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! 

 

Thursday, February 27, 2014

You're probably wondering why my blog is a couple of weeks late.  Well, it's because of the steady stream of snow cascading from the skies of the United States' east coast.  This winter has not necessarily been "takin' it easy" on us this year, but the snow graciously held off at least one week so we could embark upon this MJ.
This Metro Journey (MJ) was extremely artistically centered.  Leaving the Silver Spring station, my classmate, Eliza Jane, and I rode the metro to Southern Avenue.  There we met the rest of our class and set off to the THEARC.  (Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation)  THEARC acts as a second home to many children as well as adults living in Washington DC.  Hosting dance classes, fine arts, academics, mentoring, tutoring, and even medical and dental care for little to no costs, THEARC has established its name and is doing a phenomenal job giving back to its community.  Click THEARC if you want to learn a little more about their awesome program.
In addition to their classrooms, THEARC hosts a 365 seat community theater that is the only theater ever built east of the Anacostia river.  THEARC is steadily booked.  This particular time, a theatrical performance was held in this theater entitled: When People Fly: Modern-Day Folk Tales of African American Heroes. Our first mission of the day was to go see this play. In honor of Black History Month, this performance told the story of a grandmother who took her two grandchildren to the library. There she read them an African folktale about slaves who freed themselves from bondage by flying to freedom. After later learning more about modern day African American successes, she then tied the folktale to these modern day phenomenons, who accomplished great strides despite "their struggle."  
Although this story possessed an awesome message, we arrived and realized it was prepared for kindergartner-second graders, so how the story was relayed was extremely childish and I lost interest quickly. Although I lost interest, it was fun to see the children in the audience reacting to the awesome information in the performance! 

Did you know that an African- American man named Lonnie Johnson created the Super Soaker? His invention was one of the success stories mentioned in the play. I thought that was so cool because considering how famous these toy water guns are, no one knew who invented them, much less that he was a black man. In 1975, after receiving his master's degree in nuclear engineering from Tuskegee University, he joined the U.S. Air force and continued to pursue his own inventions in his spare time. One of his longtime projects was an environmentally friendly heat pump that used water instead of Freon. Completing a prototype in 1982, he tested it in his bathtub blasting a powerful stream of water from the gun. Sharing a reaction with millions of children around the world, Johnson was delighted and after another seven years of tinkering and sales pitching, he finally sold the device renamed "Super Soaker," to the Larami Corporation, which put it to mass production. The Super Soaker is now one of the most popular toys in the world, and it has held its ranking among the world's top 20 best-selling toys of all time.  

In the end although the play seemed childish, I left with some pretty amazing information, and I further appreciated my culture more. Also, it was awesome to see young children learning to appreciate their culture, so they could be proud of their race, a luxury that I'd lacked until recently.
After leaving THEARC, we rode the Metro to Gallery Place to visit the Smithsonian Art Museum.... oh, and of course lunch! For lunch, I had my favorite, frozen yogurt! Yes, I know what I said before, snow snow and more snow, BUT no matter how cold it is, you can't take a girl away from frozen yogurt. Rule #1:  Froyo is life!

At the Smithsonian Art Museum, our task was to find further information on Henry Ossawa Tanner.  You might not recognize this name; don't worry. I didn't when I first read it either but believe it or not, this man was a famous and amazingly talented artist, and guess what? He was black.  Being the first African-American artist to receive international praise, Mr. Tanner was exceptional.  Moving to Paris around 1891 to study, he decided to remain there and was quickly accepted into Paris' most high artistic clique.  In 1896, his painting Daniel in the Lion's Den was accepted into the French Salon, which was an official art exhibition sponsored by the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris.  
After teaching himself art, he enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Pittsburgh.  Although he was the only black student, he excelled and became a favorite among many of his teachers including Thomas Eakins, an American Realist painter.  Making other connections to other artists, he met Robert Henri, another Realist painter.  In 1890, he was sponsored for a trip to Palestine by Rodman Wanamaker, a Presidential Elector for the state of Pennsylvania.  Wanamaker was inspired by one of his Biblical paintings.  Throughout the rest of his life, Tanner received praise and honor for his paintings including being named chevalier of the Order of the Legion Honor, France's most distinguished award, in 1923.  Following four years, Tanner was named full Academician of the National academy of Design.  Astoundingly, he is known as the first African American to ever receive such an accomplishment.  In 1991, after his death, the Philadelphia Museum of Art fashioned a tour of his paintings, which sparked a new wave of interest in his life and works.  Although Tanner is not as well known in America, he is a potent influence to Western Cultural Art.  
One of my favorite artworks that he painted is Lions in the Desert.  At first glance, I enjoy the accuracy of his strokes.  If you study the painting, he did not use a broad color pallet, but it is not challenging to make out the figure in the desert.  In addition, the emotion the lion is emitting from his stance is overwhelming.  He expresses power and dominance.  Tanner was raised in a religious home where his family took pride in the history of the Biblical Hamatic races of African Origin.  Further research demonstrates that Tanner regarded the lion as a symbol of his African origin.  As Tanner painted Lions in the Desert during one of his visits to the Middle East, the lions were a figment of his imagination.  He did not actually see lions while visiting, but he added them later in his painting studio.  Lions in the Desert is one of many masterpieces that Henry Ossawa Tanner created, but this one in particular caught my attention immensely.  
Although this Metro Journey was artistically inspiring, I also had a history lesson.  Many African American names were engraved into my memory.  These men and women overcame their oppression and they flew.  After coming home from this MJ, I was inspired and attained a new respect for my race of people.   

B.L.A.C.K. class at Henry Ossawa Turner's exhibit

B.L.A.C.K. class at Henry Ossawa Turner's exhibit