Washington, DC didn’t exist in 1776—our story began in 1791. So how did Washingtonians mark the nation’s Bicentennial in 1976, and how are we commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026?
A populist democracy activism movement by the people, of the people, and for the people returned to ideals of the American Revolution.
Consists of material related to Washington, DC’s Bicentennial efforts, local projects pursued during his tenure at the Office of Youth Opportunity, DC history curriculum developed for the Bicentennial, a complete run of Cityscape magazine, Special Approaches in Juvenile Assistance (SAJA) material, projects and programs from the Afro-American Bicentennial and other Bicentennial projects and activities across the District.
On view June 18 – October 5, 2026, the exhibit spotlights the voices and lived experiences of Washingtonians through interviews, free public events, and outdoor installations at eight neighborhood libraries, culminating in a final showcase at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library starting September 15.
This collaborative exhibit brings the DC History Center’s immersive Class Action exhibit out of Carnegie Library and onto the MVT Photo Walk (400 block of K Street NW and Prather’s Alley). The 40-panel collection at the MVT Photo Walk is a continued exploration of what it means to grow up and go to school in the nation’s capital. With archival photos on display from as far back as the early 1900s, Class Action at the MVT Photo Walk invites the viewer to walk through history on their way to work, visiting a friend, or grabbing a bite along Mount Vernon Triangle’s bustling K Street retail corridor and consider the statement that “DC history is American history.”