Today in the Humanities... Civil War Music, Historic Woodlawn Cemetery, and the Poetry Out Loud DC Finals

Humanities Bites from DC and Beyond!

The exhibition features selections from a recently acquired collection of music published in the Confederacy during the Civil War. Sheet music lyrics and imagery are documentary sources that provide insight into the mindset, values, and beliefs of their creators and consumers. 

- "Archives Center Case - New Acquisition: The BMI Archives Confederate Music Collection," (Smithsonian National Museum of American History)

Commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day with a special evening of spoken word and music.  Poet and writer, Davi Walders, accompanied by cellist, Douglas Wolters, present a unique collaboration of story portraits of women resisters intertwined with music by composers whose lives were interrupted tragically during the Holocaust.

- "Honoring Women's Resistance During the Holocaust in Voice and Music," (Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington)

Nestled in the heart of Ward 7 in Washington, DC, historic Woodlawn Cemetery sits on 22.5 acres, serving as the final resting place for more than 36,000 individuals.  While walking through the rolling hills of Woodlawn Cemetery visitors will find many recognizable individuals who contributed to local and national history.

- "Welcome to Woodlawn Cemetery," (The Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association)

Housed in a building directly across the street from Ford’s Theatre and acquired by the Ford’s Theatre Society in 2007, the Center features two floors of permanent exhibits addressing the immediate aftermath of Lincoln’s death and the evolution of Lincoln’s legacy; a Leadership Gallery floor to be used for rotating exhibits, lecture and reception space; and two floors of education studios to house pre- and post-visit workshops, after-school programs and teacher professional development; and a distance-learning lab outfitted with state-of-the-art technology that will allow Ford’s to engage students and teachers nationwide and around the world.

- "Ford's Announces Opening February 2012 Opening of the Center for Education and Leadership," (Ford's Theatre Society)

Join the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities as we host the D.C. finals of Poetry Out Loud at Arena Stage. Eleven D.C. Public School, D.C. Public Charter School and Private School students will compete for a chance to represent the District at the National Finals.

- "Invitation : 2012 Poetry Out Loud District Finals," (Art202)

All lectures begin at 6:30 pm (refreshments will be served from 6:00 to 6:30 pm) and will be held at the German Historical Institute, 1607 New Hampshire Avenue NW (Directions). Please RSVP (acceptances only) by Tel. 202.387.3355, Fax 202.387.6437 or  E-mail. 

- "Spring Lecture Series 2012 - Get Out the Vote:! Mobilization, Media, and Money," (German Historical Institute)

Humanitini Comes to Axum Restaurant and Bar!

Happy Hour Conversations On Today's Hot Topics

Our signature think-and-drink event is back starting Tuesday, February 21st and then every Tuesday after until March 13. The Humanitini is a relaxed discussion between a panel of experts and a happy hour audience on topics of timely interest or importance. Topics will include:

• Distortions of the District - Talk to local film experts about the way Washington DC has been portrayed in both feature and documentary film. Confirmed panelists include filmmakers Aviva Kempner, Ellie Walton, and Steven Nero; as well as representatives from DC Film Girl, Our City Film Festival, and the DC Film Alliance. The panel will be moderated by Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC.

• The Coexistence of Trains, Cars, Bikes, and Humans - Discuss everything transportation related in Washington, DC! The panel will look at all sides of issues ranging from Metro fare hikes and congested freeways to transportation informed urban planning and bike lanes. Confirmed panelists include Josh Moskowitz from the District Department of Transportation, Monika Samtani, ‘The Extra Mile’ Transportation Anchor, WUSA9 Morning News, Daniel Hoagland of the Washington Area Bicyclists' Association, Ben Goldman of DCStreets Blog (http://dc.streetsblog.org/), and Jenifer Joy Madden from Greater Greater Washington. The panel will be moderated by Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC. 

The final two programs will take place at Axum Restaurant and Bar at 1934 9th Street, NW!

• Caps, Nats, Wiz, and 'Skins: Finding Community Identity Through Sports - We'll take a humanities spin on local sports fandom. Our panelists and the audience will explore the District's unique sports identity. Can a city with a large transient population attract dedicated home-team supporters? Confirmed panelists include Brian Tinsman from The Redskins Blog, Kyle S. Yeldell from National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation, Howard University Soccer Head Coach, Michael Lawrence, American football tight end Leonard Stephens, and Edwin Henderson from the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation. The panel will be moderated by Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC. This Humanitini will also feature Demont “Peekaso” Pinder, local artist well known as being the art director for JIVE recording artist Raheem DeVaughn. He will paint a sports themed piece during the panel discussion and it will be auctioned off at the end of the program.

• Occupy DC: What is the Price of Freedom? - This program will take a street-level look at the Occupy DC protest, examining its origins and goals as well as the effect it has had on local businesses and city agencies. Confirmed panelists include community activist and lobbyist Erik Jones, and Sinclair Skinner, Legba Carrefour, and Megan Brett from Occupy DC Media team. This panel will be moderated by Andy Shallal, founder of Busboys and Poets.  

  The events are completely free and open to the public (donations accepted).

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Your Humanitini

What Do You Want to Discuss Over Drinks, DC?

For four weeks in a row, from the end of July to the beginning of August, panelists and after-work barhoppers weighed in on some of the District's most pressing current issues at a series of Humanitini events. The Humanitini was developed several years ago by the Humanities Council as an attempt to get DC's younger population mixing, engaging, and talking. Generally the program topics are on issues felt keenly by the target audience including: internet dating, social media, and gentrification; clearly the scope of what can be discussed over a drink is wide open. 

Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC moderates the recent Humanitini,
"Sex, Scandals, and Social Media."

The format, on the other hand, is pure humanities. The civic engagement style makes use of a moderator who encourages a panel of experts to share their experiences, but the true character of a Humanitini event is revealed as the audience discussion begins to heat up. Opinions often differ, but the relaxed atmosphere encourages respect and allows meaningful conversation with little animosity. 

The past four Humanitinis were held at Bar 7 on Mt. Vernon Square, and Tabaq Bistro along the bustling U Street corridor in NW. The topics included: Sex, Scandals, and Social Media; Coming Out and Speaking Out; White House or Black House? (an powerful discussion on gentrification and changing demographics); and The ABC's of DC: Americans, Blogging, and Culture.

 

Each Humanitini attracted an engaged audience, and it is likely that the topics will make appearances in future iterations of the program. In the meantime, however, we are trying to get some additional feedback from those who attended the events, and some impressions from others who might be interested in joining the fun in the future! 

If you have a great idea for a Humanitini topic, please let us know via one or more of our points of contact listed below. What are the big issues in DC right now? What are the trends? Have you noticed something new that you are dying to discuss with a diverse group? 

Respond by:

• Commenting on this post!
• Leaving a post on our Facebook Wall - http://www.facebook.com/HumanitiesCouncilofWashingtonDC
• Fire a Twitter Post @HumanitiesDC
• Email programs[at]wdchumanities[dot]org
• Give us a call at 202-387-8391

One Common Unity "The MLK Streets Project" Set to Premiere

In January, Human Ties posted a brief article from Humanities Council Board Member Aaron Jenkins who attended a rough cut screening of One Common Unity's new documentary film, "The MLK Streets Project."

The completed film's premiere was scheduled to coincide with this weekend's unveiling of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the Mall, but may be postponed, along with many other MLK-related activities, due to imminent landfall of Hurricane Irene.

The following article, outlining the project's goals and activities, was contributed by the director. We will keep you posted via Facebook and Twitter (@HumanitiesDC) as we find out whether the premiere and associated events are postponed.

A common joke within the African-American community is that, although Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood for nonviolence, streets named after the civil rights martyr throughout the country are oftentimes marred by crime, vandalism, declining black businesses (if any), and yes, violence.  During the summer of 2008, 12 high school students were selected to participate in A NU View, One Common Unity’s youth filmmaking program. They embarked on a historical and investigative filmmaking journey, during which they interviewed families and business owners residing near Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE in Anacostia, researching the history of the neighborhood and its changing socio-economic conditions. The process was replicated for MLK Avenues in 10 other cities around the nation.


The group subsequently developed a documentary exploring the juxtaposition of the current status of Washington, DC’s MLK Ave. and the picture of America that Dr. King painted in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.  The students personally related the progress of Dr. King's dream to a hip-hop generation, all while learning the fundamentals of filmmaking.

Selected with the help of principals and teachers, the students were focused on fostering positive community engagement and building an analysis of the socio-economic forces that keep people living in poverty. A NU View introduces students to alternative career choices in the entertainment industry providing firsthand experience in film production from start to finish. They can draw on their own personal experiences and use the art of story telling as a creative outlet, and a means for community activism.  This program increases the participants understanding of Washington’s cultural and social import through an artistic lens, challenging them to think critically about the country and the world in which we live.


Now three years later, this documentary film entitled, “The MLK Streets Project,” is finally set for release. The final product will be screened for audiences in DC through various local film festivals, air on DC Public Access Television, and be shown  at high schools and universities through-out the city.  While the film is screened at local high schools, One Common Unity facilitators will: host interactive workshops on conflict, resolution, and nonviolence; and facilitate dialogue on the importance of each person telling his or her own story.  This exposure will give the students a platform to share their art, open discussion on how to bridge the gap between civil rights and hip-hop, and give them greater awareness of their place in history.


On Sunday, August 28th, 2011, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the historic March on Washington and coinciding with the unveiling of the national monument dedicated to Dr. King earlier that morning, the film will premiere at the Historic Gala Theatre (3333 14th Street NW) from 1-4PM. The event will include a VIP cocktail reception and a community discussion regarding the current state of MLK streets in relation to his “Dream.”

For more information visit http://www.OneCommonUnity.org .