Mary McLeod Bethune statue with impromptu children’s concert, Lincoln Park, July 9, 2009 (photo by Robert S. Pohl)

Capitol Hill’s Lincoln Park was the first public space named in honor of President Lincoln, in 1867. A few years later, a statue commemorating the emancipation of American slaves was placed in the park, with none other than Frederick Douglass speaking at the unveiling. Thirty-five years ago the orientation of the statue — originally toward the U.S. Capitol — was reversed, so that Lincoln now faces the more recently installed statue of Mary McLeod Bethune, which was officially unveiled on July 10, Bethune’s birthday, in 1974.

Historian John R. Wennersten and local writer Robert Pohl drew on research from their recent book about Lincoln and the end of slavery in the District of Columbia to put together an unofficial anniversary celebration for the statue last night. (The official celebration this evening, hosted by the National Council of Negro Women, is planned for 6 p.m.) According to a 1974 article in the Washington Post, residents of the Lincoln Park neighborhood gathered the evening before the official unveiling of the new statue:

“Hey, man, you know how these official ceremonies are,” said Charles (Pee Wee) Jackson, who lives across the street from the park. “They’ll probably have some symphony orchestra and everybody will be all dressed up and everything. So we decided to come out here tonight and welcome Mrs. Bethune in our way.” Jackson and his brother, Cyril, brought conga drums Tuesday night and their friends, Marie Brown, James Kilgore and Reginald Mack, helped assemble a makeshift band of flutes, tambourines and gongs.

“We spend a lot of time in the park, especially when it’s hot like this,” explained Jackson. “We bring the instruments out about once every two weeks. This performance is really off schedule, but this is a special night since we got this new lady in the neighborhood.”