When Carl Bernstein Reviewed 'Sgt. Pepper'
June 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles' groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, lauded as the first "concept" album and perennially on critics' lists of the...
View ArticleThe Great White Hope at 50: Making all D.C. a Stage
It’s Washington in 1967, and the District’s old reputation as a sleepy, southern city is being squashed by the feet of Vietnam War protesters and the voices of Washingtonians calling for racial...
View ArticleThe Making of Old Town
The picturesque Old Town we know today didn’t just happen naturally. It was planned in response to America’s burgeoning historic preservation movement, mid-century urban renewal efforts and a lot of...
View ArticleWhen Owls Guarded the Smithsonian
In the 1960s and '70s, renovations in the Smithsonian Institution’s Castle sought to restore the building to its Victorian beginnings. Secretary of the Smithsonian S. Dillon Ripley, didn’t think...
View ArticleThe Beatles' Final D.C. Concert
Although their first appearance in Washington D.C. was certainly more historic, the Beatles' last visit was nothing if not eventful, and verged on the downright bizarre. In stark contrast to that...
View ArticleThe Jeannette Rankin Brigade
In 1916, Jeannette Rankin made history as the first woman elected to Congress. A renowned pacifist, Rankin was the only member of Congress to vote against U.S. involvement in World War II. At age 87,...
View ArticleWolf Trap Captures the Hearts of the DMV
Today, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is a mainstay of Washington, D.C.’s cultural life. The park’s large outdoor auditorium and beautiful green space play host to a variety of...
View ArticleRemembering the First Smithsonian Folklife Festival
In January of 1967, after just a few months on the job as the Smithsonian's Director of Museum Serivices, Jim Morris had an idea. What if the Smithsonian were to put on an outdoor festival in...
View ArticleJohn Layton, the M.P.D., and the 1968 Washington Riots
By the time John Layton was named Metropolitan Police Chief in 1964, there was a well-established undercurrent of hostility between the Police Department and Washington's inner city African American...
View ArticleWhen Carl Bernstein Reviewed 'Sgt. Pepper'
June 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles' groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, lauded as the first "concept" album and perennially on critics' lists of the...
View ArticleThe Great White Hope at 50: Making All D.C. a Stage
It’s Washington in 1967, and the District’s old reputation as a sleepy, southern city is being squashed by the feet of Vietnam War protesters and the voices of Washingtonians calling for racial...
View ArticleWhatever Happened to the Flower Girl?
The Vietnam War left a number of indelible images burned in our collective psyche, but few encapsulated the anti-war movement here at home more than Marc Riboud's 1967 photograph of a flower girl...
View ArticleThat Time Bob Hope Almost Bought the Washington Senators
Bob Hope was no stranger to Washington. The comic was well traveled and visited the nation’s capital numerous times for performances and events particularly through his work with the U.S.O. Hope and...
View ArticleCreating a National Culture Center
At 7 p.m. on November 29th , 1962, 5,000 Washingtonians dressed in black ties and furs arrived at the D.C. National Guard Armory for a $100-a-plate dinner, and fundraising show titled An American...
View ArticleA Washington Landmark: Ben’s Chili Bowl
According to co-founder Virginia Ali, Ben’s Chili Bowl has never been “your typical restaurant.” Unlike other diners of the 1950’s, Virginia’s husband Ben thought “Washington might be hungry for the...
View ArticleThe Curtain Rises Again at Ford's Theatre
As we’ve discussed previously on this blog, President Lincoln wasn’t the only victim when he was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865. There were several others who were...
View ArticleMister Rogers Comes to Washington
Fred Rogers, creator and host of the longtime children's television landmark Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, is most closely associated with Pittsburgh, where he produced his program at local PBS station...
View Article"The Splendid Splinter" Comes to Washington
In the winter of 1969, the Washington Senators baseball club was in transition. After a flirtation with comedian Bob Hope, the team had just been sold to transportation magnate Bob Short. Short, who...
View ArticleThey Got Here With a Little Help from Their Friends
This may be hard to believe, but once upon a time record companies did not believe the Beatles could have a successful career in America. Yes, you read that right. The Beatles. Not having success....
View ArticleThe Fire of Norman Morrison
Dusk was approaching when Norman Morrison pulled into the Pentagon parking lot on November 2, 1965. Parking his two-tone Cadillac in the lot, he walked toward the north entrance, carrying his 11-month...
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