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Anthony, Anacostia Riverfront Park, Washington, DC 2014 “I’ve got a story,” Anthony said. The medals tattooed on his chest commemorate his 6 months of service in the military. Anthony grew up east of the Anacostia and was in the foster care system as a
Anthony, Anacostia Riverfront Park, Washington, DC 2014 “I’ve got a story,” Anthony said. The medals tattooed on his chest commemorate his 6 months of service in the military. Anthony grew up east of the Anacostia and was in the foster care system as a child.
The Shining Tower on the Hill, Washington, DC 2018 Expansive views of Washington, DC west of the Anacostia River are viewable from many areas east of the Anacosita. Here, the Capitol Dome and Cathedral are easily discernable on W Street SE in historic A
The Shining Tower on the Hill, Washington, DC 2018 Expansive views of Washington, DC west of the Anacostia River are viewable from many areas east of the Anacosita. Here, the Capitol Dome and Cathedral are easily discernable on W Street SE in historic Anacostia where layers of development from the midcentury to present are seen on the street.
St. Elizabeths, Martin Luther King Ave SE, Washington, DC 2014 A group of local elementary school teenagers practice for their performance on the grounds of St. Elizabeths Hospital, the grounds of which are bifurcated by Martin Luther King Ave SE. St. E
St. Elizabeths, Martin Luther King Ave SE, Washington, DC 2014 A group of local elementary school teenagers practice for their performance on the grounds of St. Elizabeths Hospital, the grounds of which are bifurcated by Martin Luther King Ave SE. St. Elizabeth’s Hospital was the first large-scale, federally-funded psychiatric hospital in the United States, created largely due to the efforts of Dorothea Dix, an advocate for people living with mental illnesses, convinced legislators of the need for a hospital. Opened in 1855, the hospital was a model for later institutions. Noteable residents include poet Ezra Pound and would be presidential assassin John Hinckley Jr.
Hand Dancing, St. Elizabeths East Campus, Washington, DC Hand dancing, also known as "D.C. hand dancing" or "D.C. swing", is a form of swing dance that can be traced as far back as the 1920s, from Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug, to the 1950s when dancers in
Hand Dancing, St. Elizabeths East Campus, Washington, DC Hand dancing, also known as "D.C. hand dancing" or "D.C. swing", is a form of swing dance that can be traced as far back as the 1920s, from Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug, to the 1950s when dancers in the District of Columbia developed their own variety. It is characterized by gliding footwork and continuous hand connection/communication between the partners, hence its name.
Fading Victorian, Mapleview Pl SE, Washington, DC 2010 This victorian, one of the original grand Victorian homes of historic Anacostia village has fallen into even greater disrepair since the time this image was taken and will need to be razed before the
Fading Victorian, Mapleview Pl SE, Washington, DC 2010 This victorian, one of the original grand Victorian homes of historic Anacostia village has fallen into even greater disrepair since the time this image was taken and will need to be razed before the property could be further developed. A historic district, this sort of disregard for one's property is known as "demolition by neglect" where owners can avoid redeveloping per historic code due to the building becoming unsalvageable.
Panther Mom, Martin Luther King Ave SE, Washington, DC 2014 A woman cheers on the parade marching up Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE during the annual Congress Heights Day celebration.
Panther Mom, Martin Luther King Ave SE, Washington, DC 2014 A woman cheers on the parade marching up Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE during the annual Congress Heights Day celebration.
Mabula and Kabula Samuels, Washington, DC 2011 Twins Mabula and Kabula Samuels pose in front of a boarded-up apartment building, long abandoned in the historic Anacostia neighborhood. The overdevelopment of multi-family units in the east of the river ne
Mabula and Kabula Samuels, Washington, DC 2011 Twins Mabula and Kabula Samuels pose in front of a boarded-up apartment building, long abandoned in the historic Anacostia neighborhood. The overdevelopment of multi-family units in the east of the river neighborhoods following urban renewal in Washington, DC led to communities being overwhelmed by the population influx and the lack of appropriate municipal supports. When I first began working in these neighborhoods, buildings with red plywood boarding up buildings were ubiquitous. Now (2019) this building is being renovated as are many others as a new wave of gentrification hits east of the Anacostia.
Defunct Deanwood Public Library Kiosk, Nanny Helen Burroughs Ave SE, Washington, DC 2014
Defunct Deanwood Public Library Kiosk, Nanny Helen Burroughs Ave SE, Washington, DC 2014
Queens, Martin Luther King Jr Peace Parade, Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 2019
Queens, Martin Luther King Jr Peace Parade, Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 2019
Martin Luther King Jr Mural, Parkland Place SE, Washington, DC 2019 A mural of Martin Luther King near an open-air drug market in Congress Heights is defaced with the addition of a tear-drop tattoo signifying that the wearer has committed murder.
Martin Luther King Jr Mural, Parkland Place SE, Washington, DC 2019 A mural of Martin Luther King near an open-air drug market in Congress Heights is defaced with the addition of a tear-drop tattoo signifying that the wearer has committed murder.
Southeast Neighborhood House, Mapleview Terrace, Washington, DC “We have an institution in our community that we are getting ready to lose. We have a Southeast Neighborhood House. . . We are in this building right now, we went out there, we cut the gras
Southeast Neighborhood House, Mapleview Terrace, Washington, DC “We have an institution in our community that we are getting ready to lose. We have a Southeast Neighborhood House. . . We are in this building right now, we went out there, we cut the grass, we cleaned it up, we are in a process now of painting it up because we have to take back our community. We are tired, tired, tired, and we have been tired a long time because we do not get any leadership. We do not get any dollars nor do we get any respect for what is going on on our side of the river. We are the most denied, deprived, and most neglected community that there is in all of the city, and there is a population on that side of the river in excess of 200,000 people. Everyone over there is not bad.” Testimony of Mr. Ray House Appropriations Committee, 1993
Headstones, Woodlawn Cemetery, Washington DC 2015 Broken headstones are gathered together during a community clean up day at historic Woodlawn Cemetery in southeast Washington, DC. Interred here are over 36,000 people, including Blanche K. Bruce, born
Headstones, Woodlawn Cemetery, Washington DC 2015 Broken headstones are gathered together during a community clean up day at historic Woodlawn Cemetery in southeast Washington, DC. Interred here are over 36,000 people, including Blanche K. Bruce, born a slave in Mississippi in 1841 and elected to the US Senate in 1875 and John Mercer Langston, a U.S. representative from Virginia. The two were the first African Americans to serve in the U.S. Congress. The 22 acres of Woodlawn Cemetery have been neglected until recent years have brought restoration efforts such as this community clean up day to the place. Woodlawn Cemetery is located at 4611 Benning Road SE in Washington, D.C.
Dorothy Height Mural Dedication, Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 2019 Ms. Gray: We are a part of the city and let them know that somebody listened to us and somebody considers us a part of the city. Mr. Dixon. Ms. Gray, let me ask you, did
Dorothy Height Mural Dedication, Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 2019 Ms. Gray: We are a part of the city and let them know that somebody listened to us and somebody considers us a part of the city. Mr. Dixon. Ms. Gray, let me ask you, did you testify before the City Council or have you contacted your representative on the City Council? Ms. Gray. We testified for every little thing. They do not listen. We invite them to the community. They do not listen. We march, we scream, we cry. They do not listen. Remarks of Carolyn Johns Gray District of Columbia Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1993 Subcommittee of the Committee of Appropriations United States Senate
Young Man and Dog, Barry Farms, SE, Washington, DC 2014 The Barry Farm Dwellings, a public housing unit where this young boy lives, no longer exists as a living community. The complex is in the process of being razed, it's residents given housing voucher
Young Man and Dog, Barry Farms, SE, Washington, DC 2014 The Barry Farm Dwellings, a public housing unit where this young boy lives, no longer exists as a living community. The complex is in the process of being razed, it's residents given housing vouchers to relocate to other areas. At this time (July 2019) a Judicial stay is on further demolition while a plea for historic preservation is pending. The Barry Farm Dwellings are the last tiny remnant of a larger parcel of the first Freedmen's community in the District, Carved from the land of a former slaveholding plantation, newly freed people of color were able to purchase one acre lots and build a strong community until urban renewal in the 1950's carved up the community and relocated people under eminent domain policies.
Ballou Marching Band, Barry Farm, Sumner Road SE, Washington, DC 2014 Despite living in a neighborhood and school plagued by gun violence and poverty, the Ballou High School Marching Band is a positive force in the community. This underdog band won third
Ballou Marching Band, Barry Farm, Sumner Road SE, Washington, DC 2014 Despite living in a neighborhood and school plagued by gun violence and poverty, the Ballou High School Marching Band is a positive force in the community. This underdog band won third and second place in the National High Stepping Marching Band Competition in 2006 and 2005, respectively. Here the group marches through the Barry Farm Dwellings, the remnants of a self-sufficient African American freedman's village created following the Civil after the Civil War. The public housing complex and this small streetscape named after prominent radical Republicans and Union generals who supported emancipation is all that remains after urban renewal bifurcated the community in two and took many of the homes through eminent domain. This street, Sumner Road was named after Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner.
Water Tower, Angier Road, SE, Washington, DC 2014 Outdoor statuary graces a parking lot at a child daycare center, a popular business east of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C.
Water Tower, Angier Road, SE, Washington, DC 2014 Outdoor statuary graces a parking lot at a child daycare center, a popular business east of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C.
Herbert Scott, Minnesota Ave SE, Washington, DC Herbert Scott has lived in Deanwood, a historic African American neighborhood east of the Anacostia since 1967. Photographed at his auto body repair shop on Minnesota Ave NE, which he was in the process of
Herbert Scott, Minnesota Ave SE, Washington, DC Herbert Scott has lived in Deanwood, a historic African American neighborhood east of the Anacostia since 1967. Photographed at his auto body repair shop on Minnesota Ave NE, which he was in the process of selling.
Phenomenal Womens' Tea Party, Brothers Place SE, Washington, DC 2016 Ladies watch a fashion show in the backyard of a southeast home in Washington, DC.
Phenomenal Womens' Tea Party, Brothers Place SE, Washington, DC 2016 Ladies watch a fashion show in the backyard of a southeast home in Washington, DC.
Miss Elvera Makes Her Entrance, Brothers Place SE, Washington, DC 2015 Ms. Congress Heights, Elvera Patrick, makes her entrance at her annual Phenomenal Women's Tea Party where she celebrates the phenomenal women in her life with a fashion show, band, te
Miss Elvera Makes Her Entrance, Brothers Place SE, Washington, DC 2015 Ms. Congress Heights, Elvera Patrick, makes her entrance at her annual Phenomenal Women's Tea Party where she celebrates the phenomenal women in her life with a fashion show, band, tea, and awards ceremony.
The Pink Palace, Brothers St SE, Washington, DC 2014 Once a restricted covenant, whites-only community, Congress Heights is now a majority African American population in southeast Washington, DC. This original Congress Heights home is now known as The Pi
The Pink Palace, Brothers St SE, Washington, DC 2014 Once a restricted covenant, whites-only community, Congress Heights is now a majority African American population in southeast Washington, DC. This original Congress Heights home is now known as The Pink Palace, where two generations of the Patrick family have called home.
Zaniya, 50th St NE, Washington, DC 2014 The development of areas East of the river in the years following World War II resulted in a larger proportion of apartment style buildings and public housing units. Perhaps none were more infamous than Benning Ter
Zaniya, 50th St NE, Washington, DC 2014 The development of areas East of the river in the years following World War II resulted in a larger proportion of apartment style buildings and public housing units. Perhaps none were more infamous than Benning Terrace, also known as “Simple City”, which was known in the 1990s as the center of violent gang activity. I wanted to photograph some of the larger public housing complexes to give a feel for the landscape so I visited Benning Terrace one afternoon. I became distracted from my original purpose by this elegantly turned out young lady playing with friends outside a building. I photographed her, confidently in charge of her environment, and perfectly appointed. With very little direction Zaniya owned her photograph.