Washington History magazine featured this work in a discussion about contributions by Salvadoran artists in DC. Lamento Indigena [Indigenous Lament], oil painting, © Karlisima Rodas-Israel. Courtesy Ana Patricia Rodríguez Throughout the month of March, the DC History Center will be spotlighting several of the organizations that are actively working to preserve and share local Latina/o/x cultural heritage. We hope you’ll join us in conversation for one or all of the engagements listed below! On Facebook Live, we’re offering a live interview with Manuel Mendez, Chair of the DC AfroLatino Caucus ..read more

The DC History Center is pleased to announce a new initiative to compile a resource guide, amplifying access to local archival resources on the Latina/o/x  communities of Washington, DC. The new resource guide is being developed in collaboration with local repositories and through contributions by the public. When published and uploaded later this year, it will help researchers of all stripes gain a fuller understanding of the state of records created by, for, and about local Latina/o/x  communities and thus deepen understanding of the communities themselves. Mariana Barros-Titus, a ..read more

At the DC History Center, we aim to provide emerging champions and scholars of DC history not only access to collections, but also opportunities to make connections and build community. The Totman Fellowship, which launched in 2022 thanks to a generous donor, supports scholars undertaking new research in the (intentionally broad) fields of Black Washington and LGBTQ+ DC. We are thrilled to announce that Manuel Mendez and Daniel Ballon-Garst are the 2023-2024 Totman Fellows, selected through a competitive process managed by the DC History Center’s University Advisory Group. Manuel Mendez Manuel ..read more

Historical narratives in and of Washington, DC have long been rooted in the life stories and histories of propertied White men. This is the heritage that has been passed down through generations, particularly in formal “memory-keeping spaces,” like museums and archives. The DC History Center is no different, and the same can be said for many other historical institutions in the District. As a public historian, my work over the past year has been focused on expanding the perspectives and stories that we use to craft the historical narratives of DC.   After summer 2020, when the nation went ..read more

Kristy Li Puma and Tim Kumfer, 2022-2023 Research Fellows This spring the DC History Center launched its first call for research fellows, with one focused on Black Washington and the other on LGBTQ+ DC (intersectional applications were welcomed). While the decision was a tough one thanks to the incredible slate of applications received, we are thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2022-2023 fellowships, Tim Kumfer and Kristy Li Puma. Welcome Tim and Kristy! Read on to learn more about their areas of focus.  Tim Kumfer Expanding on his research presented at the 2022 DC History Confere ..read more

In the last few years, Washingtonians witnessed distinctly historic moments locally and nationally—moments that will someday be memorialized in history textbooks. Standing out in our collective memories: May 25, 2020, when the world witnessed Minneapolis police officers murder George Floyd. The wave of responding protests colored the summer of 2020, spreading across the country and fundamentally changing how we talk about issues of social justice and racial equity, including in the District. In 2020, we asked a simple question: Why? At the DC History Center, it is our unique responsibility to ..read more

UDC student Kelssi Aguilar produced Researching Latino/a/x DC, an online version of a research tool first published in May 2021, as part of her commitment this Fall as the DC History Center’s community engagement intern. We now invite you to explore Researching Latino/a/x DC, the online edition of A Guide to Selected Research Materials Relating to the Latino/a/x Communities in Washington, DC!  This new, easier-to-navigate version is the DC History Center’s first research guide to include Spanish translation of key text! Published in May 2021, A Guide to Selected Research Materials Relatin ..read more

“‘Yes, It Can Be Done’: A Photographer’s Record of Latino Washington,” by Rick Reinhard, showcases community members and events from the 1970s through the 2000s. Washington History, Spring 2017. Today, there are over 4 million Central Americans in the United States. However, the rich history of these peoples and countries are often not taught in classrooms. To address this, the DC-based non-profit Teaching for Change launched Teach Central America Week, held during National Hispanic Heritage Month, to support educators by providing free resources to teach about the histories of Belize, Costa R ..read more

Last summer, the DC History Center made a series of public collections commitments as we continue to examine how the organization, founded in 1894, has contributed over time to injustices that Black Americans and other people of color face every day. We have found that we need to change how we collect, describe, and provide access to the materials we hold in trust for the public. The practice of ethical collecting requires understanding the landscape of potential collections and the needs of particular communities before presuming it is our responsibility alone to collect materials. At the sam ..read more

September 15th marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, created in August 1988. The date was selected in recognition of the independence days shared by El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Now commonly referred to as Latino History Month – or the gender-neutral Latinx History Month – this celebration of the culture, history, and people of Latin America, as well as the impact of Latin America and Latin Americans in the United States, continues until October 15th. Latinxs represent the largest non-white population in the United States, though it’s important ..read more