Courtesy, Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District
Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District (MVT CID) and the DC History Center are pleased to announce the launch of Class Action at the MVT Photo Walk, now on display at along the 400 block of K Street NW and in Prather’s Alley. Installed by MVT CID to commemorate America 250 through the lens of local history, the collection is an outdoor extension of the DC History Center’s current exhibit, Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital—an immersive exhibition currently on display at the historic Carnegie Library on Mount Vernon Square explores what it means to be raised and educated in the Nation’s Capital.
“This collaboration is a welcome opportunity to extend the DC History Center’s Class Action into our neighborhood,” said DC History Center Executive Director Laura Brower Hagood. “It’s also an opportunity to tell a story about DC that centers on its role as a great American city with history and culture, alongside its role as a national capital.”
With archival photos on display from as far back as the early 1900s, Class Action at the MVT Photo Walk invites viewers to stroll through history while walking to work, visiting a friend, or grabbing a bite along Mount Vernon Triangle’s bustling K Street retail corridor. The exhibit is divided into three distinct sections, each making the case that “DC history is American history” with unique stories unfolding in each. Start by journeying through time with the 17-piece timeline spanning the 400 block of K Street chronicling pivotal moments in Federal education policy–from the antebellum period to the 2000s–through the eyes of everyday District schoolchildren. Along the way, spot photos of legendary Washingtonians including Judge Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Charles Drew, and astronaut Fred Gregory. Then get transported back to 1976 as you make your way down Prather’s Alley (900 block of 4-1/2 Street NW) to view how DC students celebrated America’s bicentennial in 1976 on the East wall, before completing your tour by taking in the full panoramic image of John Phillip Sousa Junior High School class of 1976 on the West wall. Photos have been on display since Monday, June 15 with an in-person public tour set for Saturday, July 18 from 11am-12:30pm.
“We believe that Class Action at the MVT Photo Walk advances our goals of creating welcoming public spaces, supporting economic opportunity for local businesses, and enhancing Mount Vernon Triangle’s appeal as a downtown destination,” said MVT CID President & CEO Kenyattah A. Robinson. “We are proud to partner with DC History Center to introduce this important cultural institution into the public realm and connect its work with a broader audience. We hope these panels offer meaningful insights into our shared experiences and foster a deeper understanding of the role education plays in shaping our lives and communities.”
Funding for the fabrication of Class Action at the MVT Photo Walk was provided through a grant from Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6E. Class Action at the MVT Photo Walk is the fifth MVT Photo Walk exhibit, following Through the Looking Glass, 24 Hours of #LifeInMVT, Mount Vernon Triangle: Community In Detail, and the most recent exhibit, BlackHair featuring images from local photographer Marvin Bowser that that uplifts and celebrates Black culture through the lens of black hair. Funding for the MVT Photo Walk’s initial infrastructure was provided by the DC Office of Planning through its Streets for People grant program.
About Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District The Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District is a private, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization established to enhance the overall quality of life for residents, workers, and visitors, and to increase commercial opportunities for business and property owners, in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood in downtown DC. A vibrant neighborhood in the heart of the city both geographically and culturally, Mount Vernon Triangle is considered one of Washington DC’s best examples of a mixed-use community. Its boundaries include 17 blocks within the East End of downtown Washington, DC, bordered by 7th Street NW to the west, Massachusetts Avenue NW to the south, New York Avenue NW to the north, and New Jersey Avenue NW to the east. Mount Vernon Triangle is a welcoming, authentic, and centered neighborhood that mirrors the city’s unique mix of historic and modern buildings, long-time and new residents, and diverse cultures, restaurants, and experiences. For more information about #LifeInMVT, we invite you to explore our website at MountVernonTriangle.org or engage with us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr.