Thursday, May 1, 2014

To all my readers, I apologize for my absence. Last month, I was sick for the Metro Journey (MJ), and I wasn't able to make it, but I'M BACK with the 10th and final MJ, which was pretty awesome if I can say so myself.
In honor of this MJ, Ms. Anna, our instructor, gave us riddles that we as a class had to unfold to figure out our task for today.
Riddle #1: 28 IS THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS YOU WILL FIND HERE. THE OBJECTS FLY & THE OBJECTS SIT. THE OBJECTS GORGE.  FIND THEM BY SOLVING THIS: THIS NORTHERN STATE & THIS HISTORICAL (27th) MAN HAVE A COMMONALITY.      Hmmmm? The 27th man? Hmmm? Well, naturally, we first looked up the 27th President of the United States, who was in fact from Ohio! A NORTHERN STATE! Although we thought we were finished, we were not.  We still had to find the commonality.  Well, in DC there is a bridge, called the Taft Bridge located on Connecticut Ave.  Wait, hang on? Connecticut is also a city in Ohio! There's the commonality! So our first stop is the Taft Bridge located on Connecticut Ave. in Woodley Park, a neighborhood in DC!

The Taft Bridge, also known as the Connecticut Avenue Bridge or William Howard Taft Bridge, is a historic bridge located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. It carries Connecticut Avenue over the Rock Creek gorge, including Rock Creek and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, connecting the neighborhoods of Woodley Park and Kalorama. On July 3, 2003, the Taft Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Classical Revival bridge, the first name for the bridge,  was fashioned in 1897 and ended in 1907.  Constructed by engineer George S. Morison and architect Edward Pearce Casey,  it is an arch bridge with unreinforced concrete arches and a reinforced concrete deck. The total length of the bridge is 274.5 meters (901 ft), and it has been called an "engineering tour de force" and the largest unreinforced concrete structure in the world.  In 1931, the bridge was renamed in honor of U.S. President William Howard Taft. 

Now you might be wondering why we would find 28 objects on the bridge that fly, sit, and gorge. Waittaaminute! Gorge, you ask. What does that mean? It means to eat a large amount greedily; fill oneself with food. Now what you now what 'gorge' means, let's get back to the 28 objects. Once we found the bridge, this one was quite easy. Positioned on the bridge are 24 lampposts and 2 lions on either side of the bridge! 24 plus four makes 28!

Riddle #2: ON TO NEXT CLUE. à pied seulement. (FIND 2) OF 1 OF SAME IN #1. THEN ENTER.
This clue was really confusing. Let's first start out with the french word, which means 'on foot only' or 'walk.' So, we had to walk somewhere, but where? Find two of one of the same in #1? This meant we either had to find 2 birds or two lions. At the entrance of the National Zoo, there are two lions! So, walk to the lions, then enter the zoo! Second riddle solved! The National Zoo was founded in 1889 to preserve, teach, and conduct research about the animal world. The zoo opened in Rock Creek Park in Washington DC in 1891 on a site designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Over the years, the National Museum has hosted a myriad of events including Easter Monday. Have you ever wondered why Easter Monday is not celebrated in all states? Well, that history, explained Chuksorji-Keefe, is more than 100-years-old and was created for African-Americans who were not allowed to attend the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.  "This holiday has a very dubious and shameful history," said Chuksorji-Keefe.  Because blacks weren't allowed to attend the White House, they made their own on Monday at the zoo.  Now, with segregation presumably conquered, the Zoo made this day into a holiday for everyone, which is why schools are out in this area but not everywhere.   

Riddle #3:  Find 7 very still gatherers from Uganda. Now go to gatherers & go in building behind gatherers. spend 10 minutes at least here; maybe more?
Positioned in the zoo are seven life-sized chimpanzees sculptures in bronze, by acclaimed Maryland arists Bart Walter. It is a famous attraction at the National Zoo. Named "The Gathering," this sculpture sits in a garden near the Zoo's "Think Tank," the building behind the statues. In this building scientific investigation about orangutan's brains is explained.

Riddle #4: Look up, up, up and find a cheeky forest friend. Monitor & watch & talk to this friend for 15 minutes. Look up y'all.

At the Zoo is this awesome attraction called the 'O Line.'  It was sooooo cool to see the orangutans traveling on the Zoo's Orangutan Transport System. The O Line gives the orangs freedom of movement, an expanded living area, and choice of location. Orangutans are brachiators, which means they can swing hand over hand from branch to branch. Kiko, an adult male, often demonstrates this form of locomotion on the O Line. The other orangutans, however, usually walk or shuffle along the cables, holding on with two or more limbs.   

Riddle #5: FIND THE UNCLE (WHO'S WORTH A LOT OF BUTTER) ON THE ISLAND FROM THE BOOK. Go to the uncle & check him out.

The Uncle, who's worth a lot of butter? That was a pretty funny riddle once you figured it out.  "Uncle Beazley," a fiberglass triceratops is a life-sized statue named after the dinosaur in the children's book The Enormous Egg. by Oliver Butterworth. Haha, get it? Worth a lot of butter...Butterworth? *slaps knee* This statue is found on Lemur Island, which is the island in the book.  

Riddle #6: MUST BE @CIRCLE @10 +3 (13) TO SEE THIS: (share the story of B.L.A.C.K. w/the people/person you see there & interview them.) First off, 13 is military time for 1pm.  So, we had to be at a circle at 1pm.... well, at the zoo, there is a circle called the Great Cat Circle.  What do you think is here? Lions, and tigers, and... not bears... OHMY! These are amazing and majestic animals.  They were so beautiful!
CEGT CS TFFKFLZ EZ CJF UFFA KLSQDAF FWILDRJXFWC DCFXZ CS CJF RSIZDWZ SU RELERFGZ.
You read that twice, didn't you? Maybe she had a typo. She should have given it to her mother to check before she published this. That was in fact not a typo. It is a cryptogram, a type of code, which when deciphered means, TALK TO KEEPERS AS THE FEED PROVIDE ENRICHMENT ITEMS TO THE COUSINS OF CARACALS We were to go to the lions', cousins of the animals called the caracels, and interview the keepers there. This was really fun! We interviewed a keeper there and she showed us lion fur and teeth. She explained behind the scenes of becoming a 'show' lion, and the different tasks lion cubs had to accomplish to be able to be displayed. There were 3 majestic lions, 2 females, and one male. We even got to hear the male lion, Luke, roar! It was so beautiful!

Riddle #7: LUNCH MUST BE CONSUMED under the vines of the circus flappers who are near the moon worshippers.
Pretty pretty easy! AAARROOOOOO!! *failed wolf sound* The moon worshipers are wolves! And the circus flappers ARR ARRR ARR *failed seal sound* are the seals! The seals are the cutest show-offs ever! They're cuties, and they know it!

Riddle #9 : Find 10 african things of which at least 7 countries must be represented.  
Cheetahs (Algeria): Built more like greyhounds than typical cats, cheetahs are adapted for brief but intense bursts of speed. They have wiry bodies and small heads. Their coats are golden or yellowish, embellished with many small black spots, and their tails are long with a few black bands and sometimes a white tip. Black stripes run from their eyes down to the corners of their mouths. 
Zebras (Kenya) : Big heads, large and rounded ears, and thick, erect manes make the Grevy's zebra appear more mule-like than other zebras. In fact, many experts consider Grevy's zebras to be striped asses that are not closely related to other zebras. Their coats sport dazzling narrow stripes that wrap around each other in a concentric pattern and are bisected by a black stripe running down the spine.
Dama Gazelle (Chad): This large gazelle has a slender neck and legs, and somewhat S-shaped horns. It is white with reddish-brown coloring, but the pattern varies by region. Dama gazelles in the western part of their range are more reddish-brown than those in the east. Coloration also varies by age and season. The head is typically pale.
Scimitar-horned oryx (Egypt): mostly white with reddish brown necks and marks on the face and a long, dark, tufted tail. The white coat helps reflect the heat of the desert.
African Clawed Frog (Namibia): This is a unique family of frogs that lack a tongue and a visible ear. The males also lack vocal cords. Instead of moveable eyelids, a horny, transparent covering protects their eyes. The body is flattened and the head is wedge-shaped and smaller than the body.
Caracel (Northern Africa): Sometimes called "African lynx" or "desert lynx", these tufted-eared cats are about three feet long, with a tail about a foot long, and reddish brown fur, except for a white chin, throat, and belly, and a black line running from each eye to the nose.
Kori Birds (Botswana): The chin, throat, and neck are creamy white mixed with black bands. The underparts of the bird are buff colored with dark brown vermiculations. The tail has wide bands of grayish brown and white. The primaries, or flight feathers, are also similarly marked. The shoulder area has a checkered black and white pattern.
We finished our journey with heading back to the Woodley Park Metro Station to embark home. This MJ was so much fun, and I loved seeing the animals! I can't wait to come back to the zoo again! 

Saturday, June 7, 2014

"It takes one generation to forget, and it takes two generations to forget they forgot." 

On June 7th, I had the opportunity to embark on an Egypt on the Potomac Tour.  This "field trip's" objective was to familiarize tourists with the symbolism, architecture, philosophy, and mythology of Ancient Egypt, properly known as Ancient Kemet, and show them these disciplines implemented in the construction of Washington D.C.

We began at the Thurgood Marshall Center .  This building was former home to the first full service YMCA for African Americans, founded in 1853, and it was actually designed by one of the nation's first African American architects W. Sydney Pittman.  Building began in 1908 and ceased in 1912, and for 70 years hosted young African Americans as they learned about leadership and responsibility through sports, camping, photography, and many more activities.  

Thurgood Marshall, a young attorney, was a frequent visitor as he fashioned legal strategies for the civil rights movement. In 2000, the building was reopened as the Thurgood Marshall Center in honor of the first African American Associate Justice to serve on the Supreme Court.  This center now serves as a community center for residents along the U Street Corridor and Shaw neighborhoods and the starting place on the Egypt on the Potomac "field trip."  

While riding the bus to our first stop, we learned about the meaningful construction of Washington DC.  Washington DC was first constructed as a ten mile square/ diamond.  When you look at the map now, you probably will notice that a part of the square is now Alexandria, Virginia, so DC is more like a shoe, or an awkward triangle, or whatever comes to mind but long story short, it's not a square. (If you want to learn more about why DC is no longer a square, you should scroll down to the Metro Journey where we went to Historic Alexandria.) Washington DC was first mapped out by Andrew Elliot, a Caucasian man, and a famous African American scientist, Benjamin Banneker.  Banneker was the nation's first black scientist, who also made a living as a mathematician and farmer.  His grandfather was named Banneka, and it is believed that Banneka was from Mali where he studied in depth the stars as he was a descendant of royal lineage.  During the construction of DC, Banneker alongside Elliot was to start in the North, walk 10 miles to the East, walk 10 miles to the South, walk ten miles to the west, then walk 10 miles to the North to where they started making the 10 mile square using the stars for direction.  Isn't it weird that Benjamin Banneker played a monumental part in the placement of our Nation's Capital being an accomplished astronomer and all, yet he isn't recognized properly as the main designer of our famous city?  However, Christopher Columbus so- called 'founded' America, even though people were already positioned here, and he accidentally stumbled upon this land, and he gets a National holiday? 

Before we continue, I would like to point out that in a name is power.  Changing something or someone's name destroys the meaning, symbolism, and strength of it so on the field trip, our facilitator introduced us to the proper names of Ancient Kemet's symbols, and what they mean.

Common Name	Proper Name	Meaning/ Symbolism
Egypt	Kemet	The Black Land
Pyramid	Amir (AMR)	N/A
Obelisk (Washington Monument)	Tkn (Pl.-Tknu)	N/A
One (1)	N/A	God
Two (2)	N/A	Man and Woman
Three (3)	N/A	Child/Trinity
Four (4)	N/A	Foundation
Five (5)	N/A	Man/Mind
Six (6)	N/A	Death
Seven (7)	N/A	Heaven/Spiritual Resurrection
Sun East	Kepra	Birth
Sun (highest point)	Ray	N/A
Sun West	Amen	Death

From this point on, we will be using these names when we talk about these artifacts, so please refer to this chart whenever needed. Also before we go to our first stop, I want to point your attention back to the 10 mile square of Washington DC. Why did they want a perfect square? Well, a square has 4 angles and sides, correct? When we look at our chart, the number four signifies the foundation, right? DC is the capital and 'foundation' of our nation. (hey, I rhymed!) That's why it was constructed as a perfect square! Cool, right? 

Now we can  go to our first stop, which is Meridian Hill Park on 16th street.  This park's symbolism is going to blow your mind! First let's look at 16th street.  1+6=7. What's the meaning of seven according to Ancient Kemet? Heaven or Resurrection! Did you know that this street is sometimes called Avenue of Churches? But that's not all; this street is exactly 7.7 miles long and ends at the White House.  Also, did you know that DC is positioned exactly on longitude line 77? Crazy, right? 

Before we go back to Meridian Hill Park, I would like to tell you the Ancient Kemet story of the Ancient god Osar.  This god married a woman named Auset, or commonly known my the Greeks and Romans as Isis.  Osar was a very successful ruler of Kemet, teaching his people laws, education, architecture, and other prosperous skills.  He was adored by his people, but his evil brother, Set, was jealous.  Set murdered his brother and managed to cut his body into 14 pieces scattering them all over Egypt.  Auset managed to find all of them, except the 14th, which was the phallus.  She assembled the 13 pieces of his body making the first mummy.  

At the time of Osar's death, he did not have any children, but mystically Auset was impregnated by her husband, and she had a son named Heru, or Horus according to the Romans and Greeks, and who was raised secretly to protect him from his Uncle Set, who was now the ruler of Kemet.  

As soon as Heru grew to be a man, he challenged his Uncle for the throne, and after many battles he avenged his father and regained the throne of Egypt.  During the many battles, Set snatched out the Eye of Heru and threw it into the celestial ocean where it was found later and used as a guide for Osar to find his way to the afterlife.  The Eye of Heru was used to signify protection on mummies' journeys to the afterlife.  The End.  

Have you ever noticed that the number 13 is seen as a curse? Friday the 13th, which just passed, was feared by many across the nation.  It is nationally seen as an unlucky number.  Why would society teach us that if they don't believe that number's cursed too? "What?" you might ask.  Let's evaluate this. If you have a dollar bill nearby, go and get it.  America started with how many colonies? 13! E Pluribus Unum. How many letters are in that Latin motto? Look at the eagle on your dollar bill, how many arrows is he clutching? How many leaves are on the olive branch? How many olives are on the olive branch? How many levels on Amr? Wait, wait, wait...how many of her husband's body parts did Auset find? 13! What's positioned at the top of the Amr? An eye? Mummies are normally buried in Amrs, so it can be concluded that the 13 levels of the Amr on the dollar bill signify the Osar's 13 parts, and the eye on top represents the Eye of Heru, protection.  

Also the Cascading Waterfalls found in Meridian Hill Park has 13 pools. Whaaaaaaaat? So many 13's considering that 13 is an unlucky number.  

Next we went to the Masonic Temple located on 2800 16th street at the intersection of the 1500 block of Harvard and Columbia. Free Masonry is all about a free spirit, a builder of consciousness.  It takes between 40-42 years to become a priest, and this time is spent "building your character."  Priests are trained for the good of the nation.  In fact all of our Presidents were free Masons.  Fun fact about where this temple is located.  What's 28 plus 16? 44. What president went to both Harvard and Columbia? Barack Obama, who is, mind you, the 44th president.  Pre- planned or nah? Masons all study in Africa, and when they become a 33rd, or highest degree Mason, they are considered African.  Yes, even Caucasian Masons. On this temple are two signs at the entrance; on the east, there is a picture of a sun and on the west is a picture of a Jewish Star.  This signifies on the east (Kemet) comes knowledge and on the west, (America) comes the law.  

A block down the street is a 33rd degree Mason Temple.  It has 33 columns and is 33 feet high.   The two sphinx positioned outside of this temple are a copy of the original sphinx originating in Kemet.  The head of the sphinx represent feminine energy, in other words looking within, while the body of sphinx, a lion, represents masculine energy; knowledge is power.  There are 13 blocks between these two temples, the white house, and the monument.  There's that 13 number again.   

 Riding several blocks down you will arrive at the end of 16th street where the White House is now positioned. Did you know that a slave market was positioned in Lafayette Park, right in front of the White House? 

Behind the White House is the Washington Monument.  This symbol is what? A tnku, symbolizing Osar's phallus.  It is 515 feet high, and each side of its base is 55 ft.  What does the number five represent? The concept of man or mind.  Did you know that every king in Kemet was given 5 names, 5 representations of themselves?  Inside the monument positioned on the elevator is a Heru Badette, a symbol representing knowing thyself.  It is pictured as a sun disc with a serpent's head.  

Our second to last stop on the tour was L'Enfant Plaza.  This plaza obviously was named after Charles L'Enfant.  He was a french man hired to design the interior of DC.  Apparently, the nation had problems with this man.  He had a temper and was an extreme alcoholic.  He was eventually fired, so my manz Benjamin Banneker was hired to finish his work.  Don't you think Banneker should have received homage for his work on DC? If it wasn't for him D.C. would not have been established. Do you know that Charles L'Enfant got a metro station as well as a plaza named in his honor, and Banneker received a cul-de-sac with a fountain in the back of the plaza? How deliberate is that? 

After riding through the plaza, we journeyed back to the Thurgood Marshall Center to find symbolism on the Library of Congress.  Around the doors of the library there are symbols telling a story.  Basically, the story starts in Africa and moves to America.  It shows how everything began in Africa, and it is right in front of our eyes, but we do not pay attention to that.  Furthermore, surrounding the building are 44 heads representing the believed at that time 44 races of the world.  In the east are the 4 African races, and on the west of the building are the 4 Caucasian races.  That sounds familiar.  In the east is knowledge, and in the west in the law.  

With Anthony Browder
Author of several books including
Egypt on the Potomac and Nile
Valley Contributions to Civilization,

Our Field Trip Facilitator,
J Pourzal 

This Metro Journey showed me that I come from a long line of scientists, architects, astronomers, and many more.  It showed me how my race of people have had their history stolen and been brainwashed in the process.  We have forgotten where we came from, and until we know our history we will be living in ignorance, even if the clues are right under our noses.  Wake up!                

Anthony Browder's Daughter, Atlantis Tye. 

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Thank you for choosing "Jocelyn's Washington D.C. Tours!" All aboard the trolley! Please keep your hands and feet close and your personal items closer. We are not responsible for any lost or stolen items on this imaginary trolley. Hello! I am your tour guide, Jocelyn! Sit back, get your cameras ready, and enjoy the ride!

First, some history about the mall.  The National Mall is roughly a 2 mile stretch, and as the core of Washington DC, dates back to the establishment of our capital city as the permanent place of the U.S. Government.  It extends from the Washington Monument to the U.S. Capitol Building.  It is not just a great place to to check off places on your site-seeing list, but also a gathering place for picnics and festivals.  On Saturday, the Mall hosts its annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which is increasingly famous worldwide.  Additionally, this expanse hosts a myriad of protests and rallies. For example, the famous March on Washington led by the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was held here in 1963.

Now, if you would look out the window to your right, you will see the National Museum of African Art.  Their mission is "to inspire conversations about the beauty, power, and diversity of African arts and cultures worldwide."  It was first opened as a private educational institution in 1964 to promote diverse understanding in social sciences and arts.  Founded by Warren M. Robbins, it was first known as the Museum of African Art, and it was located on Capitol Hill in a townhouse once owned by Frederick Douglass.  Renamed in 1981, it reopened to the public in the current building in 1987 and dedicated itself to the increase and diffusion of knowledge.

Did you know DC has a HUGE stuffed elephant statue? Well, we do in the National Museum of Natural History! Opening in 1910, this museum was one of the first museums opened to house the research facilities and national findings.  They are dedicated to inspiring curiosity, discovery, and learning about natural sciences.  Through its research, collections, education, and exhibition programs, this museum serves as one of the world's greatest cultural examples as well as the source of pride to America.

3....2....1.... BLAST OFF! Next stop, the National Air and Space Museum! Whenever I think of this Museum, I think of the movie Night at the Museum 2. This museum displays the largest and most significant collection of everything; well, air and space! It welcomes more than 8 million visitors a year making it the most visited museum in the country.  It is also the home of the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies.  Its mission is "to commemorate out aviation and space heritage, educate the public, and inspire new generations of dreamers." Opened in 1976, it is located in the heart of the mall, and some of the greatest icons of flight are on display including a model of the Wright Brothers' plane as well as an Imax theater.

Keep looking to your right and you will see The National Museum of the American Indians.  Being the world's largest museum complex, it receives 1.4 million people a year.  Since its opening in 1989, this museum commits itself to bringing Native American traditions to different cultures. They do this by acting as a resource to other cultures by presenting the present and past of the Indian Culture in all richness, depth, and diversity.  If you visit this huge museum, make sure you save the full day because touring all four floors will be a challenge.  Also dedicate yourself to seeing the movie "Who We Are," which is an interactive movie explaining 12 different Indian cultures individually.
  
Riding down to the end of one side of the Mall, we will see two figures, The Capitol as well as the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial.  The Capitol's history begins in 1793.  Since then, the capitol has been built, burned, extended, and restored.   French engineer Pierre Charles L' Enfant, with the help of the great astronome
r Benjamin Banneker, planned the new city of Washington D.C. and located the Capitol on the elevated east end of the Mall on the brow that was called Jenkin's Hill.  Because L'Enfant refused to draw the plans for the Capitol he had in his head, Thomas Jefferson offered $500 to a person who could draw the best plan, but they didn't choose any of them.  It wasn't until a letter from Dr. William Thornton requested an opportunity to present a plan, and in 1793, the plan was accepted and the building of the Capitol commenced.  Only slightly finished, in 1814, the Capitol was burned to ruins when British Troops set fire to the building.  In 1815, Benjamin Henry Latrobe was asked to repair the Capitol, and he took this advantage to make further changes to the Capitol's original plans.  However, he became overwhelmed by the construction delays and cost conflicts, so he resigned his post in 1817.  Between 1903 and 1987, the capitol was refurbished and strengthened throughout the years, and it is still going through work as the government is adding on further advancements to modernize this monumental phenomenon.  Recently in 2008, a visitor's center was added containing theaters, exhibits, and other facilities to make the visitor's experience more informative and meaningful.

Located just outside of the Capitol stands the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial.  This honors American Civil War general President Ulysses S. Grant.  Its a sculpture of Grant on horseback facing west towards the Lincoln Memorial honoring Grant's wartime president, President Abraham Lincoln.  It also honors Grant's 100th birthday April 27, 1922.  It is located on the Capitol Reflecting Pool.

The Capitol Reflecting Pool was included in master plans for the Washington Mall area prepared by the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill in the 1960s and '70s to reduce vehicular traffic on the Mall and facilitate pedestrian and recreational use.  The new reflecting pool was designed to serve as a counterpart to the one at the western end of the Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Since its completion in 1971, it has been a popular attraction. The sloped limestone coping and the steps that lead down from ground level give seating for visitors as they enjoy the reflections of the Capitol, the surrounding sights, and the sky as well as the ducks and seagulls that often swim in the pool.

Now, back to the far end of the Mall where the Washington Monument stands tall.  Standing at 555 feet and modeled after the obelisk from Ancient Egypt, it was built to honor the first President of the United States, George Washington.   By law, no other building in D.C. is allowed to be taller.  Pierre Charles L'Enfant (remember him?) planned in 1783 to honor this man, but the plans were not official until 1836 when the architect Robert Mills designed the famous obelisk shape.  Work did not start until 1848 because of the lack of funding, and just six years later in 1854 when the monument was only 152 feet tall, work was ceased because the donations dropped. off. The project was almost abandoned, but work began again in 1876.  Therefore if you look closely, the color of the marble on the first third is different than the remaining two-thirds of the monument.  The monument was completed October 9, 1885 and this phenomenon contains 36,491 blocks and weighs 19,854 tons.
  

Behind the monument sits the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which is the largest of many reflecting pools in D.C. Hosting about 24 million visitors a year, it is easily the most popular venue in Washington.  Standing at the correct angle, it reflects the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Mall's trees, or the sky.  It was constructed in 1922-1923 following the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial.  It is over a third of a mile long, 167 feet wide, and is 18 inches deep on the sides while 30" in the center.  It holds approximately 6,750,000 of America's water and has been the site of many historical events including Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech as well as Marian Anderson's open concert held after she was denied the opportunity to perform at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. because she was African American.

East of the Pool overlooks the Lincoln Memorial.  Henry Bacon, (cool name, right?) the guy who designed the memorial, modeled it after the designs of a Greek temple known as Parthenon.  He felt that a memorial to a man that defended the democracy should be based on a structure founded in what is known to be the birthplace of democracy although historians have proven that the idea of democracy has its origins in Africa.  Jules Guerin had painted two large murals to be placed above each of the selected speeches displayed on either side of the statue of the President. The mural placed above the "Gettysburg Address," depicts the "Angel of Truth" flanked on either side by recently freed slaves. The mural placed above the "Second Inaugural Address," carries the theme of reunification. Guerin once again utilizes the "Angel of Truth," flanked on either side by representatives from the north and south. Both Guerin and Henry Bacon celebrate in their work Lincoln's two great accomplishments as President as well as many of his great character traits, but nowhere is Lincoln’s character better depicted than in the statue created by sculptor Daniel Chester French.

Daniel Chester French devoted several years to researching Abraham Lincoln and studying photographs of him. French decided that the special qualities found in the sixteenth President were his strength combined with his compassionate nature.  French depicted the President as a worn but strong individual who had endured many hardships. He positioned Lincoln's hands in a manner that displayed his two leading qualities. One of the President's hands is clenched, representing his strength and determination to see the war through to a successful conclusion. The other hand is a more open and slightly more relaxed, representing his compassionate, warm nature.

While distracted by myths about faces in hair and letter-signing hands, many visitors miss the true meaning of the memorial and the ubiquitous symbol that carries that meaning. Instead of being hidden somewhere inaccessible, the symbol is deceptively obvious, right there under Abraham Lincoln's hands.  In fact, the symbol is that of fasces (FAS-eez), a bundle of rods bound by a leather thong. Repeated in the memorial, the fasces throughout reveal the higher meaning of the memorial and the man.  In ancient times, fasces were a Roman symbol of power and authority.  It displayed a bundle of wooden rods and an axe bound together by leather thongs. Fasces represented that a man held imperium, or executive authority. A Roman leader could expect his orders to be obeyed, could give punishment, and could even execute those who disobeyed. On its surface, the fasces imply power, strength, authority, and justice. Depicted throughout the Lincoln Memorial, the fasces meant all this and more.  We will stop for pictures. Please wait until the trolley has stopped completely before exiting.
  
Driving a little ways past the memorial, we spot the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.  About 48 years following his "I Have a Dream" speech, Washington D.C. welcomed another great leader to the mall.  The center piece of the memorial is a 30 ft statue of Dr. King carved into the "Stone of Hope," emerging from two boulders.  The two boulders, which started as one, represent the mountain of despair and were broken into two, revealing the" Stone of Hope." This signifies African Americans' hope in their segregation struggle.  On the visible side of the stone are the words from King's famed speech, "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." Every visitor enters through the stone of despair and exits in the open freedom of the plaza where they discover the Stone of Hope proudly displaying this Civil Rights leader gazing towards the horizon encouraging all citizens to strive for justice and equality. Although this is not the first African American memorial, Dr. King is honored by being only one of four non-Presidents with a memorial on or near the National Mall.

We have come to the closing of our tour! On your way out, don't forget to stop by our souvenir shop, and pick up an "I Love D.C." sweatshirt! Also, if you show the cashier your tour ticket, you'll receive an additional 40% off.! Thank you so much for choosing "Jocelyn's Washington D.C. Tours," and we hope to have you back soon! 
  

Thursday, March 13, 2014

It. Was. Cold. These are the words to describe our first March MJ. In Alexandria, VA near the water, my friends and I huddled closer so as to pitch in what was left of the body heat we still had. But wait, before I get ahead of myself, let's start from the beginning.

If you look at the map of Washington, DC, you will find a diamond shape that looks to be lacking a point.  That 'slacking point' is actually Alexandria, VA. "How so," you ask? Well, in late 1700s when DC was founded, the Federal Government asked Virginia and Maryland to 'donate' 10 square miles of their land to establish the U.S. Capital.  Why Maryland and Virginia you ask?  Well it just so happens that at the time of DC's founding, The United States only consisted of a large strip of land starting in Maine and running down the east coast, ending in Georgia so DC was "dab smack" in the middle.  Additionally, it was right on top of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, ideal international trading posts for goods as well as slaves.  There were many posts positioned on these rivers, especially on the Alexandria County side. Plus, Alexandria was a major post for slave trading, so when a couple hundred years later, abolitionists in Washington decided to speak more powerfully expressing logically how hypocritical it would be to represent free states as a slave state, Alexandria begin to get nervous as they possessed poor infrastructures, was unrepresented in congress, and had their primary income threatened.  Therefore Alexandria filed a retrocession with Virginia and was classified as a county in Virginia instead of Washington DC.  Historic Alexandria, or "Old Town," was founded in the mid 1700s.  Although is was a large slave trading post, it served additionally as the home for a large free-black community, a Civil War supply for Union Troops, as well as a suburb for federal workers.  Today, Alexandria Virginia is known for its restaurants, boutiques, and its modern, as well as historic, art-scene in a walkable waterfront setting.     
The night before the MJ, Eliza- Jane and I coordinated the time to arrive at the bus to get to the Silver Spring Station.  If you don't already know, Eliza and I have a history of "le' stru-gee-lays" with catching the bus, so after expressing our discontent about the 7am arrival at the bus stop, we were pretty proud of ourselves when our plans worked out.  After arriving at the Silver Spring Metro Station and riding it to Kings Street Metro in Alexandria, we couldn't stop smiling and laughing because WE ARRIVED ON TIME! "Snap a picture because this might not ever happen again!" Alas, 8:59am, a minute before we had to be there, Eliza and I were pulling into the station.  YESA! Look at us! Because no one else had arrived yet, we ventured on to June Coffee. Let me tell you, if you ever want a sausage or bacon egg and cheese bagel, this is the place! They were AWE-MAZING, and I am putting it on my bucket list to go back.
Once everyone arrived, we coordinated to meet at the Starbucks nearby and when we figured out where we were going first, we departed to our first stop: The Torpedo Factory.  No, this is not where the underwater war weapons are fashioned, but rather where art is created.  This factory is the largest visual center across the U.S. consisting of three floors with 84 galleries.  Built during WWI as an amunition factory, today The Torpedo Factory is a main attraction in "Old Town." Not only can one discover different forms of art but also meet and interview different artists, which bring us to our first mission. Find and interview Poppi and take photos with her. 
Although we couldn't directly interview Poppi because she didn't come in on Thursdays, we were able to interview her co worker, who told us a lot about her.  "Poppi" is the fun and clever alter ego of Dawn Benedetto.  She fashions jewelry that is designed to stretch and fit almost everyone! The metal Benedetto stretches and bends is a very complicated task that requires precise skills and certain tools to avoid squishing the precious material.  According to Poppi's coworker, she is so skilled that she doesn't have to use these tools, and she can just shape the metal with her hands.  Only few artists possess such preciseness.  

Additionally, Kai, Daryn, Eliza, and I were able to interview another artist who made Bubble Art.  What is Bubble Art? It's a tube filled with water that sort of, softly boils.  Within the water are recycled sculpted glass shaped to be sea shells making the bubble tubes to be sea themed.  Always interested in sea life, this medium inspired her.  She really loves her  job because she was in high school when her family visited the grand open of the Torpedo Factory, and her life long dream was to be a successful artist who worked in the Factory. 
After taking a picture of this art, we headed out to the boardwalk to take a group photo. TALK. ABOUT. COLD. I would've cried, but I think the water in my eyes was frozen.  They should have filmed Frozen there because we literally were frozen! Shout out to the person who invented hats, gloves, and scarves! Whoever invented these articles of clothing deserves a Nobel Peace Prize becaaaaause! Whew! That was the smartest invention ever. 
After a lunch break at Chipotle we hiked through the cold to Freedom House on Duke Street.  If you don't know already, this "House" possesses a unique connection to the movie, 12 Years a Slave.  In the movie, Solomon Northrup, a free black man, is kidnapped and sold into 12 years of agonizing slavery.  James Burch, the D.C. based slave dealer who holds the responsibility for selling Northrup into slavery, would go on to become the owner of the largest slave trading company in the country located in Alexandria from 1859-1861.  Recently in 2008, the Freedom House was created in the building dedicated to telling the stories of men, women, and children who were unfortunately and brutally sold into slavery.  "I think a lot of Alexandrians would be shocked to know their city was a major hub of the country's slave trade," Freedom House Curator Julian Kiganda told the AP. "It's a story that's not told often enough."  The Freedom house is a major asset to Alexandria, VA and should be visited more frequently, so Alexandrians will know the history regarding slave trading.  
Although FREEZING, this MJ was awesome and extremely informative, and I can't wait until the second one this month!