DC History Center
@dchistorycenter.bsky.social
An educational nonprofit that deepens understanding of DC's past to connect, empower, and inspire.
dchistory.org
dchistory.org
We’re excited to share a delicious new collaboration that celebrates DC’s flavor! We partnered with local artist Carlos Carmonamedina, the creative force behind The Culture Curious, to bring you Snackin’ in the Capital—anl illustration of some of the District’s iconic eats. 🥂🍕🧁🥧🥟🍜
November 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
We’re excited to share a delicious new collaboration that celebrates DC’s flavor! We partnered with local artist Carlos Carmonamedina, the creative force behind The Culture Curious, to bring you Snackin’ in the Capital—anl illustration of some of the District’s iconic eats. 🥂🍕🧁🥧🥟🍜
Thank you to all who have served. 💙 At the Little Harbor Salvation Army USO Club, moments like these show how community and camaraderie have always gone hand in hand. Today, we honor that legacy and the veterans who continue to inspire it.
#VeteransDay
#VeteransDay
November 11, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Thank you to all who have served. 💙 At the Little Harbor Salvation Army USO Club, moments like these show how community and camaraderie have always gone hand in hand. Today, we honor that legacy and the veterans who continue to inspire it.
#VeteransDay
#VeteransDay
Come raise a glass to DC history! 🍻 Join us for a gathering of scholars, community members, and readers to celebrate the latest issue of Washington History magazine at Jackie Lee's on Tuesday, November 18th from 6-8pm.
November 10, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Come raise a glass to DC history! 🍻 Join us for a gathering of scholars, community members, and readers to celebrate the latest issue of Washington History magazine at Jackie Lee's on Tuesday, November 18th from 6-8pm.
🎙️ Calling all storytellers and history-lovers! Join us on Monday, November 17 at 6pm at the DC History Center for the next meetup of the DC Oral History Collaborative in partnership with HumanitiesDC.
November 6, 2025 at 11:33 PM
🎙️ Calling all storytellers and history-lovers! Join us on Monday, November 17 at 6pm at the DC History Center for the next meetup of the DC Oral History Collaborative in partnership with HumanitiesDC.
Take your class on a field trip that brings DC history to life! 🚌✨ At the DC History Center, students explore how activists shaped our city—analyzing real objects tied to civic engagement and even creating a piece of wearable art to express their own voices.
November 5, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Take your class on a field trip that brings DC history to life! 🚌✨ At the DC History Center, students explore how activists shaped our city—analyzing real objects tied to civic engagement and even creating a piece of wearable art to express their own voices.
You're invited to a one-of-a-kind “processing party” celebrating the remarkable Martha Tabor Photograph Collection—a treasure trove of photographs, ephemera, and personal papers documenting art, labor, and community life in Washington, DC. 👀📸🗃️
October 30, 2025 at 11:30 PM
You're invited to a one-of-a-kind “processing party” celebrating the remarkable Martha Tabor Photograph Collection—a treasure trove of photographs, ephemera, and personal papers documenting art, labor, and community life in Washington, DC. 👀📸🗃️
ICYMI: The Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library Community Archiving Day has been rescheduled to November 8th!
Celebrate the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library’s 100th birthday on Saturday, November 8th from 2-5pm!
Celebrate the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library’s 100th birthday on Saturday, November 8th from 2-5pm!
October 29, 2025 at 12:24 PM
ICYMI: The Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library Community Archiving Day has been rescheduled to November 8th!
Celebrate the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library’s 100th birthday on Saturday, November 8th from 2-5pm!
Celebrate the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library’s 100th birthday on Saturday, November 8th from 2-5pm!
Until the 1860s, most children did not go to school. In DC, there were just a few “common schools” for white children whose parents could not afford private education, so Black residents opened their own private schools. When Congress established public schools for all, Washingtonians embraced them.
October 25, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Until the 1860s, most children did not go to school. In DC, there were just a few “common schools” for white children whose parents could not afford private education, so Black residents opened their own private schools. When Congress established public schools for all, Washingtonians embraced them.
Three spine-chilling local ghost stories for #SpookySeason in DC—all drawn from our own archives. 👻
October 23, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Three spine-chilling local ghost stories for #SpookySeason in DC—all drawn from our own archives. 👻
Just released: the new issue of Washington History Magazine. The fall 2025 issue contains four essays in four time periods—the early 1800s, World War II, the 1950s, and the 1960s and ‘70s—deepening understanding of federal/local relationships, social justice, and commerce.
October 22, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Just released: the new issue of Washington History Magazine. The fall 2025 issue contains four essays in four time periods—the early 1800s, World War II, the 1950s, and the 1960s and ‘70s—deepening understanding of federal/local relationships, social justice, and commerce.
In Southeast DC, residents are fighting to protect a community-owned green space whose history, identity, and future are under threat. This isn’t just a park, it’s a living symbol of local power, memory, and resistance.
October 14, 2025 at 11:30 AM
In Southeast DC, residents are fighting to protect a community-owned green space whose history, identity, and future are under threat. This isn’t just a park, it’s a living symbol of local power, memory, and resistance.
This summer, DC educators joined our Teach the District program—a weeklong experience connecting teachers to the local history and cultures that shape our region. The teacher’s visited Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park, where participants experienced their reimagined Land Echoes Field Trip.
October 13, 2025 at 7:36 PM
This summer, DC educators joined our Teach the District program—a weeklong experience connecting teachers to the local history and cultures that shape our region. The teacher’s visited Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park, where participants experienced their reimagined Land Echoes Field Trip.
Charles Hamilton Houston: “The Man Who Killed Jim Crow”
Born and raised in Washington, DC, Charles Hamilton Houston (1895–1950) was a brilliant legal mind whose work laid the foundation for the end of segregation in America.
Born and raised in Washington, DC, Charles Hamilton Houston (1895–1950) was a brilliant legal mind whose work laid the foundation for the end of segregation in America.
October 10, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Charles Hamilton Houston: “The Man Who Killed Jim Crow”
Born and raised in Washington, DC, Charles Hamilton Houston (1895–1950) was a brilliant legal mind whose work laid the foundation for the end of segregation in America.
Born and raised in Washington, DC, Charles Hamilton Houston (1895–1950) was a brilliant legal mind whose work laid the foundation for the end of segregation in America.
📣 This Weekend: Walks That Give Back! From October 10 to 13, during Indigenous People’s Weekend take a walk through history—and give back while you do it. Join Washington Walks for a special weekend of guided tours that bring DC’s neighborhoods and stories to life. 🌆
October 9, 2025 at 10:59 PM
📣 This Weekend: Walks That Give Back! From October 10 to 13, during Indigenous People’s Weekend take a walk through history—and give back while you do it. Join Washington Walks for a special weekend of guided tours that bring DC’s neighborhoods and stories to life. 🌆
We’re thrilled to unveil two brand-new neighborhood history booklets: Hillcrest and Woodridge! 🏙️ The newly released booklets are more than just simple guides—they’re compact maps with striking illustrations and carefully selected stories.
October 8, 2025 at 11:54 AM
We’re thrilled to unveil two brand-new neighborhood history booklets: Hillcrest and Woodridge! 🏙️ The newly released booklets are more than just simple guides—they’re compact maps with striking illustrations and carefully selected stories.
📚 “Class Actions Reads! Model Schools in the Model City” on Thursday, October 23 from 6-8pm at the DC History Center.
Join the DC History Center & Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives for a book talk about the history of Black public education and school architecture in the nation’s capital.
Join the DC History Center & Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives for a book talk about the history of Black public education and school architecture in the nation’s capital.
October 6, 2025 at 12:50 PM
📚 “Class Actions Reads! Model Schools in the Model City” on Thursday, October 23 from 6-8pm at the DC History Center.
Join the DC History Center & Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives for a book talk about the history of Black public education and school architecture in the nation’s capital.
Join the DC History Center & Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives for a book talk about the history of Black public education and school architecture in the nation’s capital.
Tomorrow from 10am - 5pm! Join us for Back to School Day at the DC History Center - and dive into our city’s history! 🎒📚
October 3, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Tomorrow from 10am - 5pm! Join us for Back to School Day at the DC History Center - and dive into our city’s history! 🎒📚
Celebrate #ArchivesMonth with a DC Archives Crawl! 📜✨ On October 15 from 5:15 - 7:45pm we’ll take you through two local archives where you’ll meet staff, go behind the scenes, and demystify what these spaces hold and how you can use them:
✨ The DC Archives
✨ DC History Center
(1/5)
✨ The DC Archives
✨ DC History Center
(1/5)
October 2, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Celebrate #ArchivesMonth with a DC Archives Crawl! 📜✨ On October 15 from 5:15 - 7:45pm we’ll take you through two local archives where you’ll meet staff, go behind the scenes, and demystify what these spaces hold and how you can use them:
✨ The DC Archives
✨ DC History Center
(1/5)
✨ The DC Archives
✨ DC History Center
(1/5)
Martha Tabor’s camera captured the soul of DC. 📸✊
A teacher, union organizer, welder, and artist, Martha documented the workers and movements that shaped our city; from Metro construction crews to protests for labor, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ equality.
A teacher, union organizer, welder, and artist, Martha documented the workers and movements that shaped our city; from Metro construction crews to protests for labor, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ equality.
October 2, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Martha Tabor’s camera captured the soul of DC. 📸✊
A teacher, union organizer, welder, and artist, Martha documented the workers and movements that shaped our city; from Metro construction crews to protests for labor, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ equality.
A teacher, union organizer, welder, and artist, Martha documented the workers and movements that shaped our city; from Metro construction crews to protests for labor, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ equality.
Take a walking tour that gives back on Indigenous People’s Weekend! 🚶 Join Washington Walks for a series of guided tours that bring DC’s neighborhoods and stories to life to support the DC History Center’s Resilience Fund. 🤝
September 28, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Take a walking tour that gives back on Indigenous People’s Weekend! 🚶 Join Washington Walks for a series of guided tours that bring DC’s neighborhoods and stories to life to support the DC History Center’s Resilience Fund. 🤝
📚 ✏️ Back-to-School Day at the DC History Center is in ONE WEEK!
Join us Saturday, October 4, from 10am to 5pm, at the DC History Center for a fun, hands-on celebration of learning, creativity, and play for young learners and their grownups!
Join us Saturday, October 4, from 10am to 5pm, at the DC History Center for a fun, hands-on celebration of learning, creativity, and play for young learners and their grownups!
September 27, 2025 at 12:15 PM
📚 ✏️ Back-to-School Day at the DC History Center is in ONE WEEK!
Join us Saturday, October 4, from 10am to 5pm, at the DC History Center for a fun, hands-on celebration of learning, creativity, and play for young learners and their grownups!
Join us Saturday, October 4, from 10am to 5pm, at the DC History Center for a fun, hands-on celebration of learning, creativity, and play for young learners and their grownups!
Back-to-School Day at the DC History Center: October 4th from 10am - 5pm 📚✂️
Looking for a fun (and meaningful!) way to spend the day with the kids? Join us for a hands-on celebration of learning, creativity, and play for young learners and their grownups.
Looking for a fun (and meaningful!) way to spend the day with the kids? Join us for a hands-on celebration of learning, creativity, and play for young learners and their grownups.
September 18, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Back-to-School Day at the DC History Center: October 4th from 10am - 5pm 📚✂️
Looking for a fun (and meaningful!) way to spend the day with the kids? Join us for a hands-on celebration of learning, creativity, and play for young learners and their grownups.
Looking for a fun (and meaningful!) way to spend the day with the kids? Join us for a hands-on celebration of learning, creativity, and play for young learners and their grownups.
For more than 130 years, we’ve safeguarded the stories of everyday Washingtonians.
This fall, we open a new chapter: the once-sealed journals of activist and artist Martha Tabor—whose striking photos of welders, librarians, and nurses capture the people who built and sustained this city.
This fall, we open a new chapter: the once-sealed journals of activist and artist Martha Tabor—whose striking photos of welders, librarians, and nurses capture the people who built and sustained this city.
September 17, 2025 at 12:30 PM
For more than 130 years, we’ve safeguarded the stories of everyday Washingtonians.
This fall, we open a new chapter: the once-sealed journals of activist and artist Martha Tabor—whose striking photos of welders, librarians, and nurses capture the people who built and sustained this city.
This fall, we open a new chapter: the once-sealed journals of activist and artist Martha Tabor—whose striking photos of welders, librarians, and nurses capture the people who built and sustained this city.
Born to formerly enslaved parents in Memphis, Tennessee, Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954) became a teacher at Washington’s M Street School after studying at Oberlin College. As the first Black woman on DC’s Board of Education, she advocated for full funding of the city’s Black schools.
September 14, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Born to formerly enslaved parents in Memphis, Tennessee, Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954) became a teacher at Washington’s M Street School after studying at Oberlin College. As the first Black woman on DC’s Board of Education, she advocated for full funding of the city’s Black schools.
Collections Intern and Howard University Ph.D. student Saleana Copeland recently shared what it was like to work with the archival material of the Quander family, one of the oldest and best-documented African American families in the U.S.
September 11, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Collections Intern and Howard University Ph.D. student Saleana Copeland recently shared what it was like to work with the archival material of the Quander family, one of the oldest and best-documented African American families in the U.S.