Articles

The annual D.C. Beer Week celebrates "good beer in the National Capital Region from conception to consumption and everyone and everything in between." The fact that (1) such a celebration exists and (2) there are events all over town; is an indication of Washington's growing reputation for quality suds. We wanted to learn more about the history of brewing in our fair city. So, we sat down with two people who should know: beer historian Garrett Peck, author of Capital Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in Washington, D.C. and Kristi Griner, head brewer at Capital City Brewing Company.

In May of 1996, the Democratic National Committee invited Williams to D.C. to perform at a party fundraiser at the old Washington Convention Center. The event was scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, but Mork came to town a day early. After dinner with Vice President Gore, the comedian made his way over to the D.C. Improv on Connecticut Ave. where he surprised the audience -- and perhaps the previously scheduled acts -- with a late-night stand up routine. 

Long before selfies and social media, the Scurlock family captured the elegance, ambition, and pride of Washington’s Black middle class. Their photography studio became a cultural cornerstone, documenting a “secret city” invisible to the white majority—but radiant in its dignity and style.

When Walt Whitman rushed to Washington in 1862, it wasn’t for poetry—it was to find his wounded brother. What began as a desperate search through Civil War hospitals became an 11-year stay, during which Whitman chronicled the quiet heroism of the injured and dying. Discover how his intimate encounters with suffering inspired some of his deepest reflections—and his conclusion that, “The real war will never get in the books.”

Ask most people about the history of professional basketball in Washington, D.C. and they’ll probably mention the NBA’s Baltimore Bullets’ move to D.C. in the 1970s. Or maybe a few old timers might remember the Washington Capitols, D.C.’s Basketball Association of America team that was coached by GW alum Red Auerbach. But, sadly most have forgotten about the true trailblazers of Washington, D.C. basketball, the Washington Bears.

In the 1940s, Jim Crow held strong in Arlington, Virginia. African-Americans encountered discrimination at segregated eating establishments, businesses and recreation facilities. Even access to medical care was divided along racial lines and African Americans were forced to travel to hospitals in Washington, D.C. or Alexandria. It was difficult – especially in a medical emergency – as many could not afford cars of their own. In 1947, three men with bright ideas and business ingenuity stepped up to fill the void.

Years after the 1931 federal conviction for tax evasion that put Al "Scarface" Capone in prison and ended his career as Chicago's most feared mobster, he was known to complain bitterly about the man whose vendetta, in Capone's view, had put him behind bars. "That bastard Hoover," Capone would rant. But he suprisingly, he wasn't talking about FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, who, despite his heavily-hyped reputation as a gangster nemesis, had little to do with Capone's demise. Instead, Capone saw his true mortal enemy as President Herbert Hoover. And unlike most of the people who harbor grudges against Presidents, Capone actually was right. 

In the 1950s, Washington seems to have been a popular destination for UFOs. Two popular science fiction movies, 1951's The Day the Earth Stood Still and 1956's Earth Vs the Flying Saucers, depicted alien spacecraft arriving in the nation's capital, to the consternation of both residents and the government. But those close encounters may have seemed a bit more plausible, given that the Washington area also was the scene of one of the most celebrated real-life UFO incidents ever — one that still intrigues those who ponder the possiblity of extraterrestrial visits to Earth.

When John Tayloe III was looking to build a winter home, his personal friend George Washington suggested the District. Tayloe commissioned William Thornton, who designed the Capitol building and Thornton designed an impressive home, which fit neatly into the triangle lot it was situated on at 18th St. and New York Ave, NW. The layout of the building is quite imaginative, but today the house is not just known for its architecture. It's also known for the spirits that are said to linger on in the residence.

Before D.C. United became a mainstay in the District's sports scene, the Washington Diplomats tried—and failed—to make soccer stick in the capital. With flashy signings, fleeting glory, and a fan base that never quite caught fire, the Dips’ story is a cautionary tale of ambition, mismanagement, and the long road to soccer success in D.C.

Precision, discipline, and reverence—every 21 steps taken by the Tomb Guards at Arlington National Cemetery is a tribute to sacrifice. Discover the history and powerful symbolism behind their silent vigil, the elite training it takes to earn the badge, and why this sacred duty is one of the military’s highest honors.

The 1964 Freedom Summer movement in Mississippi does not generally conjure up images of the nation’s capital. But a few of the organizers had strong ties to the District and helped advance a bold crusade to register Black voters in Mississippi, risking violence and arrest to challenge Jim Crow.