In Washington, "Taxation Without Representation" is History

February 12, 2020, 10:11 am

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Most Americans are familiar with the phrase, of course. It brings to mind images of the Revolutionary War—colonists protesting a series of taxes imposed on them by the British Parliament, despite their lack of involvement in its affairs. According to tradition, the battle cry of “taxation without representation is tyranny” originated in Boston, where it featured in such famous displays as the Boston Tea Party.  In the popular imagination, the phrase defined the conflict that lead to the creation of our own, more just government. So how did the phrase come to be associated with Washington, D.C., the center of that government?

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"Belair at Bowie": Segregated Suburbia

June 12, 2020, 11:15 am

≫ Next: "Belair at Bowie": the Suburban Dream

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By 1963, “Belair at Bowie” was thriving. Since its opening in 1961, over 2000 houes had been occupied. But its prosperity hid an uncomfortable truth. William Levitt’s vision of the perfect neighborhood included attractive homes, affordable prices, comfort, and community—but only one type of neighbor. From the moment Levitt arrived in Washington, local activists—and even the government—became aware of the developer’s racist policy: none of the homes in Belair could be sold to people of color.  

"Belair at Bowie": the Suburban Dream

June 12, 2020, 1:36 pm

≫ Next: The "White Christmas" of 1962

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William Levitt is often called the "Father of Suburbia," after his planned communities became popular in post-war New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. When he finally came to the D.C. area, his modern and afforable homes took Washingtonians by storm.

The "White Christmas" of 1962

December 23, 2020, 7:06 am

≫ Next: Reston's Roots: Black Activism in Virginia's New Town

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If a white Christmas is what you want, D.C. might not be the best place for you. The area has only seen a handful of snowy holidays. But the most impressive came in 1962, when a record-setting 5 inches fell on December 25. To date, it's still the most snowfall recorded on Christmas Day in Washington.

Reston's Roots: Black Activism in Virginia's New Town

March 31, 2022, 10:38 am

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

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Around the same time that Walt Disney envisioned a futuristic alternative to urban living—EPCOT (The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow)—a man named Robert E. Simon Jr. dreamed of a better way to live in the suburbs. It was an era of hope when many were asking: “Through careful planning, innovate design, and high ideals, can we manufacture a better way to live?”

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

June 29, 2022, 7:32 am

≫ Next: Turkey Tayac's Fight for the Piscataway People

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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. 

Turkey Tayac's Fight for the Piscataway People

August 24, 2022, 11:37 am

≫ Next: Game, Set, Match: How Arthur Ashe Made Tennis Accessible in Washington

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For years, Turkey Tayac fought almost singlehandedly for the rights and recognition of his Native American group, the Piscataways. In the 1950s, he found some unlikely allies and successfully fended off an effort to build high rise apartments on sacred Piscataway lands in southern Maryland. A few years later, he helped convince the National Park Service to preserve the land for posterity. It was a remarkable achievement, and Turkey Tayac's work for inclusion would continue, even after his death.

Game, Set, Match: How Arthur Ashe Made Tennis Accessible in Washington

October 14, 2022, 2:15 pm

≫ Next: The Federal Government's $15 Million Cat

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In the 1960s, Arthur Ashe paid a visit to inner-city Washington to participate in a “block party” tennis demonstration. The experience left a lasting impact on him. He would return to Washington and, with the help of friends, create a professional tournament in D.C. which would make the sport more accessible to inner-city African Americans.

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The Federal Government's $15 Million Cat

July 26, 2023, 2:09 pm

≫ Next: In the 1960s, Prison Chaplains Created a Star Studded Music Festival at Lorton Reformatory

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The Federal Government's $15 Million Cat

It's no secret that the CIA sometimes thought more about whether it could and less about whether it should. Project Acoustic Kitty was one of those times. Does "trained cat" sound like an oxymoron to you? It should, but it cost the CIA $15 million to find out the same thing!

Isabel SansWed, 07/26/2023 - 15:09

In the 1960s, Prison Chaplains Created a Star Studded Music Festival at Lorton Reformatory

March 1, 2024, 2:54 pm

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In the 1960s, Prison Chaplains Created a Star Studded Music Festival at Lorton Reformatory

In the 1960s, the D.C. area's most exclusive music scene may not have been in the city's downtown clubs. It may have been behind prison walls at Lorton Reformatory. Year after year, jazz royalty including Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and others came to Lorton and gave free concerts for inmates. The brainchild of two prison chaplains, the Lorton Jazz Festival was more than just entertainment. As co-organizer, Father Carl Breitfeller put it, “Jazz is a definite art form and an aid to rehabilitation...it is a reminder to the inmate that he is a human being.”

Dominique MickiewiczFri, 03/01/2024 - 15:54