spiral members are Emma Amos, Reginald Gammon, Merton Simpson, and Richard Mayhew. Other panelists are Camille Billops, Hatch-Billops Collection; Floyd Coleman, Howard University; and moderator Mary Schmidt Campbell, Tisch School of Art, New York University. Admission: Free. 2-5 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building, Large Auditorium.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 14
Book Signing
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

Ruth Fine and other authors of the catalogue sign copies of the richly illustrated 352-page exhibition catalogue-the most comprehensive to date on the artist-with some 225 full-color plates and approximately 85 black-and-white plates. It will be available for sale in the Gallery Shops in September. Admission: Free. 2-5 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building, Large Auditorium.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 15-Oct. 5:
Poetic Washington
Union Station
202-289-1908
www.unionstationdc.com

Fred Maroon, Washington DC's most renowned photographer, will display his "Dreams" shared by his son, Marc Maroon, in the collection Poetic Washington on display at Union Station. The collection spans nearly 50 years and will be the first time it is exhibited in its entirety. Admission: Free. 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, West Hall.
Metro: Union Station
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Sept. 16:
Up from New Orleans
Woman's National Democratic Club Educational Foundation
202-232-7363
www.democraticwoman.org

Don't miss this opening of a special exhibition: Diversity: The African-American Experience featuring many of the area's most important artists. Pianist Burnett Thompson will play the music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Thelonius Monk and other jazz masters during a festive Cajun-style dinner. Admission: $25 WNDC members; $30 non-members. Reservations required. Bar opens at 6 pm; Reception for the artists at 6:30 pm; Dinner served at 7:30 pm. 526 New Hampshire Ave. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Sept. 17 & 18:
A Blues Salute
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
202-467-4600
www.kennedy-center.org

The Kennedy Center continues its salute to the blues with Larry McCray's savage blues-rock guitar and warm, soulful vocals on Sept. 17 and the Mississippi blues, jazz swing, tight vocals, and hot guitar playing of the Blue Rhythm Boys with legendary harmonica player Phil Wiggins on Sept. 18. Admission: $25. Time: 7:30 pm. 2700 F St. NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU
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Sept. 20:
Bearden Community Festival
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

Festivities include hands-on art activities, storytelling, films, music, book displays and sales, book signings, food concessions, and exhibition tours. 10 am-3 pm. 4th St. between Constitution Ave. and Madison Dr., NW.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 20, Oct. 18 & Nov. 1:
Dupont Circle - Elite in Black & White
Tour DC Walks
301-588-8999
www.tourdc.com

Dupont Circle offers up both the extravagant mansions of the Gilded Age and the lovely and expansive residences on a Striver's Row that was home to an astonishing array of African-American luminaries in the 1920s. A singular block of S Street once hosted General Benjamin Davis, civil rights attorney Charles Houston, poet Langston Hughes and more. You will also see the opulent limestone mansion built for Perry Belmont, son of financier August Belmont, the former private mansion now serving as the Iraqi Embassy, and the Stanford White-designed Renaissance palace for legendary publisher Cissy Patterson. Admission: $12 per person, children free. Reservations required. 2 pm.
Metro: Dupont Circle (Q St. exit)
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Sept. 20, Nov. 8, 9, 28 & 29:
Children's Film Program: Jazztime and Duke Ellington
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

In celebration o the exhibition, the Gallery will present two animated films about jazz: Jazztime (Michael Sporn, 25 mins.) and Duke Ellington (Ray Messecar, 15 mins.). Set in Harlem in 1919, Jazztime tells the story of two girls-one black, one white-who form a lifelong friendship through a chance encounter and the jazztime music of young "Fats" Waller. Duke Ellington is a tribute to a Washington, DC native and one of the greatest artists of all time. Admission: Free. 10:30 and 11:30 am. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building Auditorium.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 21:
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Washington Performing Arts Society (Performance at John F. Kennedy Center)
202-785-9727
www.wpas.org

Led by the incomparable conductor and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra is world-famous for its energetic performances of American jazz repertory and innovative new music. Pulitzer Prize-winning trumpeter Marsalis, credited with bringing jazz to the forefront of American culture, is one of the most accomplished jazz artists of his generation. Admission: $23-$68. 7:30 pm. 2000 L St. NW.
Metro: Farragut West, Farrugut North or Foggy Bottom-GWU
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Sept. 21, Oct. 11, 25 & Nov. 11:
Black Georgetown Remembered
C&O Canal National Historic Park
202-653-5190
www.nps.gov/choh

Join a one-mile ranger-led walk to sites associated with the area's African-American history. Learn about the neighborhood's role in the slave trade and the Underground Railroad. Admission: Free. 12:15 pm. 1057 Thomas Jefferson St. NW.
Metro: Walk from Foggy Bottom-GWU or take Georgetown Connection bus from Dupont Circle or Rosslyn
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Sept. 27:
Fall Festival
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
202-282-0123
www.ellingtonschool.org

An open house for the friends of the Ellington School community featuring performances and exhibitions. Admission: Free. 10 am-2 pm, performance at 7 pm. 3500 R St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU then D6 or D3 bus
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Sept. 27 & Oct. 11:
Underground Railroad & Civil War in Georgetown
Tour DC Walks
301-588-8999
www.tourdc.com

Get the fascinating details of the Underground Railroad in Georgetown and the Civil War that divided the white community between north and south. We highlight the story of the escape on a schooner named the "Pearl," when 77 enslaved Americans, including a good number from Georgetown's finest families and one from the home of first lady Dolley Madison, began a journey down the Potomac River on a 54-ton schooner in 1848. The walk includes homes of the slaveowners and the lovely home of one of the fugitives of the Pearl who became a leading businessman in 19th century Georgetown. And we only recently determined that in 1858 a woman and her daughter escaped from one of Georgetown's most historic homes and made it safely to freedom. And just a few years later, two doors away, a young confederate soldier was pulled out of his parents' home and hauled to jail. Admission: $12 per person, children free. Reservations required. 10:30 am. Corner of 27 & Q Sts. NW.
Metro: Take Georgetown Connection bus from Foggy Bottom-GWU or walk from Dupont Circle, Q St. exit
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Sept. 27:
From the Eye of the Collector: Collecting Objects We Love
Millennium Arts Salon
202-319-8988

A panel of seasoned collectors talk about why they continue to acquire fine art after decades of collecting. Panelists share practical advice about what and how to collect and the criterion, such as aesthetics and investment, which govern their selections. Panelists include: Jerry Langley, contributing writer to the International Review of African American Art and leader of the Collector's Club of DC; Bob Steele, professor and art activist whose collection is the subject of several recent exhibitions; Alexa Donaphin, community activist and prominent New York architect; and Juliette Bethea, a cultural activist and supporter of the arts. Admission: $10 Adults; $5 Students and Seniors. $50 Subscription to all five programs ($25 for Students and Seniors). 6:30 - 8:30 pm. 1213 Girard Street, NW.
Metro: Columbia Heights
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Sept. 28 & Oct. 19:
Battery Kemble and Its African American Settlement
Cultural Tourism DC
202-661-7581
www.culturaltourismdc.org

Sept. 28 & Oct. 19:
Battery Kemble and Its African American Settlement
Cultural Tourism DC
Battery Kemble fort, built during the Civil War to protect Washington from Confederate access across Chain Bridge, remains an enduring legacy in today’s Palisades neighborhood. Join us for a walking tour of Chain Bridge Road. Explore the remains of the African American settlement that grew up around the fort, including the Union Burial Cemetery and the Chain Bridge Road School. Sturdy shoes recommended. Admission: Free. 2 pm. Meet at Battery Kemble Park, lower parking lot, 2800 block of Chain Bridge Rd. NW. Reservations requested.

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October Events:

Sept. 5 - Oct. 13:
The Playground Series by Anne Marchand
Zenith Gallery
202-783-2963
www.zenithgallery.com

An exhibit featuring acrylic, mica, and glass paintings inspired by the Westminster Playground Project. Anne Marchand's newest abstract work, The Playground Series celebrates the energy created by community. Inspired by a recent project in which the artist created a 35 foot mural at the Westminster Playground located at 913 Westminster Street, NW in the Shaw/U-Street neighborhood. The paintings grew out of the passion put into the mural by the entire community. In typical Marchand fashion, she draws on the beauty that is urban Washington DC. By fusing the energy of the playground project with her inherent skill as an abstract artist, Anne has created some of her most remarkable work to date. Admission: Free. Mon., 11 am -4 pm; Tues.-Fri., 11 am -6 pm; Sat., noon-7 pm; Sun., noon-5 pm. 413 7th St., NW.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 6-Oct. 11:
Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Elizabeth Catlett: Prints and Original Works
Addison/Ripley Fine Art Gallery
202-338-5180
www.addisonripleyfineart.com

Addison/Ripley Fine Art is pleased to exhibit works by Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Elizabeth Catlett. The exhibit features prints, paintings and sculpture by these celebrated artists. Admission: Free. Tues.-Sat., 11 am-6 pm. 1670 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU to Georgetown Shuttle
See more events like this

Sept. 12-Oct. 14:
Artist and Influence: Romare Bearden's St. Martin
Parish Gallery - Georgetown
202-944-2310
www.parishgallery.com

An exhibition curated by Gaines Clore Wynn of seven artists from St. Martin juxtaposed with three Romare Bearden watercolors. Artists in this exhibition are: Ruby Bute, Ras Mosera, Joe Dominique, Maximilian Phelipa, Cynric Griffith, Roland Richardson, and Gloria Lynn. The late renowned American artist, Romare Bearden dreamed of creating a gallery to exhibit the works of Caribbean artists. In 1985, Bearden and his wife, Nannette, a native of St. Martin, started the nonprofit gallery that now showcases paintings by a local artist every month. An acclaimed modernist, Bearden became a cultural icon for his emotive images of black culture in America and the Caribbean. In this exhibition, these artists affiliated with St. Martin’s, Nannette Bearden Fine Arts Gallery, explore the inspiration and energy generated by Romare Bearden’s presence in St. Martin for over twenty years. Inspired by the people and sights of St. Martin, Bearden spent the last years of his life creating collages and watercolors that are still being sold to help fund the museum. Admission: Free. Tues.-Sat. noon-6 pm. 1054 31st St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU or Rosslyn. Take Georgetown Connection bus

Sept. 15-Oct. 5:
Poetic Washington
Union Station
202-289-1908
www.unionstationdc.com

Fred Maroon, Washington DC's most renowned photographer, will display his "Dreams" shared by his son, Marc Maroon, in the collection Poetic Washington on display at Union Station. The collection spans nearly 50 years and will be the first time it is exhibited in its entirety. Admission: Free. 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, West Hall.
Metro: Union Station
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Oct. (Wednesdays):
Journey Toward Equality Bus Tour
Sewall-Belmont House and Museum
202-546-1210
www.sewallbelmont.org

The Sewall-Belmont House and Museum, The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site and Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site merge their individual stories for a groundbreaking interpretation of one of America’s key chapters in history—the struggle for equal rights. Admission: $5 per person, $3 children under 7. Reservations required. 10 am-1 pm. 144 Constitution Ave. NE.
Metro: Tour meets at Eastern Market metro plaza.
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Oct. (Wednesdays):
African-Americans and the Capitol in the Nation's Capital
U.S. Capitol Historical Society
202-543-8919
www.uschs.org

A series of brown bag lectures exploring the role African-Americans have played in the life of the Federal City and in the Congress. African-American pioneers in Congress, such as Oscar DePriest, will be highlighted. Admission: Free. Noon-1 pm. Russell Senate Office Building, Room 385, Constitution Ave. at First St., NE.
Metro: Union Station or Capitol South
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Oct. (select weekends):
A Bash for Bearden's Book
Capital Children’s Museum
202-675-4120
www.ccm.org

Step inside the newly-published book by Romare Bearden, Li'l Dan the Drummer Boy, at Capital Children's Museum. We'll celebrate this Civil War story with activities from the time period and projects inspired by the artist. Admission: Free with museum admission ($7 per person). 800 3rd St. NE.
Metro: Union Station
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Oct. & Nov. (Select Weekends):
Family Art Attack!
Capital Children’s Museum
202-675-4120
www.ccm.org

Capital Children's Museum will sponsor a series of family art workshops and demonstrations. Admission: Free with museum admission ($7 per person). 800 Third St. NE.
Metro: Union Station
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Oct. 1-Oct. 25:
Double Take
Watkins Gallery at American University
202-885-1670
www.american.edu/cas/watkins

Double Take features paintings by fifteen DC artists created over the past 50 years. The exhibition will present two works by each artist, illustrating different periods and changing ideas in the artist's careers. Curated from American University's Watkins Collection, Double Take will include work by African- American artists Alma Thomas, Sam Gilliam, Richard Dempsey, Lou Stovall and Carroll Sockwell. Admission: Free. Mon.-Fri., 10 am-5 pm; Sat., 1-5 pm; Reception Oct. 1, 5-7 pm. 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW.
Metro: Tenleytown/AU
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Oct. 1 – Nov. 30 (Tues.-Fri.)
A Life in Patchwork: Exploring the Art of Collage through the Work of
Romare Bearden
Capital Children’s Museum
202-675-4120
www.ccm.org

This 25-minute interactive theatrical experience incorporates music, theatre and art for school groups in grades K-5 and shows them how stories of everyday life can be represented in art. After learning about the influential artist Romare Bearden and his work with collage, students will participate in a storytelling performance as they build life-size collages representing the stories found in their own lives. Admission: Additional $1 of museum admission per child ($7 per person). Call for reservations. 800 3rd St. NE.
Metro: Union Station
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Oct. 2-Nov. 30:
Romare Bearden's Magical Memories Exhibit
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
202-727-1291
www.dclibrary.org

The DC Public Library Art Division presents an exhibition of documentary and biographical material related to the National Gallery of Art exhibition, The Art of Romare Bearden, including letters, graphic works from the Bearden Foundation, and photographs by Frank Stewart. Admission: Free. Mon.-Thurs., 9:30 am-9 pm; Fri. & Sat., 9:30 am-5:30 pm; Sun., 1 pm-5 pm. 901 G St. NW, Lobby and 2nd floor east.
Metro: Gallery Place
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Oct. 2:
Vocal Music Benefit Concert
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
202-282-0123
www.ellingtonschool.org

A vocal music concert performed by students of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Admission: $10, adults; $5 seniors/students. 7:30 pm. 3500 R St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU then D6 or D3 bus
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Oct. 3-Nov. 2:
Allan Rohan Crite: Were You There
Washington National Cathedral
202-537-6200
www.nationalcathedral.org

An exhibition of 39 brush-and-ink drawings by African-American artist Allan Rohan Crite. These original drawings were created for Were You There When They Crucified My Lord, a book published in 1944 by Harvard University Press and the first of two volumes depicting folk spirituals. The drawings represent the emerging work of artists who rebelled against stereotypical depictions of black Americans prevalent in the 1920s. In 1997, Edmund Barry Gaither, director of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Boston, Massachusetts, described these drawings as a "pivotal set of works." Admission: Free. Mon.-Sat., 10 am-4 pm. Massachusetts & Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Metro: Tenleytown/AU, 30 bus
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Oct. 3:
Rags and Riches
Friday Morning Music Club
202-333-2075
www.fmmc.org

Music by African-American composers. Admission: Free. Noon. Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives, 17th & M St. NW.
Metro: Farragut North
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Oct. 4:
Family Program: My Family Quilt
The Textile Museum
202-667-0441
www.textilemuseum.org

Use your hands and heart to celebrate the spirit of family and heritage at this drop-in program. Visit African-American Quilts from the Robert & Helen Cargo Collection for a look at the ways some quilters use color and creativity to make one-of-a-kind works of art. Watch quilting demonstrations by Daughters of Dorcas and Sons, a local quilting group. Listen to a reading of The Patchwork Quilt, a story of families and quilting by Valerie Flournoy, and make a quilt block that celebrates your family’s heritage. Storytelling at 1:30 & 2:30 pm Co-sponsored by the National Portrait Gallery. Admission: Free. Noon-4 pm. 2320 S St. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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October 4, 5 & 11:
Oscar Micheaux Film Series
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

A program devoted to African-American filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, one of the first independent producers to make popular movies with Black actors during the Harlem Renaissance. Included in the series are Body and Soul (1925), The Symbol of the Unconquered (1920), and Within Our Gates (1920). Admission: Free. First come, first seated. Oct. 4 & 11, 12:30 pm; Oct. 5, 4 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Oct. 5 & Nov. 2:
Special Exhibition Tours of African-American Quilts from the Robert and Helen Cargo Collection
The Textile Museum
202-667-0441
www.textilemuseum.org

Walk-in tours for adults explore an important chapter of American quilt history. Made in the South since the 1970s, the African-American quilts in this exhibition are unique works of art with visually arresting patterns that range from traditional to original designs, from patchwork quilts to story quilts and strip quilts. Admission: Free. 1:30 pm. 2320 S St. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Oct. 7:
Lecture: The Art of Romare Bearden
Woman's National Democratic Club Educational Foundation
202-232-7363
www.democraticwoman.org

Ruth Fine, curator of Special Projects in Modern Art at the National Gallery, will speak at a luncheon. Ms. Fine curated the Gallery's Romare Bearden exhibition and at this luncheon she will highlight the artist's most innovative work in a slide-illustrated talk. Admission: $16.50 WNDC members; $19.50 non-members. Reservations required. Bar opens at 11:30 am; Luncheon at 12:30 pm. 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Oct. 8:
Literary Media Coffee House
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
202-282-0123
www.ellingtonschool.org

Poetry, fiction, visual and narratives to the background of music dealing with the experiences of African-American young people. Admission: $5 adults; $3 students and seniors. 7 pm. 3500 R St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU then D6 or D3 bus
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Oct. 8 & 9:
Remembering U . . . ™
The Dance Institute of Washington (Performance at Lincoln Theatre)
202-371-9656
www.danceinstitute.org

Remembering U…™ is a multi-media production that commemorates U Street as "Black Broadway" and pays tribute to Duke Ellington and the lack Cultural Renaissance. By pairing dances with history, DIW, community organizations, neighborhood schools, and area merchants and residents will document the role that U Street played in the development of African-American artists and culture. Remembering U…™ tells the story of an era that is part of the shared cultural experience of all Washingtonians and Americans. Admission: $15-$35. 7:30 pm. 1215 U St. NW.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
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Oct. 9:
Southern City, National Ambition: Controversy of Slavery in the Nation’s Capital
The Stephen Decatur House Museum
202-842-0920
www.decaturhouse.org

George Washington University museum studies professor Kym Rice will discuss the development of early Washington, specifically its characteristics as a "southern" city. Dr. Rice's lecture will focus primarily on the African-American communities in the capital city, both free and enslaved, and how they played a pivotal role in Washington's development. Admission: $10 for Decatur House Members, $15 non-member, $13.50 students (with valid i.d.). 6:30 pm. 1610 H St. NW.
Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North
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October 11:
The 2003 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award Ceremony & Dinner
The Zora Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation
301-683-2134
www.hurston-wright.org

The annual Hurston/Wright Legacy Award Ceremony and Dinner is a celebration of African American writing. Acclaimed novelists Bebe Moore Campbell and Colson Whitehead are among this year's awards presenters. The program includes dramatic readings by local actors. This year's honorary co-chairs are Dr. Dorothy Height and Julian Bond. The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award is presented to published Black writers in the categories of Fiction, Non-fiction, and Debut Fiction. Winners in each category receive $10,000 and two finalists receive $5,000. Presented in partnership with Borders Books and Music. Admission: $125, black tie. J.W. Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.
Metro: Metro Center
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Oct. 11-13:
TASTE OF DC
202-789-7002
www.tasteofdc.org

The 12th Annual TASTE OF DC will feature 3 different music stages with entertainment for every musical taste - from natoinally-known acts to favorite local bands. Sunday's lineup will be a salute to Blues & Dreams. Performances will draw influences from the blues and other musical genres influenced by African-American culture. Local artists Congregation begin the day with their funk, pop, jazz and hip hop sounds. The entertainment continues with the smooth sounds of rising star Josh Kelley, presented by Washington’s More Music 104. The celebrated blues sounds of New Orleans taxi driver-turned musician Mem Shannon & the Membership stirs up the afternoon lineup, followed by the Motown music of Jr. Walker’s All-Stars, dubbed “the Ultimate Motown Party Band.” Local blues favorite Bad Influence finishes out the day on the Heineken Capitol Music Stage.

Sept. 27 & Oct. 11:
Underground Railroad & Civil War in Georgetown
Tour DC Walks
301-588-8999
www.tourdc.com

Get the fascinating details of the Underground Railroad in Georgetown and the Civil War that divided the white community between north and south. We highlight the story of the escape on a schooner named the "Pearl," when 77 enslaved Americans, including a good number from Georgetown's finest families and one from the home of first lady Dolley Madison, began a journey down the Potomac River on a 54-ton schooner in 1848. The walk includes homes of the slaveowners and the lovely home of one of the fugitives of the Pearl who became a leading businessman in 19th century Georgetown. And we only recently determined that in 1858 a woman and her daughter escaped from one of Georgetown's most historic homes and made it safely to freedom. And just a few years later, two doors away, a young confederate soldier was pulled out of his parents' home and hauled to jail. Admission: $12 per person, children free. Reservations required. 10:30 am. Corner of 27 & Q Sts. NW.
Metro: Take Georgetown Connection bus from Foggy Bottom-GWU or walk from Dupont Circle, Q St. exit
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Sept. 21, Oct. 11, 25 & Nov. 11:
Black Georgetown Remembered
C&O Canal National Historic Park
202-653-5190
www.nps.gov/choh

Join a one-mile ranger-led walk to sites associated with the area's African-American history. Learn about the neighborhood's role in the slave trade and the Underground Railroad. Admission: Free. 12:15 pm. 1057 Thomas Jefferson St. NW.
Metro: Walk from Foggy Bottom-GWU or take Georgetown Connection bus from Dupont Circle or Rosslyn
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Oct. 12:
TASTE OF DC Cakewalk
Freedom Plaza
202-789-7002
www.tasteofdc.org

Join Washington Reflections Dance Company, a program of The Dance Institute of Washington, and Cakelove as they present the first annual Cakewalk. The cakewalk dance was created by enslaved Africans as a way to caricature their owners and their owners’ high society ways. Evolving over the years, this dance symbolizes an expression of life and a celebration of pride. In the cakewalk, parading couples compete under the watchful eyes of judges. This year’s event will feature tasty prizes - compliments of Cakelove - for lucky winners. Bring the whole family down to Freedom Plaza to learn about this important tradition and strut your stuff. Admission: Free. 11-5 pm. Pennsylvania Ave., NW, between 13th and 14th Sts.
Metro: Federal Triangle

Oct. 12:
National Gallery of Art Concert
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

Relax to the smooth sounds of The Stanley Cowell Jazz Trio in concert, presented in honor of the exhibition. Admission: Free. Seating available on a first come, first seated basis. 7 pm (Doors open at 6 pm). Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, West Building, West Garden Court.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Oct. 12:
Family Workshop: The Art of Romare Bearden
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

Explore different collage techniques, tour the exhibition, and make a work of art to take home. Led by artist and educator Cheryl Foster. Admission: Free. Preregistration required. For children ages 9-11 accompanied by an adult. 1-3 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Oct. 16:
Educators’ Night
The Textile Museum
202-667-0441
www.textilemuseum.org

This event provides an opportunity for educators to learn about programs and resources for schools and teachers offered at seven museums in the Dupont Circle and Kalorama area: Fondo del Sol, Meridian International Center, Mary McLeod Bethune Council House, National Museum of American Jewish Military History, The Phillips Collection, The Textile Museum, and Woodrow Wilson House. Participants can attend gallery talks in The Textile Museum’s exhibition, African-American Quilts from the Robert & Helen Cargo Collection, explore other exhibitions, and watch a local quilter demonstrate her work. Refreshments will be provided. Co-sponsored by the Dupont-Kalorama Museums Consortium. Admission: Free. 4:30-6:30 pm. 2320 S St. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Oct. 16:
Romare Bearden's Magical Memories Lecture
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
202-727-1291
www.dclibrary.org

Ruth Fine, curator of the National Gallery of Art exhibition, The Art of Romare Bearden, will give a lecture an slide presentation on Bearden's innovative and passionate artwork. Presented by the DC Public Library Art Division. Admission: Free. 6:30 pm. 901 G St. NW, Room A-5.
Metro: Gallery Place
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Oct. 17:
Variety Show
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
202-282-0123
www.ellingtonschool.org

A multi-disciplinary talent show featuring the students of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Admission: $10, adults; $5 seniors/students. 7:30 pm. 3500 R St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU then D6 or D3 bus

Oct. 18
Special Lecture Program: Bearden Remembered
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

Artists, colleagues, family, and friends present slide lectures and discuss Romare Bearden, his art, his career, and his impact on modern art and culture. . Admission: Free. 2-5 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building, Large Auditorium.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Oct. 18
BET 9th Annual Walk of Fame honoring Aretha Franklin
BET Campus (Studio 2)
202-608-2071
www.bet.com

BET's annual Walk of Fame gala honors legendary musical figures in a 2-hour telecast that will air Tuesday, Oct. 28. The Walk of Fame is a major fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Previous recipients include Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Patti Labelle, Diana Ross, and others. Admission: Individual seats from $300-$400. Groups of 10 seats available for $10,000 or $5,000 per box. BET Campus, Studio 2, 1235 W St. NE.
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Oct. 18:
From the Eye of the Professional: Exhibiting Works that Challenge and Inspire
Millennium Arts Salon
202-319-8988

The fascination of a good exhibition includes the works that are chosen and where and how they are displayed. Panelists talk about the critical skill of selecting art works for an exhibition, using the guideposts - composition, interest, and image. Leslie King Hammond, Professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art, moderates a panel of museum and gallery professionals including: Blake Kimbrough, Museum of Contemporary African Diasporian Art in Brooklyn, NY; Norman Parish, Director of Parish Gallery of Georgetown, DC; Floyd Coleman, artist and Professor of Art at Howard University; and Adrienne Childs, curator and Graduate Fellow, David C. Driscoll Center for the Study of the African Diaspora. Admission: $10 Adults; $5 Students and Seniors. $50 Subscription to all five programs ($25 for Students and Seniors). 6:30 - 8:30 pm. 1213 Girard Street, NW.
Metro: Columbia Heights
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Oct. 18:
Charles Hamilton Houston: Paving the Road to Brown
The Humanities Council of Washington, DC
202-387-8391
www.wdchumanities.org

A prelude to the 50th Anniversary celebration of Brown vs. the Board of Education, this day-long introductory symposium remembers the life and legal strategies of Charles Hamilton Houston, known as "the man who killed Jim Crow." Born in Washington, DC in 1895, Houston would become the chief architect of desegregation. He laid the groundwork in Washington, DC using the argument of equal and quality education as the basis for total desegregation in the United States. Look forward to presentations by distinguished guests and scholars on "Houstonian urisprudence," with panels for youth, parents, historians, and professionals devoted to the current status of key issues Huston addressed in his distinguished lifetime as one of America's heroic "social engineers." Admission: TBD. 8:30 am-5 pm, reception at 7 pm. Howard University School of Law, Houston Hall, 2900 Van Ness St., NW.
Metro: Van Ness/UDC
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Sept. 20, Oct. 18 & Nov. 1:
Dupont Circle - Elite in Black & White
Tour DC Walks
301-588-8999
www.tourdc.com

Dupont Circle offers up both the extravagant mansions of the Gilded Age and the lovely and expansive residences on a Striver's Row that was home to an astonishing array of African-American luminaries in the 1920s. A singular block of S Street once hosted General Benjamin Davis, civil rights attorney Charles Houston, poet Langston Hughes and more. You will also see the opulent limestone mansion built for Perry Belmont, son of financier August Belmont, the former private mansion now serving as the Iraqi Embassy, and the Stanford White-designed Renaissance palace for legendary publisher Cissy Patterson. Admission: $12 per person, children free. Reservations required. 2 pm.
Metro: Dupont Circle (Q St. exit)
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Sept. 28 & Oct. 19:
Battery Kemble and Its African American Settlement
Cultural Tourism DC
202-661-7581
www.culturaltourismdc.org

Sept. 28 & Oct. 19:
Battery Kemble and Its African American Settlement
Cultural Tourism DC
Battery Kemble fort, built during the Civil War to protect Washington from Confederate access across Chain Bridge, remains an enduring legacy in today’s Palisades neighborhood. Join us for a walking tour of Chain Bridge Road. Explore the remains of the African American settlement that grew up around the fort, including the Union Burial Cemetery and the Chain Bridge Road School. Sturdy shoes recommended. Admission: Free. 2 pm. Meet at Battery Kemble Park, lower parking lot, 2800 block of Chain Bridge Rd. NW. Reservations requested.

Oct. 19-Nov. 18:
Puja for Shaki
Parish Gallery - Georgetown
202-944-2310
www.parishgallery.com

Artist Stephanie Parrish Taylor is a quilt artist whose work has been shown across the country and in South Africa. She worked for three years in an art gallery in Nairobi, Kenya where she was introduced to traditional and contemporary African textiles. This show captures Stephanie's memory and experience of a recent trip to Northern India. Admission: Free. Tues.-Sat. noon-6 pm. 1054 31st St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU or Rosslyn. Take Georgetown Connection bus.

Oct. 23:
The Kinara String Quartet - Performing Music by 19th Century African American Composers
The Stephen Decatur House Museum
202-842-0920
www.decaturhouse.org

Decatur House will host a concert by the Kinara String Quartet, performing works by 19th century African-American composers. The Kinara String Quartet is a Washington, DC based group which uses the word "kinara" to refer to the candleholder used during the African-American celebration of Kwanzaa. The quartet, led by violinist Phyllis Fleming, has performed throughout the metropolitan Washington area for diverse audiences. This performance, the group's first at Decatur House, will be accompanied by a reception. Admission: $10 for Decatur House Members, $15 non-member, $13.50 students (with valid i.d.). 6:30 pm. 1610 H St. NW.
Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North
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Oct. 24:
Folger Poetry Reading with Cornelius Eady
Folger Shakespeare Library
202-544-7077
www.folger.edu

Cornelius Eady, winner of the Folger's 2003 O.B. Hardison, Jr. Poetry Prize commemorating excellence in poetry and teaching, will read from his work and discuss the relationship between his teaching and poetics. He is co-founder of the African- American poetry workshop Cave Canem and the author of five books of poetry, including 2001 National Book Award finalist Brutal Imagination. A cycle of poems from that book was the basis for a libretto for a roots opera, Running Man, on which he collaborated with Diedre Murray, and which was a finalist for the 1999 Pulitzer Prize. and. Admission: $45, seminar, supper and reading; $10 reading only. 5 pm, seminar and supper; 7:30 pm reading. 201 East Capitol St. SE. Metro: Capitol South. 202-544-7077, folger.edu
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Oct. 25:
Blessing the Boats
Washington Performing Arts Society (Performance at John F. Kennedy Center)
202-785-9727
www.wpas.org

In 2002 Harlem-born poet Sekou Sundiata, one of the most electrifying poets of our time, premiered Blessing the Boats, a solo journey through three years of the poet's life bearing witness to his highest and lowest moments-- a time when the scope of his achievements was matched only by a constant barrage of medical traumas. Grounded in African-American culture, including its music, Sundiata's work is filled with the sounds of blues, funk. jazz, Afro-Caribbean percussion and references to musicians such as John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Blessing the Boats is a rare evening of poetry, prose and monologue whose guide has been hailed by The Village Voice as being "to contemporary African-American poetry what Marvin Gaye was to modern soul." Admission: $23. 8 pm. 2700 F. St. NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU

Oct. 25 & 26:
Boris Willis Moves
Dance Place
202-269-1600
www.danceplace.org

A dynamic new company directed by Boris Willis that combines elements of hip hop, contact improvisation and break-dance into a uniquely postmodern dance style that fuses dance and technology to explore 21st century physical expression. Willis’ award-winning choreography has been performed in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and New York. He has performed with Elizabeth Streb, Liz Lerman/Dance Exchange, Lesa McLaughlin and Dancers, Jacob's Pillow's Men Dancers and Eric Hampton Dance. He also performs with Edgeworks Dance Theater and CityDance Ensemble, and is a faculty member at George Mason University. Admission: $18 general; $14 members, students, seniors, artists; $6 children under age 17. Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 7 pm. 3225 8th St. NE.
Metro: Brookland/CUA
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Oct. 30:
Twentieth Century African American Quilts
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
202-727-1291
www.dclibrary.org

Theresa Esterlund of The Textile Museum will give a lecture and slide presentation on the quilts featured in the exhibition, African-American Quilts from the Robert and Helen Cargo Collection. Admission: Free. 1:30 pm. 901 G St. NW.
Metro: Gallery Place
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Oct. 30:
Chamber Music Concert
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
202-282-0123
www.ellingtonschool.org

A chamber music concert performed by students of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts . Admission: $10, adults; $5 seniors/students. 7:30 pm. 3500 R St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU then D6 or D3 bus
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November Events:

November (Opening as permanent exhibition):
America on the Move
National Museum of American History
202-357-2700
www.americanhistory.si.edu

A new transportation exhibition that includes significant chapters in African-American history from the Harlem Renaissance to travelers and workers on the railroad. Admission: Free. Daily, 10 am-5 pm. 14th St. & Constitution Ave. NW.
Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle
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Oct. 1 – Nov. 30 (Tues.-Fri.)
A Life in Patchwork: Exploring the Art of Collage through the Work of
Romare Bearden
Capital Children’s Museum
202-675-4120
www.ccm.org

This 25-minute interactive theatrical experience incorporates music, theatre and art for school groups in grades K-5 and shows them how stories of everyday life can be represented in art. After learning about the influential artist Romare Bearden and his work with collage, students will participate in a storytelling performance as they build life-size collages representing the stories found in their own lives. Admission: Additional $1 of museum admission per child ($7 per person). Call for reservations. 800 3rd St. NE.
Metro: Union Station
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Oct. 2-Nov. 30:
Romare Bearden's Magical Memories Exhibit
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
202-727-1291
www.dclibrary.org

The DC Public Library Art Division presents an exhibition of documentary and biographical material related to the National Gallery of Art exhibition, The Art of Romare Bearden, including letters, graphic works from the Bearden Foundation, and photographs by Frank Stewart. Admission: Free. Mon.-Thurs., 9:30 am-9 pm; Fri. & Sat., 9:30 am-5:30 pm; Sun., 1 pm-5 pm. 901 G St. NW, Lobby and 2nd floor east.
Metro: Gallery Place
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Oct. 3-Nov. 2:
Allan Rohan Crite: Were You There
Washington National Cathedral
202-537-6200
www.nationalcathedral.org

An exhibition of 39 brush-and-ink drawings by African-American artist Allan Rohan Crite. These original drawings were created for Were You There When They Crucified My Lord, a book published in 1944 by Harvard University Press and the first of two volumes depicting folk spirituals. The drawings represent the emerging work of artists who rebelled against stereotypical depictions of black Americans prevalent in the 1920s. In 1997, Edmund Barry Gaither, director of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Boston, Massachusetts, described these drawings as a "pivotal set of works." Admission: Free. Mon.-Sat., 10 am-4 pm. Massachusetts & Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Metro: Tenleytown/AU, 30 bus
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Oct. & Nov. (Select Weekends):
Family Art Attack!
Capital Children’s Museum
202-675-4120
www.ccm.org

Capital Children's Museum will sponsor a series of family art workshops and demonstrations. Admission: Free with museum admission ($7 per person). 800 Third St. NE.
Metro: Union Station
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Nov. 1:
Multicultural Book Fair
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
202-467-4600
www.kennedy-center.org

Join us as books come to life in this afternoon-long series of readings, book signings, and other activities. More than 500 titles and multiple copies of story books, picture books, fairy tales, biographies, historical perspectives, novels, specialty books written for toddlers through teens, and a special selection of performing arts books will be available for purchase at prices ranging from $3.50-$25. The subjects of these books are the lives, cultures, and stories of African, African-American, Asian-American, Latino, and Native American peoples. 2003 Book Festival Themes: Books and Visual Art: Celebrating visual arts masters including Romare Bearden, Frida Kahlo, and Andy Warhol among others. Books and Music: Celebrating musicians including Marian Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong among others. Interactive family workshop. Activities include: collage-making, illustration, Japanese origami and an African instrument petting zoo. Meet Your Favorite Authors and Illustrators! Jerdine Nolen, Leonard Jenkins, Mari Takabayoshi, Kani Diop, Lulu Delacre, Edwin Fontanez, Eloise Greenfield, and more.. Admission: Free. Time: Noon-5 pm. 2700 F St. NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU
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Sept. 20, Oct. 18 & Nov. 1:
Dupont Circle - Elite in Black & White
Tour DC Walks
301-588-8999
www.tourdc.com

Dupont Circle offers up both the extravagant mansions of the Gilded Age and the lovely and expansive residences on a Striver's Row that was home to an astonishing array of African-American luminaries in the 1920s. A singular block of S Street once hosted General Benjamin Davis, civil rights attorney Charles Houston, poet Langston Hughes and more. You will also see the opulent limestone mansion built for Perry Belmont, son of financier August Belmont, the former private mansion now serving as the Iraqi Embassy, and the Stanford White-designed Renaissance palace for legendary publisher Cissy Patterson. Admission: $12 per person, children free. Reservations required. 2 pm.
Metro: Dupont Circle (Q St. exit)
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Oct. 5 & Nov. 2:
Special Exhibition Tours of African-American Quilts from the Robert and Helen Cargo Collection
The Textile Museum
202-667-0441
www.textilemuseum.org

Walk-in tours for adults explore an important chapter of American quilt history. Made in the South since the 1970s, the African-American quilts in this exhibition are unique works of art with visually arresting patterns that range from traditional to original designs, from patchwork quilts to story quilts and strip quilts. Admission: Free. 1:30 pm. 2320 S St. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Oct. 19-Nov. 18:
Puja for Shaki
Parish Gallery - Georgetown
202-944-2310
www.parishgallery.com

Artist Stephanie Parrish Taylor is a quilt artist whose work has been shown across the country and in South Africa. She worked for three years in an art gallery in Nairobi, Kenya where she was introduced to traditional and contemporary African textiles. This show captures Stephanie's memory and experience of a recent trip to Northern India. Admission: Free. Tues.-Sat. noon-6 pm. 1054 31st St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU or Rosslyn. Take Georgetown Connection bus.

Nov. 4-29:
The Art of Music
The Arts Club of Washington
202-331-7282 x10
www.artsclubofwashington.org

A month-long exhibit of black and white portraits by area photographer, Michael Gillispie, an accomplished musician, and a "student of the history of music." His images reflect this multi-dimensional involvement with American's music. These intimate portraits include performances and off-stage images of many of the elite of the jazz world from our area and throughout the country, as they bring their artistry to Washington. Admission: Free. Tues.-Fri., 10 am-5 pm; Sat., 10 am-2 pm. 2017 I St. NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU or Farragut West
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Nov. 6:
On Her Own Ground: Madam C.J. Walker and Her Keys to Success
National Museum of Women in the Arts
202-783-5000
www.nmwa.org

A'Lelia Bundles, author of the best-selling biography On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, discusses Walker's entrepreneurial success in selling hair care products for African-American women as well as Walker's philanthropy and political activism. Bundles is director of talent development for ABC News in Washington, DC and New York. Admission: $10 general admission, $7 NMWA members, $5 students. Time: 7 pm. 1250 New York Ave. NW.
Metro: Metro Center
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Nov. 7:
Sweet Honey in the Rock with Big Lovely
Washington Performing Arts Society (Performance at The Warner Theatre)
202-785-9727
www.wpas.org

Grammy Award-winning African-American female a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock returns to its hometown with folk-rock band Big Lovely in celebration of their 30th Anniversary, and their last WPAS concert with founder Bernice Johnson Reagon. They will perform the DC premiere of work commissioned by WPAS. Participate in an experience like no other, as these five women join their powerful voices, along with hand percussion instruments, to create a blend of lyrics, movement and narrative that variously relate history, point the finger at injustice, encourage activism, and sing the praises of love. The Washington Post praises Sweet Honey in the Rock as "the most animated of Washington Institutions." Big Lovely is lead by Toshi Reagon, Bernice Johnson Reagon's daughter. Admission: $23-$45. 7:30 pm. The Warner Theatre, 13th & E Sts. NW.
Metro: Metro Center or Federal Triangle
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Nov. 8:
Music in the Museum
The Textile Museum
202-667-0441
www.textilemuseum.org

Explore the exhibition African-American Quilts from the Robert & Helen Cargo Collection to the sounds of live music inspired by the quilts on view, performed by Bobby Felder and his Blue Notes Band. Admission: Free. 2:30-4:30 pm. 2320 S St. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Nov. 8:
Herbie Hancock Quartet
Washington Performing Arts Society (Performance at The Warner Theatre)
202-785-9727
www.wpas.org

A true icon of modern music, Grammy Award-winner Herbie Hancock continues to expand the public's vision of what music is all about today. Witness this legendary trendsetter, whose creative path has flowed between almost every development in acoustic and electronic jazz and R&B, as he performs music motivated purely by the desire to expand the boundaries of his creativity. Admission: $23-$50. 8 pm. The Warner Theatre, 13th & E St. NW.
Metro: Metro Center or Federal Triangle
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Sept. 20, Nov. 8, 9, 28 & 29:
Children's Film Program: Jazztime and Duke Ellington
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

In celebration o the exhibition, the Gallery will present two animated films about jazz: Jazztime (Michael Sporn, 25 mins.) and Duke Ellington (Ray Messecar, 15 mins.). Set in Harlem in 1919, Jazztime tells the story of two girls-one black, one white-who form a lifelong friendship through a chance encounter and the jazztime music of young "Fats" Waller. Duke Ellington is a tribute to a Washington, DC native and one of the greatest artists of all time. Admission: Free. 10:30 and 11:30 am. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building Auditorium.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Nov. 8 & 9:
Family Weekend: The Art of Romare Bearden
Capital Children's Museum
202-675-4120
www.ccm.org

Celebrate with the entire family during this weekend of drop-in programs, including films, storytelling, hands-on art projects and live music. Tour the exhibition and learn about Bearden's life and work through a 12-page, full-color interactive Family Guide. Admission: Free. Nov. 8, 10 am – 3 pm; Nov. 9, 11am – 3 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Nov. 9:
Black Burlesque (revisited) - Reggie Wilson Fist & Heel Performance Group, Black Umfolosi, and Noble Douglas Dance Company
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at University of Maryland (Kay Theatre)
301-405-1000
www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

An international collaboration of music and dance with origins spanning African culture. Reggie Wilson mines his years of research as he joins forces with Trinidad’s legendary Noble Douglas Dance Company and a capella world music stars Black Umfolosi from Zimbabwe to create a performance rich in culture, song and dance. Funded in part by the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts. Admission: $25 Single; $20 Subscription. 7:30 pm. University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
Metro: College Park
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Sept. 21, Oct. 11, 25 & Nov. 11:
Black Georgetown Remembered
C&O Canal National Historic Park
202-653-5190
www.nps.gov/choh

Join a one-mile ranger-led walk to sites associated with the area's African-American history. Learn about the neighborhood's role in the slave trade and the Underground Railroad. Admission: Free. 12:15 pm. 1057 Thomas Jefferson St. NW.
Metro: Walk from Foggy Bottom-GWU or take Georgetown Connection bus from Dupont Circle or Rosslyn
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Nov. 13:
New Hymnals/New Traditions in African-American Sacred Music
Anacostia Museum and Center for African-American History and Culture with the Humanities Council of Washington DC
202-387-8391
www.anacostia.si.edu

A participatory program exploring how African-American sacred music traditions are changing, especially in the publication of new hymnals. New Hymnals/New Traditions explores the pertinent roles of culture and "political correctness" in the making of contemporary hymnal and congregational singing in the African-American tradition. Admission: Free. Reservations requested. 7 pm. Metropolitan Baptist Church, 1225 R St. NW.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
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Nov. 13-30:
Hubert & Charlie
African Continuum Theatre Co. (Performance at John F. Kennedy Center)
202-529-5763
www.AfricanContinuumTheatre.com

A world premiere of a soulful blues musical in which ethnic identity challenges a friendship and a budding romance. An upbeat, humorous exploration of the unlikely alliance between an old Jewish butcher and his middle-aged black friend, put to the test by the fiery arrival of a wise-cracking, candid woman named Charlie. Admission: $20-28. 2pm and 8pm. 2700 F St. NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU

Nov. 14:
Come Sunday: Duke Ellington's Sacred Music with Dance
Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture
202-287-3369
www.anacostia.si.edu

Features the world premier performance of choreography by Mercedes Ellington, the Duke's granddaughter. The legacy of Washington native and jazz icon, the late Duke Ellington, is celebrated in a performance of sacred music he wrote for chorus, soloists and jazz ensembles. Mercedes Ellington, dancer and Broadway choreographer (Sophisticated Ladies and Play On) presents new dance pieces commissioned by the Smithsonian's Anacostia Museum and performed by the museum's resident dance company, Expressions Dance Theatre. Noland Williams conducts the Metropolitan Baptist Church choir and instrumentalists. Admission: Free. 7 pm. Metropolitan Baptist Church, 1225 R St., NW.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
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Nov. 14 - Dec. 7:
Rising Voices
DC Arts Center
202-462-7833
www.dcartscenter.org

This group exhibition dedicated to four emerging artists whose work exists in the space between the bittersweet memory of past journeys and the hopes of future empowerment. Appropriating the idiom of popular street culture, painter Shinique Smith uses denim, bleach and metal studs in a calligraphic graffiti that bridges high and low art. In his performance videos, Jefferson Pinder combines a soulful sobriety with secular humor to evoke the fragmentation of contemporary society. The lightbox-mounted photographs of Djakarta Jacobs capture a mood that both poetic and documentary--and distinctly Southern, while photographer Nekisha Durrett's oversize portraits probe for a truth that lies beneath her subjects' skin. Admission: Free. Wed., Thurs., Sun., 2-7pm; Fri. and Sat., 2-10pm. 2438 18th Street NW.
Metro: Woodley Park/Adams Morgan/National Zoo, 10 minute walk

Nov. 15:
One Artist's Story of African-American Quilts
The Textile Museum
202-667-0441
www.textilemuseum.org

An African-American artist, scholar, and author of the book Black Threads: An African-American Quilting Sourcebook, Kyra Hicks was first inspired to create quilts in 1991 after she saw an exhibition of African-American story quilts. Her original story quilts explore political, religious, family and romantic themes and document her experiences as a young black single woman. In this lecture, Ms. Hicks will share her career, her artwork, and the ways in which she expresses stories through the art form of quilt making. Admission: Free. Reservations required. 1:30-2:30 pm. 2320 S St. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Nov. 15:
Lecture: African-American Genealogy
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
202-727-1213
www.dclibrary.org
Char Bah, representing the D.C. Genealogical Society, will speak about D.C. genealogical research and sources for African-Americans. This hands-on presentation will allow the audience to use the actual sources. Admission: Free. 10:30am. 901 G St. NW, West Lobby.
Metro: Gallery Place

Nov. 15:
From the Eye of the Artist: A Special Evening with Sam Gilliam and E.J. Montgomery
Millennium Arts Salon
202-319-8988

Sam Gilliam, a master abstractionist who uses a variety of forms in 2D and 3D representation, speaks candidly about his choice of material, form, and format. E.J. Montgomery will add a prespective as artist and art professional at the U.S. State Department. Admission: $10 Adults; $5 Students and Seniors. $50. Subscription to all five programs ($25 for Students and Seniors). 6:30 - 8:30 pm. 1213 Girard Street, NW.
Metro: Columbia Heights
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Nov. 15:
Telling Our Stories Through Quilts: A Role Model Workshop for High School and College Students
The Textile Museum
202-667-0441
www.textilemuseum.org

Learn how to tell your own story through the art form of quilt making with local artist Kyra E. Hicks. An African-American artist, scholar, and author of the book Black Threads: An African-American Quilting Sourcebook, Ms. Hicks was first inspired to create quilts in 1991 after she saw an exhibition of African-American story quilts. In this workshop, she will share her own artwork and stories. Participants will explore The Textile Museum's exhibition African-American Quilts from the Robert & Helen Cargo Collection for inspiration and create an autobiographical quilt block. Co-sponsored with the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Admission: Free. Reservations required. 1:30-4:30 pm. 2320 S St. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Nov. 15 and 22:
Spirit of U Entertainment Package
Cultural Tourism DC & Manna DC
202-328-6000
www.culturaltourismdc.org

Enjoy this opportunity to relive the days when U Street was Washington's “Black Broadway,” and nationally acclaimed figures such as hometown jazz icon Duke Ellington, poet Langston Hughes, diplomat Ralph Bunche, and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall strode the streets of this historic community. Each package includes: an insider's tour of legendary U Street with stories and places you won't find in any guidebook; dinner at the elegant Republic Gardens or Bohemian Caverns; a choice of entertainment at the magnificent Lincoln Theatre; plus valuable coupons from participating U Street merchants and cultural institutions. Admission: $40 or $50. To purchase packages through the Lincoln Theatre box office, 1215 U Street, NW. Ticketmaster.com; 202-432-SEAT; or any Ticketmaster outlet.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo

Nov. 15 and 22:
Saturday Stories
Cultural Tourism DC & Fannie Mae Foundation
202-661-7581
www.culturaltourismdc.org

An occasion for listening and remembering as lovers of historic U Street share their memories. Topics include the history of business in and around U Street and social and civic clubs and organizations Admission: $10. Reservations recommended. 2pm. The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, 1816 12th Street, NW.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo

Nov. 20
History and Influence: A History of DC Poets
The City Museum of Washington, DC
202-383-1800
www.citymuseum.org

The City Museum hosts an evening of poetry celebrating the richness and diversity of poets living and working in our nation’s capital. The program, developed by Beltway: An On-Line Poetry Quarterly, will feature seven award-winning poets reading their own work and that of Washington poets of the past whose influence and importance to the local community and to Americans remain strong. Admission: Free with museum admission, $3 adults, $2 children. 6:30 pm. 801 K St. NW.
Metro: Mount Vernon Square

Nov. 22:
Step Afrika! 10th Year Anniversary Concert
Lincoln Theatre
202-328-6000
www.thelincolntheatre.org

Come celebrate with Step Afrika! as it marks 10 years of performing in the District and beyond. In its only full concert appearance in the Washington, DC area this season, the critically acclaimed dance company will highlight the African American fraternity and sorority tradition of stepping as well as cultural dances from around the world. Special guest artists from South Africa and some of New York's hottest performers are scheduled to appear. Admission: $20. 7:30 pm. 1215 U St. NW. Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo

Nov. 29:
Family Program: The Gift of Quilts
The Textile Museum
202-667-0441
www.textilemuseum.org

Say welcome to winter with the color, creativity, and warmth of quilts from the exhibition African-American Quilts from the Robert & Helen Cargo Collection. At this drop-in program for families, look at the designs, colors, and cultural stories that appear in the quilts in the exhibition. With these inspirations in mind, create a “quilted” gift card for someone special. Watch a quilting demonstration by the local quilting group African-American Quilters of Baltimore, and enjoy live jazz music performed by the Chuck Redd Duo. Admission: Free. Noon-4 pm. 2320 S St. NW.
Metro: Dupont Circle
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Nov. 29, Dec. 3, 4 & 5:
A Great Day in Harlem
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

A Great Day in Harlem (1995, 60 mins.) the documentary film inspired by a celebrated photograph of fifty-seven jazz musicians who assembled on a Harlem stoop one August morning in 1958 will be shown. Admission: Free. First come, first seated. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building, Large Auditorium.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Ongoing Events:

Sept. 5- Nov. 19:
Diversity: The African-American Art Experience
Woman's National Democratic Club Educational Foundation
202-232-7363
www.democraticwoman.org

Woman's National Democratic Club Educational Foundation
An invitational exhibition of the work of African-American artists from the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Admission: Free. Mon., Wed. & Fri., 9 am-noon; Tues. & Thurs., 2-5 pm. 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW. Metro: Dupont Circle
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Sept. 14-Dec.14:
From Poetic Abstractions to Lyrical Landscapes
Howard University Art Gallery
202-806-5690.
www.howard.edu

An exhibition of works by Peter Robinson. Admission: Free. Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am-5 pm. Fine Arts Building, 2455 6th St., NW.
Metro: Shaw/Howard U
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Sept. 14-Jan. 4:
The Art of Romare Bearden
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

The Gallery is the premiere venue for a five-city U.S. tour for the most comprehensive retrospective ever of the career of this preeminent 20th-century American artist. It will explore the complexity and scope of his artistic evolution and will include many rarely seen works from private collections. Bearden’s powerful art represents the places where he lived and worked: the rural South; northern cities, principally Pittsburgh and New York’s Harlem; and the Caribbean island of St. Martin. Religious subjects and ritual practices, jazz clubs and brothels, and history and literature are overlapping themes in his work. Admission: Free. Mon.-Sat., 10 am-5 pm; Sun., 11 am-6 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 14-Jan. 4:
Exhibition Tours
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

Public tours led by staff and graduate students from local universities will take place regularly. Group tours, including foreign language, can be arranged in advance. Audio tours, narrated by director Earl A. Powell III, include commentary by Ruth Fine, exhibition curator; Wynton Marsalis, musician and educator; and David Driskell, artist, collector, and professor emeritus, University of Maryland, College Park. Acoustiguide hand-held audio players are available at the entrance to the exhibition for a $5 rental fee. Guided tours are free. Audio tours: $6 adults, $5 seniors, students and groups of 10 or more. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 14-Jan. 4:
Romare Bearden Film Program
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

The Art of Romare Bearden, a 30-minute documentary film produced by the National Gallery of Art and distributed by HomeVision, traces the artist's career, using new and archival footage to demonstrate the artistic impact of Bearden's memories and impressions of North Carolina, Pittsburgh, New York, and the Caribbean. Leading scholars and critics, including curator Ruth Fine; Richard Powell of Duke University; musician and educator Wynton Marsalis; and the artist's friend, writer Albert Murray discuss Bearden's distinctive blend of cultural influences from Harlem, Europe, and Africa as well as his stance as an artist in two worlds: the contemporary art scene in downtown Manhattan and the African-American perspective uptown in Harlem. The 30-minute version will be available for sale in the Gallery Shops. A 10-minute version is shown continuously in the exhibition. The film is made possible by the HRH Foundation. Admission: Free. First come, first seated. Sun., Tues. & Fri., 11:30-noon (East Building, Large Auditorium); Daily, Noon-3 pm (East Building, Small Auditorium – with minor exceptions). Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 14-Jan.4:
Bearden Exhibition Family Guide
National Gallery of Art
202-737-4215, 202-842-6176 (TDD)
www.nga.gov

A 12-page, full-color brochure on The Art of Romare Bearden exhibition, his life, and work with interactive text and activities. Available at entrance to the exhibit. Mon.-Sat., 10 am-5 pm; Sun., 11 am-6 pm. Constitution Ave. between 3rd & 9th Sts. NW, East Building.
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
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Sept. 18 - Jan. 2:
Soft Touch: Quilts and Other Works by the Daughters of Dorcas
Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives
202-442-6060

Daughters of Dorcas & Sons is a Washington, D.C. quilting group formed in the 1970's. It has grown from a small group of African American women to its current membership of over 100. These creative, diverse quilters reflect both traditional and contemporary styles in their works, and have included wearable art in this exhibit. In addition to fulfilling their personal creativity, the members participate in a wide variety of community projects, both making quilts for others ("Comfort Quilts" Donation program for St. Ann's Infant & Maternity Home and The Hospital for Sick Children), and teaching quilting to inner-city youth and in other settings. Admission: Free. Monday-Saturday, 10am - 4pm. 1201 17th St., NW.
Metro: Farragut North
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Sept.-Nov. (1st & 3rd Sat.):
Before Harlem There Was U Street
Cultural Tourism DC & Manna DC
202-232-2915
www.culturaltourismdc.org

Take a walk with us to the days when U Street was Washington's “Black Broadway.” This is where Duke Ellington grew up and was inspired - where musical greats such as Cab Calloway and Dizzy Gillespie played local clubs into the wee hours of the morning - where movie palaces mingled with pool halls, restaurants and barber shops. Here also, in the shadow of Howard University, African-Americans created a strong community that produced leaders for the city and the nation. While on the tour you will visit: Lincoln Theatre, the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, and the African-American Civil War Memorial. Admission: $12. 10 am. Tours begin at The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, 1816 12th St. NW.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
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Sept.-Nov.:
No Dream Unfulfilled
The City Museum
202-383-1800
www.citymuseumdc.org

Using costumes, objects, and primary documents, families will be invited to step into the shoes of participants in historic moments of the African-American experience in Washington, DC. These events are brought to life in the Washington Perspectives exhibition with figures done by Anna Johnson. The history of Washington, DC is filled with events that illustrate African-Americans working to fulfill their dreams of freedom and equality. Washington Perspectives, the main exhibit of the City Museum, uses three-dimensional dioramas to show four critical events: the escape from the Pearl, the largest attempted escape of enslaved people; an Emancipation Day Parade, celebrating the freeing of enslaved people in DC nine months before the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation; entertainers on U Street, home of the original Black Renaissance; and finally the picketing of Thompson Restaurant. Admission: Free with museum admission ($3 adults, $2 students). Sat. & Sun., 10 am & 12:30 pm. 801 K St. NW.
Metro: Gallery Place or Mount Vernon Square
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Sept.-Nov.:
The Blues and Dreams of the African-American Civil War Soldier
African-American Civil War Memorial
202-667-2667
www.afroamcivilwar.org

The Civil War enabled Blacks to go from slave to soldier to citizen with the right to vote. To accomplish this outstanding feat, Blacks had to summon all the powers and strengths from years of suffering and pain and of dreams of freedom as expressed in gospel, blues, art and oratory. Some of this rich material will be on display as part of the Blues & Dreams celebration. Admission: Free. Mon.-Fri., 10 am-5 pm; Sat., 10 am-2 pm. 1200 U St. NW.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
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Sept. - Nov.:
Sizzling Jazz at the Kennedy Center
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
202-467-4600
www.kennedy-center.org

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band brings its legendary sound to the Terrace Theater October 10, 2003. In the KC Jazz Club, Washington, D.C.’s most intimate cabaret venue for jazz opens its second season with more of today’s best African-American jazz artists, including The Clayton Brothers, Carla Cook, Jason Moran, Greg Osby, Mary Stallings, and more. Admission: $28. Time: Evening performance times vary. 2700 F St. NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU
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Sept.-Jan.:
Truth: The Fiber of Our Lives
The Black Fashion Museum
202-667-0744
www.bfmdc.org

An exhibit on the pioneering spirit of Sojourner Truth and a showcase of the African-American contributions to the textile and apparel trade during the 1800s. The museum site, located in the historic Shaw/U Street neighborhood, was previously named the Sojourner Truth Home for Women and Girls. In 1995 it was listed by the National Park Service as a possible stop on the Underground Railroad. Admission: $2. By appointment only. Open House on Oct. 4 & 5. 2007 Vermont Ave. NW.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
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Sept. 15-Nov. 30:
African-American History and Cultural Group Tour of Washington, DC
Site Seeing Tours, Inc. (Group Tours)
301-445-2098
www.siteseeingtoursinc.com

Our “history buff” guides will step on your bus and take you on an exciting tour of the "secret city" of Washington past - built, inhabited and patronized by slaves and freedmen. From the slave pens of Old Town Alexandria (once part of Washington) to the Underground Railroad in Georgetown, from the Civil War to the Freedmen's Bureau and the founding of Howard University to the Civil Rights movement, you'll see sites and hear stories revealing little known but riveting facts about the struggle, heroism and successes of African-Americans living in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. Meet Benjamin Banneker, Duke Ellington, Medgar Evers, Black slave owners, Congressional Medal of Honor recipients and others. Your tour or ours. Admission: $150 per motor coach group for three-hour tour.
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Sept. 15-Nov. 30:
Cultural Heritage Tours of Howard University
Howard University
www.howard.edu

Tour the museums, galleries and public art of Howard University while discussing the impact the university has had on the history, culture, politics, and education of people in the Washington Metropolitan area and the global community. Admission: Free. By reservation only, for individuals or groups. Call Roberta McLeod. Metro: Shaw/Howard U., 202-806-5690.
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Sept. 15-Nov. 30:
Demonstrating for Civil Rights in DC: The March on Washington and Beyond
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
202-727-1213
www.dclibrary.org

An exhibition on the protests and demonstrations in Washington, DC during the 1950s, 60s and beyond, focused around the 40th anniversary of the March on Washington. Exhibit will feature photographs from the Washington Star Collection on local and national civil rights issues. Admission: Free. Mon.-Thur., 9:30 am-9 pm; Fri. & Sat., 9:30 am-5:30 pm; Sun. 1 pm-5 pm. 901 G St. NW, Rm. 307.
Metro: Gallery Place
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Sept. 18-Nov. 29:
Mother & Son
Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Ellington Gallery
202-282-0123
www.ellingtonschool.org

A photography exhibit featuring the works of Duke Ellington School of the Arts alumni Hank Thomas and his mother Deborah Willis, a McArthur Fellow. Admission: Free. 3500 R St., NW.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU then D6 or D3 bus
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Sept. 20-Jan. 5:
Composition, Color and Collage: Say it with Shapes
Capital Children’s Museum
202-675-4120
www.ccm.org

Using magnet boards, mosaic manipulation and collage making activities visitors will express themselves through art. Gain inspiration from the posters of Romare Bearden and original paintings by local artist Luqman Atif. Create your own art and collage from the elements that have provided artists with inspiration for centuries – music, color and shapes. Admission: Free with museum admission ($7 per person). Tues.-Sun., 10 am-5 pm. 800 Third St. NE.
Metro: Union Station
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Sept. 29-Feb. 29:
New Visions: Emerging Trends in African-American Art
Anacostia Museum and Center for African-American History and Culture
202-287-3369
www.anacostia.si.edu

The artists presented by the Anacostia Museum and Center for African-American History and Culture follow the example of modernist Romare Bearden by sharing personal visions that speak to both African-American and universal concerns. “New Visions” explores a diversity of contemporary issues reflecting the ever changing technology of art. Mixed media sculptor Jerome Meadows and others place unique creative stamps on their ideas through innovative video constructions, found and modeled objects, and computer-generated images. Admission: Free. Daily, 10 am-5 pm. 1901 Fort Pl. SE.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
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Ongoing:
African Voices
National Museum of Natural History
202-357-2700
www.mnh.si.edu

Examines the diversity and dynamism of this huge continent. Sound stations provide interviews, folk tales, songs and oral epics that give visitors a deeper appreciation of Africa's rich history and cultural diversity. Included in the exhibit is "Discover Africa," an interactive room for families. Call for information about special programs and events. Admission: Free. Time: 10 am-5:30 pm daily. 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW.
Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle
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Ongoing:
Field to Factory: Afro-American Migration, 1915-1940
National Museum of American History
202-357-2700
www.americanhistory.si.edu

An exhibit telling the story of millions of African-Americans who, inspired by the prospect of new jobs, moved from the farms of the South to the cities of the North. Admission: Free. 10 am-5:30 pm daily. 14th St. & Constitution Ave. NW.
Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle
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Ongoing:
The Greensboro, NC Woolworth Lunch Counter
National Museum of American History
202-357-2700
www.americanhistory.si.edu

In 1960 four African-American students organized a sit-in here after they were refused service, sparking a youth-led movement to challenge injustice. Admission: Free. 10 am-5:30 pm daily. 14th St. & Constitution Ave. NW.
Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle
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Ongoing:
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
202-426-5961
www.nps.gov/frdo/freddoug.html

From 1877 to 1895, this was the home of Frederick Douglass, the nation's leading 19th-century African-American spokesman. Visitors to the site will learn more about his efforts to abolish slavery and his struggle for human rights, equal rights and civil rights for all oppressed people. Among Frederick Douglass' other achievements, he was U.S. minister to Haiti in 1889. Admission: Free. 9 am-4 pm daily. 1411 W St. SE.
Metro: Anacostia, connect to B-2 (Mt. Rainer) bus
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Ongoing:
Historic 12th St. YMCA
The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage
202-462-8314
www.tmcsh.org

This historic 12th St. YMCA building was the home of Langston Hughes and currently houses the Thurgood Marshall Center Trust, Inc. and the Shaw Heritage Trust, Inc. Admission: Free. Mon.-Fri., 9 am-5 pm; Sat. 9 am-2 pm. 1816 12th St. NW.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
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Ongoing:
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
202-673-2402
www.nps.gov/mabe/bethune/welcome/frame.htm

Bethune’s last official Washington, DC residence and the first headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, the site commemorates the life of Mary McLeod Bethune and the organization she founded. The three story Victorian townhouse was Bethune’s home when she was in Washington, DC and housed the offices of the National Council of Negro Women and a carriage house in which the National Archives for Black Women's History is located. Admission: Free. Mon.-Sat., 10 am-4 pm. 1318 Vermont Ave. NW.
Metro: McPherson Square
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Ongoing:
The Urban Experience: African-American History at Decatur House and Washington, DC
The Stephen Decatur House Museum
202-842-0920
www.decaturhouse.org

A new permanent exhibit examines the lives of free and enslaved African-Americans in Washington, DC, in the former slave quarters of this National Historic Landmark. Built by hotelier John Gadsby in 1836 as an extension of the 1818 mansion, this space lost many of its original features when it was converted into offices in the 1970s. Recent renovations, however, have uncovered original components of the slave quarters, which have been left exposed as a reminder of this important part of Decatur House's history. The accompanying exhibition will include information about the enslaved African- Americans who lived and worked at Decatur House as well as images and artifacts that illustrate the African-American urban experience in the nation's capital. Admission: Donation only. Tues.-Sat., 10 am-5 pm; Thurs., 10 am-8 pm; Sunday, Noon-4 pm; closed Mondays. 1610 H St. NW.
Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North
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Ongoing:
Wednesday Jazz
Corcoran Gallery of Art
202-639-1700
www.corcoran.org

In its eleventh year, the Corcoran's Wednesday Jazz is one of the most successful concert series in the nation, welcoming renowned musicians to its stage to celebrate jazz and African-American heritage in music and culture. Acclaimed performances have included Chuck Red, Keter Betts, Dick Morgan, Charles Covington, Steve Abshire, Harry Watters, and the Buck Creek Band. This program series is sponsored by the recording industry's Music Performances Trust Fund. Admission: Free. 12:30-1:30 pm. First & third Wed. of each month. 500 17th St. NW, Frances and Hammer Auditorium.
Metro: Farragut West
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Ongoing (Fridays):
IMAX & Jazz Café
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
202-357-2700
www.mnh.si.edu

Enjoy live jazz, delicious food and IMAX movies every Friday night at the IMAX & Jazz Café. Each Friday night features a different group from the local and national jazz scene. See our website for movie and performer details. Admission: Free (fee for food and IMAX movie). Time: 6-10 pm. 10th St. at Constitution Ave. NW.
Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle
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Ongoing (Sundays):
Blues and Jazz
Howard University
www.howard.edu

Stop by the Blackburn Center Art Gallery at Howard University for an afternoon of jazz and blues. Admission: Free. 4-7 pm. 2400 6th St., NW, Metro: Shaw/Howard U., 202-806-5690.
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