Turkey Tayac's Fight for the Piscataway People
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...
View ArticleGame, Set, Match: How Arthur Ashe Made Tennis Accessible in Washington
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,...
View ArticleThe Federal Government's $15 Million Cat
The Federal Government's $15 Million CatIt'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...
View ArticleIn the 1960s, Prison Chaplains Created a Star Studded Music Festival at...
In the 1960s, Prison Chaplains Created a Star Studded Music Festival at Lorton ReformatoryIn the 1960s, the D.C. area's most exclusive music scene may not have been in the city's downtown clubs. It may...
View ArticleCan WWE Trace Its Roots to a Small Garage in Washington D.C.?
Can WWE Trace Its Roots to a Small Garage in Washington D.C.?WWE is globally recognized as a juggernaut in sports and entertainment. However, not many know of the colorful, and often violent, history...
View Article“The best Southern cook this side of heaven”: How Zephyr Wright Helped Pass...
“The best Southern cook this side of heaven”: How Zephyr Wright Helped Pass the Civil Rights ActPresident Lyndon B. Johnson had a secret weapon that he kept in his kitchen for more than 20 years: Chef...
View ArticleRemembering Ham: The National Zoo's Very Own "Astrochimp"
Remembering Ham: The National Zoo's Very Own "Astrochimp"Before Yuri Gagarin and Alan Shepard, there was Ham. America's first "astrochimp" rocketed into space and paved the way for the Moon landing...
View ArticleFlower Power, An Exorcism, and The Resistance: The 1967 March on the Pentagon
Flower Power, An Exorcism, and The Resistance: The 1967 March on the PentagonOn a chilly Saturday in October of 1967, more than 100,000 people gathered in Washington to protest America's involvement in...
View ArticleFrances Oldham Kelsey: How an FDA Pharmacologist Prevented Thalidomide from...
Frances Oldham Kelsey: How an FDA Pharmacologist Prevented Thalidomide from Becoming a National TragedyIn 1960, a new drug called thalidomide arrived for review at the FDA. Assuming the popular...
View ArticleDuring the “Lavender Scare,” D.C. Became a Center of Gay Rights Activism
During the “Lavender Scare,” D.C. Became a Center of Gay Rights ActivismThe “Lavender Scare” forced thousands of gay and lesbian federal employees from their jobs in the late 1940s through the 1960s....
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