“DC Public Library will celebrate the reopening of the fully modernized and expanded Southeast Library on Thursday, Sept. 10!
About the Southeast Library Modernization
The Southeast Library, a historic Carnegie landmark, has undergone a transformative modernization. This renovation preserves and restores the building’s historic character while vastly expanding the amount of usable space and introducing modern elements.
Major Enhancements Include
• Expanded space for children, teens and adults
• More space for books, computers and seating
• A new universally accessible entrance (as well as maintaining the original historic entrance)
• Restored landscaping
• Environmentally friendly design
• Improved sight lines
• More meeting, collaboration, and study space
Transition from Interim Services
Arthur Capper TechExpress will close on Friday, July 31 so equipment and technology can be moved into the renovated building ahead of its reopening. This transition ensures that the new Southeast Library will be fully equipped and ready to welcome customers on opening day.”
ANC6B Commissioner David Sobelsohn posted the announcement to the ANC6B SE Library Taskforce. Sobelsohn, in whose single member district the Library lies, says “We are still working to keep minimal services through August at Arthur Capper, especially the “holds” bookcase & the return bin. Let Ward Six Councilmember Allen know you appreciate his work to get us the interim library two years ago, & how you feel about keeping a nearby place to pick up & return books through August (callen@dccouncil.gov ). Our Southeast Library Taskforce will next meet on Monday, July 27, in person at 700 Pennsylvania Ave., SE (second floor), at 6:30, with a virtual option (for the link go to https://anc6b.org/ after July 14). Let me know if you’ll join us in person so we can make sure we meet in a big enough room: anc6b03@gmail.com
Vince Morris, Candidate for DC Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives
DC Delegate Norton Challenger Emerges from Ward Six
by Larry Janezich
Posted December 18, 2025
Ward Six resident Vince Morris says he is uniquely qualified to succeed DC’s Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holms Norton. He says he is the only candidate to have worked on key Congressional Committees – both the House Rules and the Senate Appropriations Committees. He was appointed to serve on DC Sports Entertainment Commission by Mayor Adrian Fenty and the DC Public Library Board of Trustees by Mayor Vincent Gray. More local volunteer work in the city included president of the PTA, the LSAT, and Friends of NE Library – the latter for the past 16 years.
He worked for DC Mayor Tony Williams as spokesperson and Communications Director. Over a decade of working for Congress he served as either spokesperson or communication director for members, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Barbara Mikulski, and Senators Jay Rockefeller and John Kerry.
Prior to working in government, Morris was a newspaper reporter for 15 years – many of them covering Congress. Since leaving government Morris has been in public affairs and media relations.
This is his first run for political office. Asked why, Morris said that he had needed to balance his work load with his role of being a father to three kids and wanting to be present for them – that he had always been wary of time committed to activities that would pull him away from them. He says, “Now I have bandwidth because all my children are grown up – they’re all in college or out of college and I have time to really devote to something like this.”
So, why is he running? He says it’s frustration with our representation in Congress… he has respect for what Eleanor Holmes Norton accomplished early in her career, but he’s been disappointed because of missed opportunities: “We’ve allowed our relationship with other members of Congress and with the Congress generally to decline and wither and I’ve watched that happen in real time… our relationship now is worse than it’s ever been, so clearly what has been happening in the past is not working and I have ideas for how it can get better. It it would start with developing relationships and ntroducing members of Congress to the community and just educating people on what this city stands for… As the only candidate who has worked both for the District government and for Congress … I really feel like I bring to the table a close understanding of how the process works … so I know how things get done.”
Morris adds that listening to the way the other candidates talk about this campaign, “I know my approach is going to be very different. It’s going to be about building bridges – building relationships and then nurturing those relationships so that when we do have someone else in the White House and when the makeup of the Congress changes we will have more allies who will stand by the city and we can work towards statehood.”
Morris’ first hurdle will be collecting 2,000 signatures on a nominating petition to get on the primary ballot. He says, “We can’t start collecting signatures till January 26th – that’s when the petitions become available … I will be all out on 4th week in January. I’m fortunate in that because I’ve lived on Capitol Hill here in Ward 6 since 2000 and have been very active in the community through volunteer work and I easily know 2000 people right here in Ward 6 but I’m going to – of course – work around the city to get petitions signed by residents from all 8 wards.”
Looking forward to the social media battle, and asked if he has a thick skin, Morris says, “I do have a thick skin. One of the things that you gain when you work in the news businesses, you get used to editors telling you what you wrote is terrible … I have worked I worked in Congress for members of the leadership and you very quickly get adjusted to subsuming your ego for their needs…if you take things personally you don’t survive very long on the hill … I think I can handle anything that everyone says and I actually would love the opportunity to talk to people and have them ask tough questions.”
Morris says, “I look forward to that process and I think that’s really how you separate the wheat from the chaff – the other thing I’ll say on that you know, I was a Division One football player and if you’re an athlete at a very high level you get very used to not having an ego because it’s all about the team and you have to sacrifice for the greater good of your teammates and I feel like a big part of my personality was shaped by that experience. It’s also a bonding experience but the main thing is it’s a reminder that the team can’t succeed if one person is doing their own thing and so you need to work together towards a common goal. That’s been my philosophy for a lot of things in life and I would apply some of those same lessons to this challenge.”
During the interview for this article, CHC asked Morris about how he thought DC had changed under President Trump. He answered and later elaborated on the answer in a video posted to his campaign site on Facebook – see here: https://bit.ly/4j8jyzs
Last night, ANC6A heard the results of a survey conducted by ANC6A03 Commissioner Roberta Shapiro on neighbor’s use of the Sherwood Recreation Center. She told commissioners that she probably gets more email from her constituents on Sherwood than any other topic, save parking. Sherwood lies in Shapiro’s single member district.
Shapiro said, “I’ve done my share of complaining up and down the food chain about the situation there but decided that we really needed more data to back up the complaints.” So she conducted a survey and received 289 responses from nearby households comprising some 900 residents – 90% within a mile of Sherwood and 71% within a half mile. She told the ANC that these responses are from people who have an opportunity to use Sherwood, but about 2/3 had never used the inside facility.
The main answers given to the question of why not, included lack of awareness, lack of cleanliness and maintenance, and concerns about safety. The outdoor facilities – the playground, the tennis court, the basketball court, and the field running track were more broadly used.
The survey showed that more than half of respondents said they get no communication from the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) about the facilities. And reacting to information provided about Sherwood programs, only 14% of the respondents said that programming choices were good. Also, only 23% rated the equipment as good, and only 25% rated maintenance and cleanliness good.
Shapiro said that people have a fairly negative view of the facility, but there was “very strong interest in having expanded programming for little kids, preschoolers, and adult exercise programs.”
When asked what additional facilities people wanted, Shapiro said there was “a whole range of answers but 50% of respondents said they’d like to see a kid’s splash park like the one at Eastern Market Metro Park and 25% said they were interested in community gardens.”
There were 88 responses in which people took the time to write narrative answers to the question whether there was anything else they’d like to comment on or suggest. The number one topic was poor cleanliness and maintenance, number two was loitering, gambling, alcohol and drug consumption on the north side of the building. Those were followed by the need for more programming and expanded hours – people complained about being there with their kids on a Sunday and there’s no access to a bathroom facility. (CM Charles Allen has legislation pending before the City Council to expand hours at DC Recreation Facilities, requiring minimum weekend hours and increased weekday hours.) Also mentioned was the need for improvements in fixing equipment, ventilation, and cleaning.
Shapiro said, … ”there are other DPR facilities which are in really good shape and offer extensive programming and I don’t quite understand why Sherwood is the stepchild of the system.”
She referenced $4 million in the DC FY26 capital budget for improvements at Sherwood and said there needs to be a real effort to engage the community in terms of how those dollars get spent, and added that DPR says they are behind schedule but pledged community engagement.
With respect to nest steps, Shapiro said she had shared the survey with CM Charles Allen’s office and DPR. She said “we have written multiple times to Director Thennie Freeman (DPR) and we did not even get the courtesy of a response. So I think we just all need to keep making noise. I guess we could send another letter and copy the council and copy Director Freeman and copy DGS Director Hunter as well but I sort of feel like we are whistling into the wind.”
Commissioner and former ANC6A Chair Amber Gove suggested a next step could be drafting testimony for thecouncil’s performance oversight hearing. She added, “I would say that I very much recognize whenever I venture into NW that there is a huge difference in the quality of our facilities managed by DPR, and it would be wonderful if attention could be drawn to that … I don’t know if you recall but a couple years ago when this topic came up and in a letter to Director Freeman we actually did a comparison programming at all of the other DPR facilities … and Sherwood was at the bottom of the barrel in terms of … programming offered.”
Gove went on, “I think a conversation … identifying some of the discrepancies and showing them just what we’re seeing as commissioners, not just in our areas but in Ward 7 and 8, that the quality of facilities can be quite different than they are in the other parts of the city.
Comments Off on Neighbors Voice Discontent with Sherwood Rec Center
ANC6B has a bone to pick with Ambar on Barracks Row. The restaurant’s alcohol beverage license is up for renewal and ANC6B is protesting the renewal because, they say, Ambar is in violation of the agreement under which they promised to store trash indoors. Ambar had made signed an agreement to that effect in return for ANC support for their adding a second story to the rear of the restaurant – a pledge it seems, they never had any intention of honoring.
Here’s the current situation: a dumpster and a trash compacter. On Wednesday, the city’s alcohol licensing board hears the case and the outcome will indicate both how seriously the board takes restaurants’ signed operating agreements negotiated with ANCs as well as how much “great weight” the agency actually gives opinions ANC as required by law. The ANC has taken this protest seriously and both sides have lawyered up; negotiations on a settlement were taking place over the past week. See below for info on how to virtually join Wednesday’s meeting. (Update: hearing has been postponed as negotiations continue. )
Update on Barracks Row Popeye’s – Last week, the front door of the Popeye’s on Barracks Row sported a Stop Work Order regarding the installation of their air conditioning units. That issue looks to have been resolved and new building permits have been posted. Work has continued on the buildout with substantial progress. No word yet on opening, though. The Popeye’s restaurant previously at that location under another owner closed in November 2021. Meanwhile, at Taco Bell – Popeye’s next door neighbor – it appears that not much visible progress has happened beyond interior demolition.
The ANC6B Southeast Library Taskforce chaired by Commissioner David Sobelsohn met on Monday, September 15, and heard a construction update from Jaspreet Pahwa, Director, Capital Planning and Construction – DC Library. Construction is on schedule after an unexpected delay caused by having to relocate Washington Gas pipelines which pushed back the expected early 2026 reopening by three months. Here’s the current view of the construction on the South Carolina side of the library.
And here’s the view on the D Street side.
The Hill Center – Here’s a photo from last Sunday’s American Roots Concert Series at Hill Center. This one featured the Pine Leaf Boys who drew a large crowd for the free concert. The NYT described them as “…the link that connects the young and the old generations,” and “the best new, energetic and fun Cajun band in a very long time.”
Over in front of the Hill Center, Gathering Terrace – the John Franzén Terrace – drew several members of the over-flow crowd for the Pine Leaf Boys. The space will be dedicated at a two hour event on October 1, beginning at 5:30pm. Mayor Bowser is scheduled to attend and the program will include a military honor guard presenting the colors. Here’s a link to register for the event: http://bit.ly/3IAUHX9
Friday Night Live – And last Friday Night Live at Eastern Market Metro Plaza featured “Spanglish Latin American Band.” This coming Friday, the Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation’s Herb Scott Band will close out the season – September 26 at 5:00pm.
The Week Ahead….
None of the local political or civic organizations regularly covered by Capitol Hill Corner are meeting this week.
There are some items of interest, however:
The Week Ahead…
Wednesday, September 24
(POSTPONED) Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, 1:30pm.
Case concerning ANC6B protest of Ambar’s application to renew liquor license.
Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation‘s Herb Scott Band closes the Friday Night Live concert season.
Capitol Hill Corner Would Also Like You to Know About:
Folger Theater
Tuesday, September 23 – Sunday, October 26
Julius X –A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.
Tickets starting at $20
“This bold new play takes Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Julius Caesar and reworks it through the lens of the American Civil Rights Movement, focusing on the story of Civil Rights leader Malcolm X and drawing parallels between ancient Rome and 1960s Harlem.”
Location: Capitol Hill United Methodist Church, 421 Seward Square SE
“Join acclaimed pianist Steve Baddour on Saturday, September 27, for an afternoon of music, stories, and conversation at the United Methodist Church Capitol Hill. The performance, starting at 3:00pm, will feature a rich program of European Impressionistic music, Latin American classical pieces, a medley of love songs from the’50s and’60s, and a recently composed work based on a Palestinian folk song.”
On Fridays October 17, 24 and 31 and Saturdays, October 18, 21 and November 1
Soul Strolls 2025: Grave Robbing and Resurrection
“Congressional Cemetery revisits the history of the cemetery in twilight and darkness, immersed in vignettes of the lives of interred residents via our guided lantern tours.
Unearth the dark tales of the cemetery’s residents, offering a window into a disturbing chapter of D.C.’s history. Come and enjoy the captivating ambiance of an evening in the cemetery with live music, thematic cocktails, and witness history come alive as our skilled actors breathe life into these stories right where they rest.”
Support goes to helping keep Historic Congressional Cemetery a community sanctuary, place of remembrance, and historic landmark.”
September 18 – October 12. 8:00pm (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) 2:00 PM (Saturdays and Sundays).
New Adaptation of Frankenstein to be Staged at Historic Chapel at Congressional Cemetery
Location: Historic Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E Street, SE.
Mary Shelley’s Monsters. The author of the infamous novel faces her creations and comes to understand the lasting impact of her radical and horrific story in this new retelling of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Directed by Alex Levy, Artistic and Managing Director at 1st Stage in Tysons, VA, and featuring Katrina Clark as Mary Shelley; Jon Beal as the Creature; and JC Payne as Victor Frankenstein
The Mediterranean bakery House of Flatbreads (HOF) is coming to 1116 8th Street, across from the Capital Turnaround, formerly called The Blue Castle. HOF is a carryout which features flatbreads from traditional savory such as the Labne Flatbread – see below.
HOF has a sister carryout in Arlington. Their website is under construction but you can get an idea of their offerings on FB https://bit.ly/4msHoq8 and Instagram https://bit.ly/4l6iDib It’s not certain when they plan to open.
Another one of Garfield Park’s century-old white swamp oaks has fallen. A large branch came down in the storm Friday night, July 25. The tennis court fence was damaged as well a picnic table by the volleyball court. An arborist crew took the rest of the tree down on Monday. Photo and text: Jan Schoonmaker.
Here’s another image of the ongoing renovation of SE Library, this one is of the berm skylight on the South Carolina Avenue side of the building which will light the children’s area on the lower level. Photo: DC Library
And here’s an image of construction workers who appear to be working on the skylight which will – by means of a central light well – illuminate all three floors of the library.
The Week Ahead…
None of the political, community, or civic organizations regularly covered by Capitol Hill Corner is meeting this week.
One item of interest for the coming week:
Saturday, August 9
NE Library Book Sale Saturday-The Friends of the Southeast Library (FOSEL) together with the Friends of the Northeast Library (FONEL) will hold a joint book sale this Saturday, July 9. The sale will be at the Northeast Library at 7th & Maryland Avenues NE.
The sale begins when the library opens at 10:00 am. We begin to pack up around 2:45 pm and are done by 3:00 pm. The sale is on the lower level of the library. Entrance to the sale is through the library (and down the stairs or elevator).
In general, we have mostly used books of all types, including children’s books, fiction, best sellers, non-fiction, cookbooks mysteries, science, science fiction, romance, religion, history, biography, self-help, classics, travel, etc.
Proceeds benefit local libraries, especially the Southeast Library, the Northeast Library, and the DC Library.
Got the ability to recirculate this message on other lists? That would be much appreciated.
East Capitol Weed Shop Proposal Runs Aground on City Regs
by Larry Janezich
Posted June 9, 2025
East Capitol Weed Shop Proposal Runs Aground on City Regs
by Larry Janezich
Posted June 9, 2025
Well, this didn’t take long. After receiving more than 50 emails since yesterday, this morning CM Charles Allen updated constituents on the proposed weed shop on East Capitol. The update came, he said, after a conversation with Fred Moosally, the head of DC’s Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA).
The bottom line is that ABCA confirmed:
“There has been no cannabis retailer application filed for this address. Any sales taking place would be illegal and ABCA will have investigators looking into this.
The signage (in particular, the cartoon marijuana leaf with a rolled joint) is not allowed with our laws for cannabis retailer advertising. ABCA will be following up on that.
Even if there was a license application and the signs were lawful, this location and property is zoned residential, so DC law does not allow a cannabis retailer here anyway. They will not be allowed to open as a legal and lawful business. And if they try to operate as an illegal business, ABCA has the tools necessary to close them down and even padlock the doors.”
Allen also said that ABCA has not approved the request to renew the retail liquor license and the Board will be apprised of the issue and the findings of the ABCA investigation before considering the renewal. He credited ANC6B Commissioner, Jerry Sroufe, for being active on this and for pushing ABCA to recognize the potential change in this store from their previous presentation and commitments to the ANC.
Allen added, “What we’ve seen is a clear departure from what this business proposed to the ANC, ABCA, and to the community. It’s bad faith and I will work to make sure that ABCA and the Executive agencies follow through on their commitments to us.”
Congressional Cemetery held its Spring Fair on Sunday, March 30, featuring more than two dozen vendors, an Introduction to Green Burial in the Chapel, a tour of historical trees and grave sites, and a presentation on Equinox Gardening.
Vendors included HCC Gift Shop, Adopt-A-Plot at HCC, The Roving Hare, Republic Restoratives, Chippin Pet, From Here to Home Essentials, Catalyst Hot Dogs, Second Story Honey, Black Radish Handmade, The Witch Wife Crafts & Treasures, Open to Being, Green Garden Vintage, Earth-Worker, Hands Along the Nile, Rough Seas Productions, Slow Drip Refashions, Paloma Vintage Designs, Amaya Accessories, Amethyst Alchemist Art, One Seed Designs, D’Bohomama, Necos Boutique, Great Mothers Garden, Solutions, and Folger Theatre.
Congressional Cemetery Associate Lily Buerkle presented the introduction to green burial. It involves, no embalming, body shrouded or placed in a casket of natural material, no grave liner or vault, lowering by hand or by device, a natural marker or a traditional head stone. This is an alternative burial for those not wanting a typical American funeral. Those funerals are – according to National Geographic – responsible each year for felling 30 million board feet of casket wood, 90,000 tons of steel, 1.6 million tons of concrete for burial vaults and 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid. The average cost in the DMV area is around $2000 to $4000. Green burials are allowed in any plot in the cemetery which is the only cemetery in DC which offers green burials. A helpful resource is the Green Burial Council: https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/
Sharon Metcalf, also an Associate, conducted a tour of historical trees and sites of the cemetery. One of the stops on the tour was at the memorial for Civil War photographer Matthew Brady, dedicated on September 17, 2022. This is of the back of the Memorial.
And here’s a photo of the monument’s striking front, surmounted by a sculptured raven and skull, referencing Brady’s photo of Edgar Allen Poe and featuring a selection of Brady’s photos.
A photo of the stop at John Philip Sousa grave. Sousa, known as the March King, became U.S. Marine Band leader in 1880 and served in that position for 12 years. He wrote over 100 marches (including the “Washington Post” and “Stars and Stripes Forever”), 10 light operas, and other works. Bands from around the world come to play at his grave.
The Circle of Life Tree-henge. The Circle of Life is a recent installation of land art or earth art which celebrates nature’s perseverance. The site comprises a 60 foot circle of linden trees aligned with the points of a compass and serves as an observation site of the sun’s path during solstices and equinoxes. It celebrates and pays tribute the natural environment, invites meditation and reflection, and offers an opportunity to record those thoughts in a journal kept on site. It was created by a group of friends interested in Congressional Cemetery and green burial in partnership with Congressional Cemetery and a testimony to those who choose green burial as a simple and sustainable end to their existence. For more, go here: https://bit.ly/42c1D2O
The Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery is a private nonprofit organization established in 1976 and dedicated to the restoration interpretation and management of Congressional Cemetery. It is a predominantly volunteer based organization relying on over 400 neighbors, history buffs, conservators, dog walkers, and armed forces personnel each year to help restore and maintain this national treasure. In 1979 Congressional Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and became a National Historic Landmark in 2011. For info on joining the association or to make a donation to help their cemetery, email staff@congressionalcemetery.org or go here: www.congressionalcemetery.org
The Week Ahead….
Tuesday, April 1
MPD 1D Community Advisory Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 6:00pm.
304-308 K Street, NE. Revised application of 304, 306, 308 K Street, LLC for a special exception for the residential use of an alley lot and an area variance from the requirements for creation of a new alley record lot, and an area variance from the lot dimension requirements and subdivide an alley record lot into two record lots, and to construct two semi-detached, two story, principal dwelling units in the RF-1 zone.
313 2nd Street, NE. Historic Preservation Application of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church for concept approval for renovation and expansion of an existing carriage house, razing of two structures (the current Parish Center and a single-vehicle garage), and landscape alterations.
Thursday, April 3
ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
Currently at the Rubell Museum. American Vignettes: Symbols, Society, and Satire.
September 27th, 2024 – Fall, 2025. 65 I Street, SW. 11am – 5pm. You can probably find parking on a nearby side street.
American Vignettes: Symbols, Society, and Satire showcases nearly 100 artworks spanning painting, photography, sculpture, installation, and mixed media by over 40 emerging and established artists, all from the Rubells’ collection of more than 7,700 works of contemporary art. Here’s a selection of some pieces categorized as Symbols which address our and the artist’s relationship to flags, emblems, and slogans.
Piotr Uklanski. Untitled (American Eagle). Styrofoam. 79 X 118 in.
“In an untitled American Eagle Piotr Uklanski depicts the eagle used on the American quarter. The eagle is a symbol with layered implications, emblematic of the United States, Uklanski’s native Poland, and many other countries, while also being associated with the Nazi Party and later appropriated by Neo Nazis worldwide. In engaging with such imagery, the artist challenges viewers to recognize and reinterpret symbols across cultural codes, whether political or historical.”
Natalie Ball. Bang Bang. Elk hide, rabbit fur, oil stick, acrylic, charcoal, cotton and pine. 84 X 124 in.
“Bang Bang came from my solo exhibition in New York at Half gallery titled Bad Lucky Indian. … I was thinking through gesture, materiality, complex narratives, form, assemblage, but mostly humor. In the studio I was looking at the great seal of the United States and I started to think about what that seal and its eagle means to me, what it means for our history, and what it means to be a dual citizen: to be a citizen of the Klamath Tribes, of a sovereign nation, but also a citizen of the United States…..I wanted my own seal. The eagle and its symbolism have been appropriated historically. It has a significance in my culture too, and I wanted to bring that forward and honor it in a different way.
Sterling Ruby. Flag. Bleached and dyed fabric and elastic. 174 X 343 in.
Damian Ortega. Transportable Obelisk. Fiber glass with metal base and wheels. 236 1/8 x 23 5/8 x 23 5/8 in.
“I am thrilled by the idea of a work that commemorates an imprecise moment, which could be associated with anything, just by the fact of moving the piece to one place or another. This work is a mobile print of reference. It is a point of departure but also a full stop, even though it could change its position.”
Vaugn Spann. Dark Days Bring New Hope (Never Forget). Polymer paint, pulp, mixed media, terry cloth, canvas on aluminum stretcher bars. 160 x 220 in.
“This painting centers around the idea of hope but also around the idea of gloom or even doom. Dark days bring New Hope (Never Forget) is from Flag series. The series is a postmodern idea of how we might take these symbols, our relationship to these icons, and splice new meanings into them. The totallity of the piece is about the idea of claiming space and holding on to that proximity to the flag to interpret it on my own. In the painting the flag is very dark; it’s a gloomy flag because there’s a lot of darkness and trauma we as a nation are perpetually working through.”
Glenn Lignon. Condition Report D. Iris print and iris print with serigraph, each 35 x 26 in.
“The text displayed on both panels of this diptych derives from protest placards from the American civil rights movement of the 1960s, specifically the Memphis sanitation workers strike in 1968. During this strike, over 1000 African American men went on strike for better pay and safer working conditions. Martin Luther King Junior went to Memphis to march with these workers and make speeches in support of their strike. He was assassinated in Memphis the following day. Ligon first created a painting of the protest placard in 1988, untitled (I Am A Man), which the print on the left directly mirrors. For the right panel, Ligon gave his painting to an art conservator to create a condition report with handwritten annotations, which was in turn made into a print. In addition to the historical depth of the text presented, Ligon allows the object to be reinterpreted in a new context.”
The Week Ahead….
Highlights:
Friday: CM Charles Allen holds community office hours at Quill & Crumb at the Folger Shakespeare Library (see below).
Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday: (See Free DC Events under “Capitol Hill Corner Would Also Like You To Know About” below)
Monday, March 24
ANC7D 7D01 Hold a Special Virtual Meeting to confirm election/voting details for filling Single Member District 7D01 seat at 6:30pm.
Discussion of the renewal of a Class C restaurant license with entertainment and summer garden endorsements at Granville Moore’s, 1238 H Street, NE.
Discussion of a new Class C Restaurant license with extended holiday hours, carry out and delivery endorsements at Tapori 600 H Street NE, located within ANC6C.
Discussion of the status of the application for a new medical cannabis license for Proper Exotic, 313 8th Street, NE.
Friday, March 28
CM Charles Allen holds community office hours at Quill & Crumb at the Folger Shakespeare Library from 4 to 5:30pm. RSVP here: http://charlesallenward6.com/calendar
Capitol Hill Corner Would Also Like You To Know About:
Free DC Event – Tuesday, March 25
Members of Congress Office Visits: Encourage House Reps to pass the DC Local Funds Act – 10:00am to 3:00pm .
Rayburn House Office Building, 45 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, DC,
Memoirist Kat Chow Discusses Her Bestselling book Seeing Ghosts in Conversation with Jung Yun. Kat Chow is a reporter, teacher, writer and the author of Seeing Ghosts: A Memoir, named a Notable Book by The New York Times.
Sponsored by Hill Center Private Events. Local organizations will be present to share how you can help them meet their mission. Find the right fit for your talents as we build a better community.
Mirrors for Princes: “How To Be A Power Player – Tudor Edition” at the Folger Library
by Larry Janezich
Posted February 24, 2025
Just inside the entrance to the exhibit entrance one is struck by the deep purple color scheme – reminding us that wearing the color in Elizabethan England was a privilege reserved for members of the nobility ranked earl or above. An Earl is third in the British peerage system, below a Duke and A Marquess.
Washington is filled with people who are attracted to power and who strive to capture the attention of its brokers. This is a reality of governance that is reflected in the practices of power players throughout history. According to Heather Wolfe, Folger’s Curator of Manuscripts, the term “Mirror for Princes” is a metaphor which would have been known and commonly understood in the Elizabethan era and refers to a literary genre of political writings – playbooks – which offered instruction or rules on how to join, maintain, or advance one’s position at court. They were “mirrors;” if the reader saw him or herself in the text – which might describe the consequences of an action or behavior in terms of success or failure in governance or court – they could modify their behavior accordingly.
This new Folger exhibit opened last Friday. It consists of more than 60 objects from the Library’s collection and focuses on 13 of the rules gleaned from several Renaissance playbooks including Machiavelli’s The Prince, and Castiglione’s The Book of the Courtier. Wolfe said that the number is arbitrary, limited by the number of display cases in the Stuart and Mimi Rose Gallery.
Modern names have been given to the rules to make the period more accessible and each reflects a skill you needed to thrive and survive in Queen Elizabeth I’s court. Like Washington today, the court is the place to do business and power players follow rules without thinking about them.
The 13 cases are each labeled with a rule and hold playbooks, the texts of which illustrate the rule displayed.
Here are some of them:
Study the Play Books (e.g. Bend the rules to get what you want, i.e., “the end justifies the means,” and “it is wiser to be feared than loved”) Pictured is a 1584 copy of The Prince.
Get on the Gift List (e.g. Not to receive, but to give to the queen on gift day – the 12 foot gift list of 1579 pictured here details who gave and what was given, including jewelry, clothing, books, gloves and delicacies.)
Hang on to Your Head. (e.g. The traitor list – Thomas Cromwell, Robert Devereaux and Walter Raleigh – featuring execution records)
Die a Noble Death. (e.g. A celebrity funeral. To help relieve the repetition of the static display of texts and objects, the exhibit continues in an adjacent room with a screen that depicts scrolling images of a series of 32 large detailed engravings of the funeral of Sir Philip Sidney, considered the ideal Renaissance man, who died in battle at 31 and whose procession featured hundreds of mourners.)
Wolfe says, “I hope visitors see the parallels between Tudor England and today. Cancel culture, brand management, nepotism, power dressing, and the idea of ‘fake it ’til you make it’ were all a part of life for people seeking a position in the queen’s inner circle. When I was selecting items for the exhibition, I was continually struck by the similarities between the self-help books for managers and leaders today and the how-to books for aspiring power players from the 16th century.”
The mirror forming the “O” in the word describing the theme of the exhibit is inscribed with a quote from Richard II: “O flattering glass, like to my followers in prosperity, thou dost beguile me.” A close look at the mirror reveals it does not return a true reflection, perhaps speaking to a deeper truth than the one perceived by the observer. Asked to comment on this presumed artistic license, Wolfe remarked that the slight distortion of the mirror’s reflection was not intentional.
Here are the 1st, 2nd (2), and 3rd place winners of the Hill Center’s 2025 Regional Juried Exhibition, juried by Phil Hutinet, publisher of East City Art. The exhibitions run from January 15th through May 3rd.
First Place, Jessica Maria Hopkins. Colors of My Reflection. Acrylic, Acrylic pen, ball point pen on canvas.
Second Place # 1, James Terrell, The Last Supper. Collage, Acrylic Paint, Paper and Fabric.
Second Place #2, Take Me to the Water. Collage, Paper, Fabric, Paint.
Third Place, Maddy Keener, Pick The Gleaming Bones Clean. Acrylic on Canvas.
Capitol Hill Books at night.
Here’s Triple Candies’ January exhibit and a detail from same, in the space in front of the former Li’l Pub at 655 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. Triple Candie is a research-oriented curatorial agency run by art historian co-founders Shelly Bancroft and Peter Nesbett. Their purpose is to create alternative exhibition methods making that the object of critical focus rather than what is displayed.
The Week Ahead…
Highlights:
Tuesday: ANC6A ABC Committee considers proposed letter requesting the city council to pass legislation creating a provision for a moratorium zone for cannabis licenses equivalent to the provision for a moratorium zone for alcohol licenses.
Wednesday: Watkins Improvements Meeting
Monday, January 27
ANC6A Community Outreach Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
Discussion of a new Medical Cannabis Retailer license with delivery endorsement at Dreamy DC, 1111 H Street, NE.
Discussion of a letter requesting the city council to pass legislation creating a provision for a moratorium zone for cannabis licenses equivalent to the provision for a moratorium zone for alcohol licenses.
Discussion of a new Class C Restaurant license with carry out and delivery endorsement at Dumpling Hot Pot Beyond, 1216-1218 H Street.
ANC6B Executive Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
EMCAC will hold an in-person and virtual meeting in the North Hall, Eastern Market at 7:00pm.
For info on how to join the meeting, go here: TBA
Agenda: TBA
Thursday, January 30
Watkins Improvements Meeting
DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the DC Department of General Services will discuss the Watkins Recreation Center park and playground improvements on Thursday, January 30, 2025, 6:00-7:30 @ Watkins Elementary School. RSVP at https://watkins.splashthat.com/
Capitol Hill Corner would also like you to know about:
Thursday, January 30. 6:30pm. Free Event at Folger Library.
This panel discussion explores the unexpected ways Shakespeare’s legacy has endured, and how engaging with theater-making enhances the relevance and value of Shakespeare in the everyday lives of people.
The keynote is led by Folger’s Director of Programming & Performance and Folger Theatre Artistic Director Karen Ann Daniels in conversation with:
author, adaptor, director, theater scholar and Where There’s a Will podcast host, Barry Edelstein
Latine playwright, educator, facilitator, producer and Director of Public Works at the Public Theater Laurie Woolery
Free Exhibit at the Folger through February 9. Little Books, Big Gifts: The Artistry of Esther Inglis – A special exhibition at the Folger.
Stuart and Mimi Rose Rare Book and Manuscript Exhibition Hall
Free; timed-entry pass recommended
Esther Inglis (1570?—1624) was a professional-class Franco-Scottish refugee, a working mother of eight, and a contemporary of Shakespeare. Earning her living by her pen, she combined her artistic skills and her religious beliefs to create over 60 miniature handwritten and hand-illustrated books. She strategically gifted these books to dozens of prominent European Protestants during a period of religious turmoil. Four hundred years after her death, this exhibition explores Esther’s life and work as an early modern influencer and as the first woman in Britain to preface her works with selfies.
Artists: Open Call at the Capitol Hill Art League – Submissions Close 2/14/24. The Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL) is holding its 14th Annual “Open Call” art competition for artists throughout the DMV as well as Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia. This year’s theme is “Landscape”.
This annual competition awards cash prizes and attracts artists of many varied talents. The juror for the competition is Glenn Kessler, an internationally collected and awarded artist and founder of the Compass Atelier in Rockville, MD.
Capitol Hill Chorale is recruiting 55 and older adults as new members. No experience is required to join an Encore choir! There are no auditions to become a member of an Encore program; interested singers need only to have a love for music and a desire to improve their physical, mental, and emotional health. No singer needs to have any experience with music or singing, and the ability to read music is not necessary. Singers may be seated or standing for all ninety-minute rehearsals and performances. Most importantly of all, Encore is fun! Encore singers love the music, love to sing, and thrive on the camaraderie that comes with the Encore experience. You can register at: https://tinyurl.com/5y9e5up4
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