Photo by ElvertBarnes
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Chinatown will be hosting cultural events about the black experience in the District for the occasion of Black History Month. Mark your calendars, especially for the last one if you enjoy heated public discussions about gentrification.
- Black Space, an art exhibition at the MLK Library through Feb. 26. Artist Holly Bass built a tiny house inside the library, and is collecting visitors’ collaborative responses related to black life in D.C. Watch a time-lapse video of the house’s construction here:
- Black Space Rent Party on Jan. 30 from 5:30-8 p.m. This event is modeled after house-rent parties popular in D.C. during the jazz era, and will feature a set by DJ RBI. $10 minimum donation.
- Century Song, An Evening of Black Thought and Music From 1915-2015, on Feb. 2, from 6:30-8 p.m. Bass and DJ RBI return to, respectively, recite and score selections from the past 100 years of black artists and intellectuals. They will be joined by the Birmingham Jail Players. The event is free.
- District of Change—Is D.C. Still Chocolate City?, on Feb. 10, starting at 7 p.m. This free discussion should prove pretty intense, judging by who will be speaking on a panel about how “urban development and gentrification alter the racial, cultural, and political map of the city.” On the panel: Latoya Peterson, owner and editor of Racialicious, and Dan Silverman, the Prince of Petworth himself.
Back in 2012, speaking on a similar panel hosted by the Humanities Council of Washington D.C., Silverman rejected the label “gentrification,” saying he preferred the term “community redevelopment.” Much booing from the audience followed. This event should be interesting, to say the least. The discussion will be moderated by Natalie Hopkinson, author of Go-Go Live: The Musical Life and Death of a Chocolate City, who also participated in the infamous 2012 panel.
The Black Space Installation w/ Holly Bass – MLK Library – Washington, DC from ralston smith on Vimeo.
