July 25, 2005
What's in a Name?
A lot, if a story in today's WaPo is any indication. It seems that Shaw's African American community is balking at the notion of officially designating a stretch of 9th Street NW, between U and T streets, as "Little Ethiopia." The area has in fact been commonly referred to as such by a lot of District residents (including by DCist) since a whole bunch of Ethiopian restaurants and markets opened there in recent years.
So what's all the fuss about? It seems long-time residents resent the idea that an area best known as "Black Broadway" should be re-named in favor of an ethnic group that arrived so recently. On the other hand, the Ethiopian community correctly points out that their businesses have been to a large degree responsible for the neighborhood's resurgence, and claim that an official designation would only attract more business to the area.
Perhaps the experience of Los Angeles, which designated its own "Little Ethiopia" back in 2002, can be instructive. Similarly, a small stretch of Fairfax Avenue, which had previously been home to boarded up shop windows and buildings in disrepair, was revitalized over a period of time by Ethiopian immigrants who moved in and opened up small businesses. Since naming the neighborhood "Little Ethiopia," it has become a dining destination and solidified the Ethiopian community's influence in the city.
Then again, while much of Fairfax Avenue has been traditionally a Jewish neighborhood, those particular two blocks never included anything with anywhere near the cultural significance of say, The Lincoln Theatre. And although D.C.'s "Little Ethiopia" could theoretically coexist with such landmarks, perhaps they should not be forced to compete with each other.
DCist loves a good debate as much as we love beef tibs, so fire away.
|
All due respect to the hardworking people who've set up shop there, and their delicious cuisine, but I'm fairly sure 9th Street NW would have developed no matter who was moving in there. Moreover, I'm not sure that's even the densest conclave of Ethiopian storefronts in the city. Evenmoreover, why shouldn't we name it something like Tune Town (ok, not Tune Town, but something similar) which would pay tribute both to the musical history of the place, and to the new music venues along that street that have done a great deal for 9th Street development, as well.
In a city that celebrates its longest-ago arrivals to a fault. It's nice to see a little recognition to recent arrivals. I suppose, like most things though, the District can put whatever name it wants to on it, but the locals will call it what they want.
We had a similar stretch in Oakland, CA, that the city called Uptown. Everyone else called it Little Korea. Eventhough, everyone from hipsters to Muslims to African-American gay bar had set up shop there.
According to the WaPo, the primary concern is these folks are relative newcomers to the District and the historical happenings along 9th and U should overtake the actual status of the area. The world is full of places that USED to be something that AREN'T now. If in 50 years, a lot less if current trends continue, DC's Chinatown is populated by, let's pick an inoffensive Nationality, a sudden influx of Swede's who revitalize the area and represent the predominate the cultural identity of the area should we deny them the right to claim their accomplishments because once another group of folks lived there? This is the sort of thinking that gave us the Israeli-Palestinian (Palestinian-Israeli...whatever, dag it's hard to toe the line of pragmatism without sounding like a virulent racist anymore!) This is a silly argument, let folks call it whatever they will, things'll change in a few decades.
I'm 'bout it. I don't think that if the District renames a one-block stretch of neighborhood Li'l Addis Ababa that it will be forsaking its right to do other things at some point in the future.
Cleveland Park should be renamed "Little Bethesda"
OK, 10 blocks of U Street between 7th and 16th Sts is called Black Broadway or Historic U Street, but probably has fewer than 10 businesses in that whole stretch that have any claim to that historical legacy -- why should that stop a *1* block strip on *9th* St from being called Little Ethiopia when there are more than 10 businesses on just that one block?
... I just don't see how that would detract from U Street's legacy, which has and will change regardless of who's opening up shop a few blocks away.
In related news all of Dupont/Logan has been renamed Little Gaytown.
Thanks Dick! I now have coffee all over my keyboard.
This is merely another issue of "contested spaces." As I write, the "G" or "gentrification" word is mis-used. As this case makes clear, what people are most concerned about is "change," and "people that are different from 'us'"--those differences can be levels of educational attainment, class, place of origin, ethnicity, race, gender preference, etc.--despite the melting pot myth.
The best quote from the Post article has to be, "Where were they during the [1968] riots? They're Johnny-come-lately."
Hmmmm. To have any real memory of the riots you'd have to be at least 45 years old, whether you're a person or a business.
Maybe we should name it the Senior Strip or AARP Ave.
(By the way, officially designating the area as Little Ethiopia is immaterial. If enough people start to call it Little Ethiopia then that's what it'll be called.)
"Where were they during the [1968] riots?"
Not burning the neighborhood down, Ms. African-American, like your people were doing.
Really, it's almost too easy with some D.C. residents . . .
When we're done naming all the one street, one block "neighborhoods" in the city, should we start naming individual houses, too? Can I get the city to name my driveway?
There is a great history of Ethiopian American relations in the Shaw neighborhood. The founder of the African Studies Department at Howard University, Professor William Leo Hansberry, created the renowned Ethiopian Research Council with Dr. Melaku Bayen, the first Ethiopian medical school graduate of Howard University. Howard University would go on to graduate more Ethiopian students than any other educational institution in the United States. The first African American Rhodes Scholar and Howard Professor Dr. Alain Locke encouraged his students to recognize and incorporate their African Heritage in their work. The great African American poet and DC resident Paul Laurence Dunbar in “Ode to Ethiopia” encourages African Americans to look to Ethiopia for pride. DC native and jazz musician extraordinaire Duke Ellington traveled and performed in Ethiopia receiving Ethiopia’s highest prize from H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I.
The Washington, DC area has the largest number of Ethiopians than any other area in the world outside of Ethiopia and work in all professions in the District while providing many basic services especially in the hospitality taxi, restaurant and retail industries. These hardworking and faithful immigrants are establishing a strong economic, cultural and political base in this city that can only inspire the best in those who interact with them. Two recent cultural examples would be the “People to People” program held at the Lincoln Theatre celebrating African American and Ethiopian American shared cultural heritage and the African Heritage Unity Celebration held in honor of Black History Month.
The current economic revitalization taking place in the District already recognizes the contributions of the Ethiopian community in the 9th and U Street area, and has encouraged them to participate in the DC Chamber of Commerce and other neighborhood associations such as the 14th and U Main Street Coalition.
In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in
good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be
treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to
discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or
origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an
American, and nothing but an American...
There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one
flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes
all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any
foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one
language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but
one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
--Theodore Roosevelt, 1919
Number 11
Your comment is extremely ignorant but shows how blatantly mentally challenged you whites are. Would you have rather us burn down your neighborhood, as it was a crazed psychotic white that killed Martin Luther King, and therefore the reason for the riots? I for one would have rather have had that happen...as the 60's were a tumultuous time for African Americans dealing with racist hateful whites, such as he and the majority of you people. Thankfully GOD who denounces hate was with us throughout our entire plight from slavery for 300 yrs to blatant discrimination/racism up until that chosen generation told you challenged people to kiss our black asses.
I’m only 27 as Washingtonian who is proud of all African American contributions to the city "Chocolate City" as it was in its hey day and African Americans are still the MAJORTIY. I happen to live on the U Street Corridor and I am in favor of some sort of compromise with the theory of "little Ethiopia" as Ethiopians are my brothers ands sisters as well but, the great African American trailblazers like Charles Drew, Duke Ellington, Mary Church Terrell, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Dr Ernest Everest, Mary McLeod Bethune and a host of others are a vital part of African American History and a vital part of the Historic neighborhood.
Washington DC was a place where African American's thrived and became entrepreneurs, doctors, business owners...our children need to know our history and we have a abundant Historic presence in DC. Ust being an area where middle and upper income African Americans called home, Howard University (The Renown Historically Black University) is a couple of blocks from Ust. Having said that, a compromise outlining and attributing African American History on Ust and acknowledging little Ethiopia would be a great idea but to just rename the street lacks respect and honor that should be shown to the African Americans that blazed the path for Ethiopians to be able to own or open businesses in the area... since only two generations ago, if not for the Civil Rights/Black Pride and awareness Movement Etc..Ethiopians would probably not have been able to prosper in the Ust St area or anywhere else in the United States.