Happy Birthday, Banner!

Old Glory

Well, it's not actually our American Flag that's 200 years old this weekend. It's the song, The Star Spangled Banner, which has survived 200 years of being sung on high o'r the land of the free and the home of the brave, and along with it, a tough little piece of cloth, that managed to make it through one particularly difficult fight in Maryland, during The War of 1812.

Somewhere along the way, that song about the flag, and its adventure flying over the battle of Fort McHenry, became our national anthem. It actually didn't get popular as a song at all until the Civil War (1861 to 1865), at a time when the flag became a symbol of loyalty to the Union.

In case you aren't familiar with how things went down back in 1812, let us help clear the fog of war. On June 18, 1812, America declared war on Great Britain after a series of trade disagreements. (Yes, this was another war with Great Britian, not more than 50 years after the first one) By August, 1814 (2 years into the war), British troops had invaded Washington, D.C., and burned the White House, Capitol Building and Library of Congress. Their next target was Baltimore, and Fort McHenry was taking a beating.

On this day, in 1814, a lawyer, and an amateur poet, named Francis Scott Key, made his way out onto a British ship in Baltimore's Inner Harbor to help free a prisoner. Turns out, one of Key's friends, Dr. William Beanes, had been taken by the British and was being kept onboard, so Key made his way to Baltimore from Virginia, then out to meet with the captors, and began to negotiate with the Royal Navy for the doctor's release. That night Key managed to do more than haggle Beanes away from the British and back to his family, he also jotted down a little poem, as he watched the fight back on shore, and that poem, once set to music, would later become our national anthem.

You see, despite the fact that Key was able to get Beanes released as a prisoner, the two men weren't allowed to leave the deck of the British ship until after the British bombardment of Fort McHenry. Key watched the bombing campaign unfold from about eight miles away, helpless. After three days of fighting, it was determined that the British would be unable to destroy the fort, and Key, who was relieved to see the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry, quickly penned those now famous lines in tribute to what he had witnessed, the sight of a lone U.S. flag still flying over Fort McHenry, through the night, through to the next day.

"And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there."

He was talking about Bmore.

Francis Scott Key was later appointed U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, and it wasn't until 1931 that the diddy becomes America's national anthem. The poem was printed in newspapers and eventually set to the music of a popular English drinking tune called "To Anacreon in Heaven" by composer John Stafford Smith. People began referring to the song as "The Star-Spangled Banner," and in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson announced that it should be played at all official events. It was adopted as the national anthem on March 3, 1931.

Today, the flag that flew over Fort McHenry in 1914 is housed at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. And this weekend, we celebrate that image.

American history and American myth are often inexorably intertwined, making it difficult to tell where one begins, and the other takes off. Myths, after all, are meant to simplify and inspire; while history is left with the business of recording events faithfully, faithfully enough for the victors and tale writers, no doubt.

For instance, the flag housed at the Smithsonian, apparently, is one that was actually raised after the battle ended, and wasn't the one flying all night. A fierce storm was raging during much of the bombardment the night Key watched from afar, and the wet garrison flag would have been so heavy that it would probably have snapped the flagpole. Analysis by Smithsonian conservators has also shown no evidence that holes in the flag at the museum were a result of battle damage. But this bigger flag still deserves its revered status. It was the one raised over Fort McHenry after the bombardment ended on the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, a sight that galled the British, thrilled Francis Scott Key, and inspired every other American who saw it.

Author: Lonn Taylor

More than just the tale of one flag and one song, The Star-Spangled Banner is the story of how Americans—often in times of crisis—have expressed their patriotism and defined their identity through the "broad stripes and bright stars" of our preeminent national symbol, a tradition that still thrives today.

The dramatic story of this flag, and of the Smithsonian's effort to save it for posterity, are the subject of Lonn Taylor's book that explores the broader meaning of the flag in American life.

Formerly a curator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Lonn Taylor served as historian for the Star-Spangled Banner Preservation Project. Today, Kathleen M. Kendrick and Jeffery L. Brodie are co-curators of a new exhibition about the reinstalled Star-Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian.

The original flag that inspired Francis Scott Key "by the dawn's early light" has been cared for by the Smithsonian since 1907. Unfortunately, not long after the huge 30-foot by 42-foot flag inspired the poem by Key, its caretakers began snipping off pieces. Seriously. The first documented clipping was taken in 1818 at the request of a widow, to be buried with her husband who fought at the battle. By the 1880s, about 20% of the McHenry flag had been lost.

"It was such a monumental moment in time that people felt they wanted to hold a piece of that history," said Jennifer Jones, one of the curators who oversees the flag at the Smithsonian. Today, the Smithsonian has recovered 17 missing pieces from the flag, displaying the reconstructed icon with care under low lights.

Much of America's history has been obscured, or removed from history books, but the poem, the song, and the flag are tent poles of our identity, generally accepted as fact, and no matter how you parse it, the United States flag, and its National Anthem, can still fill a patriot with pride.

Americans this weekend will celebrate the 200th anniversary
 of the poem that became the nation's national anthem.

Happy Birthday, Star Spangled Banner! And Many More!!

Walk This Way: Your Guide To D.C. This Week

Washington D.C. is buzzing with plans for the expected crowds coming into town next week, and in anticipation of a speech to be delivered by President Obama.

This is a partial guide to events, exhibits and attractions going on this week in the nation's capitol. It will be updated as we gather more information. Feel free to add any items you know of, fun events to invite friends to, or meet ups here and there, below in the comments.

Please note,
there will be two commemorative marches,
one on Saturday, August 24th
and one on Wednesday, August 28th.

Rallies and Special Events
50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
August 21 - 28, 2013
a full week of events will be hosted by the King children,
(the remaining four of the original six)
along with grassroots organizations like National Action Network,
and the last living organizer, Congressman John Lewis.

Our World, His Dream: Freedom – Make It Happen is the unifying theme for the five-day commemoration entitled 50th Anniversary Coalition for Jobs, Justice and Freedom, with three three sub-themes: “Freedom to Prosper in Life,” "Freedom to Peacefully Co-Exist,” and Freedom to Participate in Government.” These beltway people sure like naming things.

Wednesday

Praise and Worship Service for 50th Anniversary Celebration
Wendesday August 21st
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Mt. Airy Baptist Church
1100 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20002
Hosted by the National African American Clergy Network in partnership w/ Christian Community Development Association, National Evangelical Association, Christian Community Development Association, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Sojourners
Capacity: 1500
Primary contact: Barbarella Brown, barbarella.a.brown@gmail.com,
(202) 352-4956

Thursday

Celebrating the Legacy of Youth in the Movement at the 10th National Black Youth Leadership Training Conference
Three Day conference ~~ Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Thursday (Day One) ~ August 22nd
9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
National Education Association
1201 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC
Black Youth Vote!, a national grassroots coalition of organizations and individuals committed to increasing political and civic engagement among black youth and young adults between the ages of 18-35.
Hosted by: Generational Alliance, NAACP Youth and College Division,
National Urban League YP, The Praxis Project,
100 Black Men of America, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,Inc
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,Inc, NAN Youth Move,
A. Philip Randolph Institute, BK Nation, League of Young Voters
Advocates for Youth, Hip Hop Caucus, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Highlights:
Unity Breakfast
Tribute to Jamal Rose
Gathering of Black Men “I Am Trayvon” Dialogue
Sister Circles
Issue Organizing Breakouts
Registration Required
Capacity: 250
Primary contact: Lisa Bediako or Jessica Brown, blackyouthvote@ncbcp.org, (202) 659-4929

Gospel Brunch and Roundtable
Celebrating the Legacy of Women in the Movement: Past, Present and Future
Thursday August 22nd
10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Cannon Caucus Room in the Dorothy I. Height Building
Capitol Hill
Washington, DC
Women played an integral role in the 1963 March on Washington and the civil rights movement overall, however, their story is rarely told. Black Women’s Roundtable, an initiative of The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation focused on policy issues related to women and girls, will bring together intergenerational women leaders to discuss their contribution to the civil rights movement.
Invitation Only
Contact events@ncbcp.org MEDIA CONTACT: edmedia@dogonvillage.com

Covering Civil Rights: On the Front Lines
Reflections on the March on Washington and I Have a Dream Speech 50 Years Later
Thursday August 22nd
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (actual program is 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
The Newseum
Walter and Leonore Annenberg Theater
555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC.
The Newseum, in partnership with the National Council of Negro Women, will host a free evening program that will include a special appearance by Elder Bernice King, chief executive officer of The King Center and daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Rev. King will receive the NCNW’s 2013 Leadership Award. Moderated by Sirius XM radio host, Joe Madison, the event will also feature a discussion with journalist and author of “Shocking the Conscience: A Reporter’s Account of the Civil Rights Movement,” Simeon Booker, who was on the front lines of covering the civil rights story. The program is free and open to the public, but seats are limited and must be reserved at CoveringCivilRights.eventbrite.com

Although the program is free and open to the public, seating in the Annenberg Theater for this event is SOLD OUT. A limited amount of overflow visitors can reserve standing room. Those in the Newseum atrium will be able to view the program on the giant 40-foot-by-22-foot high-definition media screen.
Capacity: 550

Emancipation of Capital Gala
Thursday August 22nd
Grand Hyatt
Washington D.C.
Hosted by National SCLC

Friday

Protect Our Voting Rights Youth Organizing Training
10th National Black Youth Vote! Leadership Training Conference
Three Day conference ~~ Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Friday (Day Two) ~ August 23rd
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
National Education Association
1201 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC
Highlights:
Unity Breakfast
Issue Organizing Breakouts
Health for All: Affordable Care Act Update
Saving Our Voting Rights Protections - Congressional and State Legislative Action
Regional/State-Based Organizing Strategy Sessions
Registration Required
Capacity: 250
Primary contact: Lisa Bediako or Jessica Brown, blackyouthvote@ncbcp.org,
(202) 659-4929

Drum Majors for Justice CelebrationThe Redeem the Dream Summit
Friday August 23rd
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Grand Hyatt, Independence Ballroom
1000 H Street NW
Washington, DC
Redeem the Dream National Summit and Reception
A stellar line-up of civil rights legends and contemporary movement leaders will discuss why and how this historic march became a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement and why it’s important to not only commemorate but continue the victories of the March on Washington. Participants include: Rev. Jesse Jackson, Representative Maxine Waters, Sybrina Fulton (Trayvon Martin Foundation), Marc H. Morial, Rev. Al Sharpton, the Hip Hop Caucus and more!
Hosted by National Urban League and The Memorial Foundation.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

U.S. Postal Service Unveiling of limited-edition 1963 March on Washington Stamp
Friday August 23rd
9:30 a.m. front table check 
Newseum 
New York Times–Ochs-Sulzberger Family Great Hall of News 
Level 1
555 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Washington, DC.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the U.S. Postal Service will unveil a limited-edition stamp commemorating the 1963 march at a special program at the Newseum on Aug. 23rd. The stamp will go on sale the same day. In the true spirit of participation that surrounded the historic march, the Postal Service for the first time invites the public to help digitally unveil the new stamp and become a part of a virtual stamp mosaic. Individuals can pledge to "take a stand for equality" and add their Facebook or Twitter profile photo to the March on Washington Stamp Mosaic on the U.S. Postal Service Stamps Facebook page. Each photo unveils a small piece of the stamp artwork. As more people participate, the artwork will gradually be uncovered until the full stamp is revealed on Aug. 23.

Drum Majors For Justice Future Leaders Celebration
Redeem The Dream Summit
Friday August 23rd
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Freedom Plaza
14th Street and Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Future Leaders Celebration- This symbolic event will feature marching bands, young leaders, and seasoned civil rights leaders. It will captivate the hearts and minds of young adults and in the end support them as they take up the mantel and step into their roles as Drum Majors for Justice.
Participants include: Rev. Jesse Jackson, Representative Maxine Waters, Sybrina Fulton (Trayvon Martin Foundation), Marc H. Morial, Rev. Al Sharpton, the Hip Hop Caucus and more!
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

(vintage struggle, 1968)

National Town Hall Meeting on Poverty in America
Moving Together, Moving Forward: Jobs and Freedom
57th Annual SCLC International Convention
Friday August 23rd
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ~~ Race and Poverty Panel
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ~~ Voting Rights Panel
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ~~ Reception
Grand Hyatt
1000 H Street, NW
Washington, DC
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Hosted by Southern Christian Leadership Conference, SCLC Poverty Institute, Rainbow PUSH

Commemorative Concert
57th Annual SCLC International Convention
Friday August 23rd
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Washington D. C. Convention Center
Washington, DC
Hosted by Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Register here: http://www.nationalsclc.org

Washington Welcome Reception for Anniversary Marchers
Mayor Vincent C. Gray w/Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
Friday August 23rd
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The Willard Intercontinental Hotel
1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
Invitation Required
Hosts Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC),Uptown Magazine, DestinationDC, Flow.
Primary contacts:
Daryl R. Levine, daryl.levine@dc.gov, (202) 727-6263 or
Cynthia Brock-Smith, cynthia.brocksmith@dc.gov, 202-727-6306

Youth Mass Meeting and Pre-March Rally Friday August 23rd 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Metropolitan A. M. E. Church\ 1518 M Street, NW Washington, DC Hosted by NCBCP Black Youth Vote!, APRI, NAACP,NEA, Generational Alliance, NAN Youth Move OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Saturday

Urban League Pre-March Rally
5:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
Grand Hyatt Hotel

Independence Ballroom 1000 H St. NW
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Celebrating the Legacy of Youth in the Movement
at 10th National Black Youth Leadership Training Conference
Three Day conference ~~ Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Saturday (Day Three) ~ August 24th
7:00 am – Midnight
Location: TBD
Highlights:
Unity Breakfast
50th Anniversary March on Washington Realize the Dream March and Rally
Global Festival
Closing Out and After Party
Registration Required
Capacity: 250
Primary contact: Lisa Bediako or Jessica Brown, blackyouthvote@ncbcp.org, (202) 659-4929

Main Commemorative March and Rally
Saturday August 24th. 

8 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

Lincoln Memorial
Commemorative march and rally along the historic 1963 route will begin at the Lincoln Memorial.
National Conveners: Martin Luther King, III and Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network
Co-Convened by: AFSCME, AFT, AFL-CIO, APRI, HRC, LCCR, NAACP, NBJC, SCLC,SEIU, NCBW, NOW, NUL, NCNW, NCBCP, The King Center, National African American Clergy Network and CWBI (List in Formation)
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

(50th Anniversary March, 2013)

DC Statehood Rally

Saturday August 24th.
8:30 a.m
DC War Memorial
Independence Avenue NW
Washington DC.
Rally participants will attend a short program before marching as a group to the Lincoln Memorial for the national program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Join D.C. statehood activists at the D.C. War Memorial (across from the MLK Memorial and just east of the Korean War Memorial) for a short program before we march as a group at 9:30 a.m. to the Lincoln Memorial for the national program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. We will be marching for all of the unfinished business from 1963, but most especially for statehood for D.C. - the only way to end D.C.'s colonial status and for the people of the D.C. to have the right to govern themselves and have all the same democratic rights as other Americans.
For more information on the DC Statehood rally go to http://marchondc50.dc.gov/;
or call 202-232-2500 to get involved.

Historical Walk Down Black Broadway's Theatre Row 
Saturday August 24th. 
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Theater Walk: U Street and the Howard Theater
13th St. NW and U St. NW
Meet outside the U Street Metro station's 13th Street exit.
Explore the neighborhood that was shared by African-American intellectuals, business leaders and families of all economic levels. The businesses they owned and the houses they lived in are featured on this walk. U Street was dubbed "Black Broadway" for the numerous movie theaters, nightclubs and ballrooms frequented by jazz musicians like Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington. You'll see a theater and club where these performances took place.

March on Washington 50th Anniversary Family Day at the National Portrait Gallery
Saturday August 24th. 
11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. 
Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery
The Kogod Courtyard
Eighth and F Sts. NW
Join the Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Tour the exhibition "One Life: Martin Luther King Jr." to learn more about the civil rights leader and his "I Have a Dream" speech. Enjoy vocal performances by Kim and Reggie Harris, hands-on activities and fun for the whole family. This program is sponsored in part by the Reinsch Family Education Endowment.

Global Freedom Festival
Four Day Festival ~~ Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
Saturday (Day One) August 24th.
2 - 6 p.m.
National Mall
Seventh and 14th Sts. NW
Among the speakers and groups at this year's festival are Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King, III, the families of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till; Congressman John Lewis; Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader; Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer; Randi Weingarten- President, American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Lee Saunders- President, AFSCME; Janet Murguia- President, The National Council of LaRAZA; Mary Kay Henry- International President, Service Employers International Union (SEIU); Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association (NEA); and many others.

An Afternoon with Thurston Clarke on JFK's last hundred days
Saturday August 24th.
2:30 PM
Newseum
Knight TV Studio
555 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Washington, DC.
Noted John F. Kennedy historian Thurston Clarke talks about his new book, "JFK's Last Hundred Days," which gives a detailed account of the last three months of the Kennedy presidency. Clarke's detailed account of the last hundred days begins with the death of two-day-old Patrick Bouvier Kennedy on Aug. 9, 1963.
The program is free with regular paid admission to the museum.
Seating is on a space-available basis.

Freedom Festival
Saturday August 24th. 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
West Potomac Park
Hosted by The King Center and the National Park Service
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Sunday

Global Freedom Festival
Four Day Festival ~~ Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
Sunday (Day Two) August 25th.
10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
National Mall
Seventh and 14th Sts. NW
Among the speakers and groups at this year's festival are Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King, III, the families of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till; Congressman John Lewis; Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader; Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer; Randi Weingarten- President, American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Lee Saunders- President, AFSCME; Janet Murguia- President, The National Council of LaRAZA; Mary Kay Henry- International President, Service Employers International Union (SEIU); Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association (NEA); and many others.

SCLC Worship Service
Sunday August 25th.
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Howard University
Washington D. C.
Hosted by SCLC
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Hosted by Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Primary contact: Damien Alexander, daconne17@gmail.com, (404) 522-1420

Freedom Festival
Sunday August 25th. 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
West Potomac Park
Hosted by The King Center National Park Service OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Documentary of 50's Iconic Photograper Rowland Scherman
Sunday August 25th.
2:30 p.m.
Newseum
Documentary Theater
Q and A with Scherman will follow the special screening of the new documentary "Eye on the Sixties: The Iconic Photography of Rowland Scherman." The film is an intimate portrait of Scherman and documents his work during the 1960s. Among his many assignments, Scherman was the primary photographer of the 1963 March on Washington, which he shot for the United States Information Agency. One of Scherman’s most iconic photographs from the march is of 11-year-old Edith Lee Payne. Payne will be part of a panel discussion following the film to talk about her memories of the photograph and that historic day. Also appearing on the panel is the film’s producer, Chris Szwedo.

Monday

Global Freedom Festival
Four Day Festival ~~ Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
Monday (Day Three) August 26th.
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
National Mall
Seventh and 14th Sts. NW
Among the speakers and groups at this year's festival are Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King, III, the families of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till; Congressman John Lewis; Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader; Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer; Randi Weingarten- President, American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Lee Saunders- President, AFSCME; Janet Murguia- President, The National Council of LaRAZA; Mary Kay Henry- International President, Service Employers International Union (SEIU); Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association (NEA); and many others

Screenings of We Shall Overcome and Yesterday Girl
Monday August 26th
6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Goethe-Institut
812 Seventh St. NW
Friendship, Freedom, Tolerance series. Two short films that highlight the internationalist attitude toward the American civil rights movement and its progressive activists in the 60s.

Bayard Rustin Commemoration
Monday August 26th
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Lincoln Theatre
1215 U Street, NW, Washington, DC
To register go to www.apri.org
Hosted by A. Philip Randolph Institute, American Federation of Teachers, National Black Justice
Coalition Primary contact: Jan Temple, jtemple@apri.org, (202) 508-3710

Legacy and Leadership Gala
Monday August 26th
7:00 p.m.
Capital Hilton
1001 16th St. NW
Hosted by the SCLC
To register go to sclc.org

Tuesday

Virtual Panel on Education 50 Years of Struggle: 
Youth Driving Economics, Education and Social Change
Tuesday August 27th.
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
School Without Walls (DC Public School) -- this event is supposed to be streamed online
The King Center is partnering with Discovery Education, Kaplan University. Featuring: Secretary Arne Duncan, US Dept of Education, Ambassador Andrew Young, Naomi King, and Bernice A. King. When a link is released, we will post it here.

2013 March on Washington Memorial
Youth Mentoring Summit
Two Day Summit

Tuesday (Day Two) August 27th
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Newseum
Walter and Leonore Annenberg Theater
Led by: National Park Service
The Newseum, in partnership with the National Park Service, the National Alliance of Faith and Justice, and the National Park Foundation, hosts the second day of the March on Washington Memorial Youth Mentoring Summit. Held on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, the summit will feature special guests from the civil rights movement, including Carlotta Walls LaNier and Ernest Green, two of the Little Rock Nine students who integrated Little Rock's Central High School in 1957. Other guests include Chuck McDew, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee from 1961 to 1963, and Edith Lee-Payne, whose iconic photo at age 11, taken at the 1963 March on Washington, became a symbol of youth involvement.

Program is free and open to the public, but seats are limited and must be reserved online at penorpencilmovement.org/marchonwashington.php. Registration forms must be returned to registration@nafj.org by Aug. 20, 2013.

Global Freedom Festival
Four Day Festival ~~ Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Tuesday (Day Four) August 27th.
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
National Mall
Seventh and 14th Sts. NW
Among the speakers and groups at this year's festival are Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King, III, the families of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till; Congressman John Lewis; Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader; Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer; Randi Weingarten- President, American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Lee Saunders- President, AFSCME; Janet Murguia- President, The National Council of LaRAZA; Mary Kay Henry- International President, Service Employers International Union (SEIU); Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association (NEA); and many others

Freedom Festival
Tuesday August 27th.
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
West Potomac Park

Wednesday

Interfaith Service
Wednesday August 28th.
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Shiloh Baptist Church
Hosted by The King Center and The Coalition for Jobs

Interfaith Service
Wednesday August 28th.
9 – 10:30 a.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
West Basin Drive SW at Independence Avenue SW
Washington D.C.
An interfaith service will be held at the Memorial in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington.

MLK Memorial in D.C., 2013

FYI, National Park Service rangers give regularly scheduled talks on the life and contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Let Freedom Ring
Wednesday August 28th.
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Lincoln Memorial
President Obama will speak at the Let Freedom Ring Call To Action marking the 50th anniversary.
Event will feature remarks from former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, the King Family, elected officials, international dignitaries, celebrities, youth and leaders from national and international organizations. The program is global in nature and will include performances by a Haka Team from New Zealand and Junkanoo Performers from the Bahamas. Confirmed program participants include: Kid President, Jaime Fox, Peter and Paul, Hill Harper, Soledad O’Brien, Lynda Johnson Robb, Bebe Winans and others to be announced.

For more details, go to http://officialmlkdream50.com/.
Hosted by The King Center and The Coalition for Jobs, Justice and Freedom (National Council of Negro Women, SCLC, National Urban League, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, National Action Network, National Council of Churches, Children’s Defense Fund), and the National Park Service.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Primary contact: Rosalind McGinnis, rmcginnis@thekingcenter.org, (404) 526-8900
For more details go to: http://goo.gl/wE5bW1

Let Freedom Ring Commemoration and Call to Action
If your city, school, organization or faith based group wants to participate in coordinating a local Let Freedom Ring Commemoration and Call to Action Bell Ringing at 3 p.m. please contact Steve Klein SKlein@thekingcenter.organd register your bell ringing event.

American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold's Paintings of the 1960s
12-12:30 p.m.
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Ave. NW
Gallery Talk. As seen in 49 rarely exhibited paintings, Faith Ringgold developed expressive figures and adapted African designs to reflect on momentous events that shaped America in the 1960s. These bold images represent Ringgold's response to the civil rights and feminist movements.

Changing America
The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863
The March on Washington, 1963

On view through Sept. 15, 2013.
National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Washington DC.
The exhibition at the Smithsonian features historic photographs and items ranging from Harriet Tubman’s shawl to a portable version of the Emancipation Proclamation—one created for Union soldiers to read to and distribute among African Americans during America's Civil War.

Civil Rights at 50
on display through 2015
Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C.
Currently launching this three year revolving exhibit, Newseum's Civil Rights at 50 will be updated each year to chronicle milestones in the civil rights movement from 1963, 1964, and 1965 through historic front pages of newspapers and magazines.

A Day Like No Other: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
August 28, 2013 through March 1, 2014
The Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson Building
10 First St. SE
Washington, DC.
The exhibition will consist of 40 black-and-white images from newspaper and other media photographers, independent photojournalists and people who participated in the march. Part of the collections in the Library’s Prints and Photographs Division, the images convey the immediacy of being at the march and the palpable excitement of the noticeably mixed crowd in attendance. The exhibition will allow visitors to rediscover the context and ongoing legacy of this important event in the country’s history.

American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold’s Paintings of the 1960s
through Nov. 10, 2013
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Ave NW Washington, DC.
As seen in 49 rarely exhibited paintings, Faith Ringgold developed expressive figures and adapted African designs to reflect on momentous events that shaped America in the 1960s. These bold images represent Ringgold's response to the civil rights and feminist movements.

Washington, DC Hotels
Here are some resources to help you find a room.

• Downtown Washington, DC Hotels
• Historic Hotels in Washington DC
• Capitol Hill Hotels
• Georgetown Hotels
• Dupont Circle Hotels
• Northern Virginia Hotels
• Maryland Hotels
• Best Luxury Hotels in Washington, DC
• Cheap Hotels and Accommodations in Washington, DC

There you have a it. A heap of information, but probably nothing compared to all the more personal get togethers planned for this week, as progressives and civil rights activists from all over the country meet face to face to discuss going into 2014.

Come visit, or just share the info with a friend who might be going. Additions or changes to this list is welcome in the comments.

The Policy Geek

Walk This Way: The Anniversary Of A Dream

We are coming up on an anniversary of sorts.

It's been 50 years since Martin Luther King delivered his famous 'dream' speech, and 84 years since the Reverend Dr. was born. August 28th is really an anniversary of history itself. Much like the holiday we enjoy every January when we party on the civil rights' leader's birthday, the day he delivered the 'dream' to the American public will be celebrated with all due pomp and circumstance on the 28th.

In fact, throughout this month our nation's capitol will play host to a variety of civil rights groups honoring the occasion.

AFP/Getty Images, 1963

During the hot and sticky August of 1963, scores of Americans were drawn to protest in the nation's capitol. The beautifully interracial crowds marched on Washington D.C. demanding equal justice for all citizens under the law.

They congregated in front of the Lincoln Memorial which is located on the opposite end of the mall from the Capitol Building where President Barack Obama would be sworn into office a smidgen more than 45 years later. Martin Luther King predicted a time when freedom, harmony, and equality for all would become a reality in the U.S., and predicted his own death, leaving behind his “I Have a Dream” speech to speak to generations to come.

(Time, 2013)

In the eleven-year period between 1957 and 1968, King traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times, appearing wherever there was injustice to protest and action to discuss.

He wrote five books and dozens of articles. He led a massive protest in Birmingham, Alabama, that caught the attention of the entire world. He formed the coalition of conscience, penned the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", and planned drives in Alabama to register African American voters. He conferred with President John F. Kennedy and campaigned for President Lyndon B. Johnson, still managing to get arrested upwards of twenty times and assaulted at least four times. King was awarded five honorary degrees including The Nobel Peace Prize; was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963; and became not only the symbolic leader of American blacks but a world figure, as well.

1963 Alabama Bombing

18 days after the March On Washington, four young girls were killed when a bomb exploded in the basement of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Five years after giving the "I Have A Dream" speech, Revered Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Dead at the age of 39.

This Reverend, this leader of the hopeful, spoke directly to our souls. He articulated his vision so clearly, and with such moving prose, that it was through his eyes so many could see for the first time. The fact that The Struggle still continues today, that thriving racists still exist, is baffling to those of us who believe in equality.

In 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act outlawing all forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, and outlawing discrimination against women in the US. The fight isn't over. There always seems to be new and ingenious ways to strip Americans of their civil rights, and the ever vigilant have their work cut out for them decade after decade, Scotus decision after Scotus decision. Citizens United, Voting Rights Act. Work others died for being tossed around like Godzilla's playthings.

MLK's dream, once shared with the hundreds of thousands who listened to him live on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, was recorded and replayed to generations. Today, the gift of his vision lives in the hearts of the American public.

There was talk of the MLK monument being "out of service" on the anniversary, as decisions had been made to change the inscription, but luckily those changes were completed, phew, just in time. No, they didn't give the statue a facelift, and they didn't decide to uncross those famously crossed arms of the civil rights leader. No, the text that was removed from Reverend Dr. King's monument was — “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness."

(Time, 1963)

That snippet was taken from Dr. King’s "Drum Major Instinct" speech, given two months before the "Dream" speech, in Atlanta. Critics said the engraved quote made MLK sound arrogant, so the chisels came out.

In the full quote, Dr. King was alluding to his possible eulogy: “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”

His words literally still vibrate today at a level apparently higher than any elephant can hear. Where those words were carved out of stone on the monument, there is now only sandblasted rock with no inscription at all.

Hoodie Truth, 2013

A week of events have been planned throughout the nation's capitol, which should be perfectly temperate this time around. If you decide to join this year's march from the Lincoln Memorial to the King Memorial on Aug. 24th, you'll find the weather around 80 degrees that day with only 10% humidity. It's an easy and delightful stroll from Lincoln to the MLK monument where there will also be an interfaith service on Aug. 28th.

Policy Geeks have put together a more complete guide to events, exhibits and attractions in the nation's capitol. Just check out our next blog post, Part II. Guide will be updated as more information becomes available. Feel free to add any items you know of, fun events to invite friends to, or meet ups here and there, below in the comments.

We recommend joining one of the many bus rides planning to descend on our nation's Capitol this week. If you need to know how to get around the city on Saturday, the Washington Post offers some advice and details. 

Rising from the floor of The Mall in the heart of Washington D.C., placed halfway between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, MLK's monument tells the story of a nation torn by public bouts of racism, sexism, and blind hate.  Lessons as important today as they were then. So maybe come and visit. And be part of what stands between justice and injustice.

Come stand where he stood.

Come march for what he marched for.

The Policy Geek