Image courtesy of Instagram.

Image courtesy of Instagram.

We’re almost at the halfway mark of Black History Month, and one way to celebrate is by taking in the D.C.’s streets and buildings that have served as the backdrop for notable moments. Instagram has partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation to map out places in the city with particular resonance in African American history and heritage.

“It has been said that the pen is mightier than the sword and that a picture is worth a thousand words,” said Congressman G.K. Butterfield, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in a statement. “The Congressional Black Caucus is proud to contribute powerful accounts of African American history through the still narratives that photography provides. Remembering sacred and sacrificial accounts of African American history should never be forgotten.”

The map features locations like Blagden Alley, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and more.

It’s part of an Instagram initiative to help people “creatively share their history,” says Crystal Patterson, an outreach manager at Instagram. People can participate by photographing landmarks that mean something to them and tagging them with #MakeYourMap.

Image courtesy of Instagram.

“It’s a really visual story,” says Patterson. “It transcends language and time.” She notes that it allows people in geographically disparate places to share a sense of place with one another.

#MakeYourMap joins other digital mapping initiatives in the D.C. area.

And that’s not the only way to use social media to take part in Black History Month. Throughout February, At-large Councilmember David Grosso is sharing the stories of notable black Americans, with a special focus on those from D.C.

Filed Under: black history month, CBC, instagram,