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    David Bowie: 1947-2016
     
     
    David Bowie Lands in Washington
    In 1971 a largely unknown David Bowie landed at Dulles Airport and stayed in the Washington, D.C. area on his first visit to America.
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    Weather History
     
     
    1987: The Blizzard of Discontent
    On the morning of January 22, 1987, Washington was hit by a massive snowstorm that, in some ways, might have been the beginning of then-Mayor Marion Barry's ignominious downfall.
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    Did You Know?
     
     
    The Little Italy Under the Parkway
    Before the northern section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway was built in the 1950s, Arlington was home to a village of Italian quarrymen, accessible only by footpath.
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    Mary Church Terrell
     
     
    The End of Segretation in DC Restaurants
    Ending segregation in Washington restaurants hinged on activism and the Supreme Court's interpretation of DC laws which had been literally lost.
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    Music History
     
     
    Two Steinways and Three Roosevelts
    How two custom Steinway pianos became White House symbols for art and entertainment with the help of three Roosevelts
DC
GALA Hispanic Theatre: Celebrating Latin American Culture in the Arts

GALA Hispanic Theatre: Celebrating Latin American Culture in the Arts

07/12/2022 in DC by Jenna Furtado

The 1970s and 1980s saw increased Latin American immigration to the United States, and to D.C. in particular. At the time, there was limited access to Latin American performing arts, something that Rebecca Read and Hugo Medrano sought to fix when they founded Grupo de Latinoamericanos Artistes (GALA) in 1976. They never expected, though, that GALA would take off and eventually become the National Center for the Latino Performing Arts. Their journey to becoming cultural icons in D.C. also coincided with the changing Latin American community in the District.

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DC
What Was It Like to Ration in DC during World War II?

What Was It Like to Ration in DC during World War II?

07/08/2022 in DC by Meaghan Kacmarcik

What was it like to feed a family in Washington, D.C. during the days of World War II rationing? Put yourself in the shoes of a 30-year-old mother of two and find out.

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Maryland
The Burning of Paper, Not Children: A Look at the Catonsville Nine

The Burning of Paper, Not Children: A Look at the Catonsville Nine

06/29/2022 in Maryland by Jenna Furtado

In 1968, nine members of the Catholic Faith entered a Selective Services office in the sleepy town of Catonsville, Maryland. They grabbed hundreds of draft files from the office and took them to the parking lot below, where they burned the files with homemade napalm. These people, known as the Catonsville Nine, represented one small part of the Catholic Left movement, yet became known nationwide for their action and commitment to their beliefs. 

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DC
The City That Was... And The City That Never Was: A Tale of Two Paintings at the GW Museum

The City That Was... And The City That Never Was: A Tale of Two Paintings at the GW Museum

06/28/2022 in DC by Meaghan Kacmarcik

Walk up the spiral staircase at the GW Museum, take a right into the first gallery, and you will be met with a pair of large (5’ x 6’) bird-eye's-view paintings of Washington, DC. Both represent the capital city in the 1820s and, at first glance, the two works look very similar, with comparable coloring, landscape, and style. That’s not suprising as both were done by the same artist and, significantly, the two pieces share the same view – looking down on the District from Arlington Heights. But, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the paintings represent different perspectives of the fledgling national Capitol – one aspirational, the other more realistic.

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DC
DC’s Most Underrated History Philanthropist

DC’s Most Underrated History Philanthropist

06/23/2022 in DC by Meaghan Kacmarcik

In a city full of millions of people and a myriad of activities to take part in, a twenty-five-year-old Albert Small roamed the concrete jungle that was New York City in 1949. He was a bit bored without his beloved girlfriend, Shirley, by his side. Forced to occupy his time while Shirley worked her Saturday retail job to pay for school. Albert was left to his own devices. He was more used to the slower pace of his home in Washington, DC. The hustle and bustle of the people, noise, and sights of one of the world’s largest metropolises overwhelmed him at points. On this particular Saturday, Albert ducked into an antique bookstore as a means to escape the sensory overload that is the Big Apple. What he found changed his life. 

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DC
"¡Tirarlo a la calle!": D.C.'s Latino Festival of 1971

"¡Tirarlo a la calle!": D.C.'s Latino Festival of 1971

06/21/2022 in DC by Fontana Micucci

On August 1, 1971, as attendees walked through the brightly-colored and slightly cramped booths, the smell of freshly-made food, the sound of voices young, old, and everything in-between filled the park, and the sense that everyone here belonged followed them. The festival wasn’t as large as the ones that would follow, for sure, but what it offered to guests was overwhelming: a feeling of camaraderie and community. The vendors and many of the attendees had different accents, different cultures, and different histories, but in Kalorama Park, they all shared the joy of showcasing their countries’ traditions. 

This was the Latino Festival of 1971, which would begin a long tradition of celebrating Latino culture in Washington, D.C.

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Maryland
La Dame qui Boite  (The Limping Woman)

La Dame qui Boite (The Limping Woman)

06/14/2022 in Maryland by Meaghan Kacmarcik

Trekking through the thick winter snow of the Pyrenees mountain range, Virginia Hall struggled with each passing step. After thirteen months in war-torn France with insufficient access to food, heating, and clothes, the once striking thirty-six-year-old lost the glow of youth. Hardened by the death, loss, and destruction, she witnessed at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators, she was determined to complete the arduous journey through the mountain range that separated occupied France from neutral Spain.

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Virginia
When Arlington Set the Nation's Clocks: The Arlington Radio Towers

When Arlington Set the Nation's Clocks: The Arlington Radio Towers

05/22/2022 in Virginia by Henry Kokkeler

A century ago, Arlington, Virginia was home to one of the most powerful radio stations in history, which helped to usher in an era of wireless communications worldwide.

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Maryland
Jousting Over Maryland's State Sport

Jousting Over Maryland's State Sport

05/20/2022 in Maryland by William Choi

The battle lines were drawn anew early in February 1988. The knights stood together, clad in mail and livery, and braced their lances in readiness. For more than twenty-five years, they had desperately defended their title against the onslaughts of the enemy. Once more, the enemy was in the capitol, and once more the knights of the Maryland Jousting Tournament Association would resist the dishonor of lacrosse becoming the official state sport.

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DC
The Action-Packed History of the Declaration of Independence

The Action-Packed History of the Declaration of Independence

05/05/2022 in DC by Fontana Micucci

Washington, D.C. has been the backdrop for a number of films and TV shows throughout its history. But, at least in my lifetime, one movie just about everyone has seen is National Treasure. Known for its witty characters and adventure-packed plot centered around a heist of the Declaration of Independence. But, perhaps more surprising than the quest to steal the Declaration is the fact that it was still around to nab when the movie came out in 2004. Indeed, the Declaration’s real-life 200+ year journey from its creation in 1776 to its current display in the National Archives Rotunda gives the plot of National Treasure quite the run for its money.

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