On Thursday, January 30, the DC History Center hosted a timely conversation with historian Michael Fauntroy, nephew of civil rights activist Walter Fauntroy, and journalist Martin Austermuhle considering the long struggle for self-determination in the nation’s capital.
The DC History Center celebrated its special issue of “Washington History” magazine recognizing the 50-year legacy of Home Rule in Washington, DC. The 1973 DC Home Rule Act established a local government for Washington, DC allowing residents to vote for mayor and a city council for the first time in a century. Fifty years later, this special issue underscores the democratic progress that Home Rule represented and highlights its limitations and inherent vulnerability. As Michael Fauntroy writes, “Congress still can do whatever it wants, whenever it wants. A détente of sorts emerged during the past two decades, but, as evidenced by recent events, it is one that can be ended at any time. The District still is not fully free.”