The DC History Center is excited to welcome guests back for our second annual community day, On the Square! Join us on October 14 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Carnegie Library to celebrate the neighborhood and its history. This year, we welcome you back under a new name (formerly Open Day) and a variety of activities celebrating the rich history of our community. If you visited us last year, you may remember some of the activities we have planned, but keep reading for a sneak peek of what else to expect this year!
Morning Pop-up Talks
In the morning, find our community engagement manager Mariana Barros-Titus in THE BIG PICTURE introducing two pop-up talks. At 10:30 am, you’ll meet Erica Sterling, the curator for our upcoming exhibit “Class Action.” Stick around for our favorite family historians Gigi Nelson, author of For The Culture: A Genealogy Handbook For The Cool Kids and Corey Shaw of the Black Broad Branch project at 11:45 am. They’ll discuss the importance of genealogy in unearthing family histories and its practical use within and beyond history-informed action. They will also guide participants in building their own family trees.
Neighborhood Tours
If neighborhood tours are more your thing, you’re in luck! You can join a 45-minute tour of Chinatown with the 1882 Foundation or Mount Vernon with Carolyn Crouch from Washington Walks. You could also check out two separate Shaw tours. One, through the alleyways of the neighborhood, with Katie Kirkpatrick of Off the Mall Tours and the second, with Shilpi Malinowski, based on oral histories featured in her book, Shaw, LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale in Washington, DC: An Oral History. (Pick up these books from the DC History Center store!)
Research and Collections
In order to help demystify historical research, the Library and Collections team created a themed exhibit to take you from your initial question through getting an appointment, utilizing our materials, and creating a project. The Kiplinger Research Library is open to researchers by appointment. Who counts as a researcher? You do! If you’ve ever felt intimidated by research libraries, this walk-through is for you! This year’s theme is On The Metro. Come look at original paintings, primary documents, and other artifacts, talk to our knowledgeable staff, and discover what the KRL can do for you. You’ll also find craft stations inspired by our collections in Memorial Hall. Create a collage and a button after exploring everything that our Library has to offer.
Poetry Workshop
At 1:30 pm, join us and Apple for a workshop with local poets Sami Miranda and Kenneth Carroll in the first floor Forum using the video wall. Supported by bassist Pepe Gonzalez (a familiar face from our Movements + Moments program about Latinx Youth Organizing), Sami and Kenny will perform some of their poems while encouraging attendees to contribute to a group poem to be read at the end of the session. In this one-time-only program, visitors are invited to consider how poetry and art serve as a bridge between individuals and communities, and how they can be a vehicle to connect to the past. ASL will be provided during this session.
Perks and Rewards
One of our favorite parts of On the Square are the perks! To help you explore our neighborhood, we’ve partnered with local businesses to bring you discounts to On the Square participants. If you pre-register by October 10, you’ll be entered into a raffle for a $100 gift card to Petite Cerise (must be picked up on October 14). If you pre-register and are one of the first 50 attendees, you’ll also be awarded MVT Bucks to spend at participating retailers. All attendees are provided with our On the Square reward card to get special discounts:
- A free 0.2L beer at Prost DC
- A free iced or drip coffee at A Baked Joint
- $5 off at Pearl’s Bagels
- 10% off at Stellina Pizzeria (K Street)
- A discount at the DC History Center store
After last year’s exciting event drawing over 700 people, the DC History Center looks forward to providing an even bigger and better community day this year. This special event celebrates you —our community—to join us in a day of local history and culture. The entire DC History Center staff will be onsite ready to welcome you to our space. Whether you plan to spend all day or just an hour with us, we can’t wait to see you!
For more highlights, check out our coverage in the Washington Post.
