Census Director to Become G.U. Provost
• April 18, 2012

Robert Groves, director of the U.S. Census Bureau, will become Georgetown University’s new executive vice president and provost August 20, the university announced. He will serve as the chief academic officer for its main campus. 

Before serving as census director, Groves served as a professor at the University of Michigan and director of its Survey Research Center as well as a research professor in the Joint Program in Survey Methodology.

 “I am honored by the opportunity to be the next provost of Georgetown University,” Groves said. “I look forward to working with Georgetown’s world-class faculty and students to build the Georgetown of the future, one that fulfills all their aspirations.”

Public Library Lectures Celebrate George Peabody
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A free author lecture series in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of George Peabody’s arrival in Georgetown and the return of his fully restored portrait that was damaged in the 2007 Georgetown Branch Library fire.??

This May marks the 200th anniversary of 17-year-old George Peabody’s arrival in Georgetown in 1812 with his older uncle and their establishment of a dry goods store on Bridge Street, today’s M Street. Decades later, Peabody was a multi-millionaire and in 1867 he donated $15,000 to establish a library in Georgetown. Mr. Peabody believed that the only way to elevate oneself was through education. That was why he funded a library in Georgetown among dozens of other educational and cultural organizations throughout the United States. The Georgetown Branch Library’s Peabody Room was named in his honor in 1935 with the purpose to serve as a repository of Georgetown’s neighborhood history.

??The lectures begin at 6:30 p.m. each Thursday in May at the Peabody Room, located on the third floor of the Georgetown Branch Library, 3260 R Street, N.W. (corner of Wisconsin Avenue), Washington, D.C. For additional information contact Jerry A. McCoy, (202) 727-0233 or email jerry.mccoy@dc.gov.

??The line-up in May of Thursday, 6:30 p.m. author talks are:

??May 3, Garrett Peck, The Potomac River: A History and Guide

??May 10, John DeFerrari, Lost Washington, D.C.

??May 17, Michael Lee Pope, Hidden History of Alexandria, D.C.??

May 24, James H. Johnston, From Slave Ship to Harvard: Yarrow Mamout and the History of an African American Family

??May 31, David Mould, Remembering Georgetown: A History of the Lost Port City

Taxi Fares Increase April 21 by 44%
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The D.C. Taxicab Commission approved a fare hike of 44 percent, effective for most cabs in the city. The per-mile fare will go from $1.50 to $2.16, and the cost for idling will go from $15 to $25 per hour. The purpose of the increase is to bring cab revenues more in line with past fares, when a zone system was used as opposed to the present meter system.

Taxicab commission chairman Ron Linton told the Washington Post that the fare hike will take effect April 21, “but not all cabs will begin charging the new fares right away. Some will need to get their meters recalibrated.”

Still Talking: Zoning Panel Approves Extension
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The D.C. Zoning Commission approved a 60-day extension for comments for Georgetown University’s 2010-2020 Campus Plan.

Now in private discussions, local residents with university representatives asked for the extension, which now allows for testimony on the plan to be filed in the middle of June.

“We hope to come to some compromises on what the community needs and what the university needs,” Jennifer Altemus, president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, told the campus newspaper, the Hoya. “I think both of our sides are very clear on what we’ve been wanting out of the process, and hopefully if we work together we can make that happen. [Private meetings] haven’t been successful in the past, but we haven’t given up trying.”

Georgetown Garden Tour, May 5
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But, wait, there’s more . . . to see besides Georgetowners’ homes . . . like their gardens. The annual Georgetown Garden Tour of eight private gardens is set for Saturday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each garden presents a unique perspective on designing precious outdoor space in this historic neighborhood. The 2012 tour includes the magnificent gardens of the Bowie-Sevier house on Q Street as well as several other gardens, both intimate and grand.

Tickets are $30 before April 28 at www.georgetowngardentour.com. Tickets may also be purchased by mail: Georgetown Garden Tour 2012, 3313 P Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007 or by phone: 202-965-1950. Tour tickets are available at $35 the day of the event at any of the gardens or at Keith Hall, Christ Church, 3116 O Street, N.W.. A tea for ticket holders takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. at Keith Hall.

The Garden Tour is sponsored by the Georgetown Garden Club to benefit local organizations, with emphasis on the preservation of gardens, parks and green spaces. Past beneficiaries have included Book Hill Park, the Student Conservation Association at Montrose Park, Trees for Georgetown, Tudor Place gardens, the rose garden at Montrose Park, Rose Park and the Volta Park Habitat Garden.

The D.C. Emancipation Day Moment
• April 17, 2012

On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act. His signature 150 years ago freed 3,100 slaves within the nation’s capital and pushed forward the arc of freedom for all African-Americans. It is still felt to this day — especially this past week with D.C.’s sesquicentennial celebrations all around town.

Many of us began with a walk around the monuments at the National Mall, especially those of Lincoln and King, went to Frederick Douglass’s home in Anacostia, Lincoln’s Cottage at the Old Soldiers’ Home, and concerts at Lincoln Theatre. On the holiday itself, many enjoyed a parade, speeches and fireworks at Freedom Plaza. There was a brunch at the Hamilton Restaurant and a party at Lincoln Restaurant. Many in the District government have been pushing for making the holiday bigger, especially Councilmember Vincent Orange. They deserve our thanks.

At Georgetown University, a April 17 commemorative program instructed on the history of blacks, Union soldiers and contraband camps near D.C. If the federals seized slaves as wartime contraband, they had the start of a chance for freedom. We have mostly forgotten such details, and even that of the nearby university’s landmark tower, seen for miles around. It is named for Rev. Patrick Healy, S.J., Georgetown’s president in the 1870s, born of a bi-racial slave and Irish father. The young Healy would have been considered a slave except that his father send him north for his schooling.

These are stories that need to be re-told. We need to sing the African-American hymns anew as well. At one Sunday event, a black preacher said that some of us need to “break the bondage of slavery in our minds.” We have heard that before but it needs to be said again.

“We got to figure out ways to own this emancipation,” said Rev. Raymond Kemp, moderator of the Georgetown commemoration, where Mayor Vincent Gray also spoke. To that and all the other salutes to struggle and freedom, we say, “Amen.”

Theatre Shorts April 18 2012
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Theatre Shorts

D.C. Democratic Primary Results: Decidedly Status Quo
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The District of Columbia Primary Elections — at least for the city’s overwhelming number of registered Democrats — did not shake up the status quo. If voters were concerned about perceived ethical mistakes or miscues by the District Council, no one got called on it — perhaps not even at-large councilmember Vincent Orange, whose electoral results with repeat opponent Sekou Biddle seemed a replay of the 2011 special election. Several council members were asked about donations from contractor Jeffrey Thompson to their campaigns. Democrats may want to rock the vote, but they did not evidently want to rock the boat.

In the end, it was good to be an incumbent for everybody: at last count, Orange led challenger Sekou Biddle by 543 votes for an at-large District Council seat. Unofficial Board of Elections numbers as of April 3 were: Orange, 21,237; Biddle, 20,694. With almost all votes counted, Orange appears to have won by 1.02 percent (39.77 to 38.75), which may be enough. (A candidate’s lead must be at least one percent to avoid an automatic recount.) Peter Shapiro grabbed 10.51 percent of the vote; E. Gail Anderson Holness, 7.254 percent. There were 1,614 undervotes, i.e., no votes, as well as 335 write-ins.

All of the voting precincts have reported in, including earlier votes, while more than 3,830 absentee and provisional ballots have not yet been counted — at least that amount had been requested; the number of returns is uncertain. All votes will be counted by Friday, April 13, and then certified on April 18.

Most of Orange’s votes came from Wards 8, 7, 6 and 5, while Biddle (who finished third in the 2011 election behind Republican Patrick Mara), got most of his votes in Wards 3 and 2 — that includes Georgetown.

Indeed, a black-and-white tale is told by the mirror-image votes of Ward 2, which went for Biddle, and Ward 8, which went for Orange — roughly 63 to 12 percent in both cases.

Meanwhile, some folks who were imagining ominous signs for Ward 8’s forever political leader Marion Barry were imagining in a major and mistaken manner. Barry swept aside several challengers with ease, winning 72.5 percent of the vote, and simultaneously blazed new Twitter frontiers for himself and his peeps with his election night comments. Other incumbents also did well: Muriel Bowser swept to victory with 65.39 percent in Ward 4, and Yvonne Alexander held up strongly in Ward 7 with 41.9 percent as her two top challengers—Tom Brown and Kevin B. Chavous split the vote, getting 22.45 percent and 21.42 percent, respectively.

Georgetown’s Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans ran unopposed.

The general election is on Nov. 6.

The District of Columbia Board of Elections & Ethics website displays all the latest election results: DCBOEE.org.

Weekend Roundup April 12,2012
• April 16, 2012

DC Design House

April 13th, 2012 at 12:00 PM | $20 | Event Website

DC Design House opens to the public for tours April 14- May 13

Times vary, so check website!

Address

4951 Rockwood Parkway, NW

Washington, DC

Many Moves One Movement: A Multilingual Dance, Music and Art Celebration

April 13th, 2012 at 07:30 PM

April is Language Access Month in Dc and to celebrate, Many Languages One Voice is hosting Many Moves One Movement, an evening of dance and music performances that reflect DC’s diverse immigrant communities. Performances: Ethiopian coffee ceremony, son jarocho, samba, salsa, a film about Chinatown’s senior community, traditional Hawaiian, Japanese and West African dances. Event will include Caribbean, Ethiopian, and Vietnamese food, local art, and a silent auction.

Address

BloomBars

3222 11th St, NW

Washington, D.C.

National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade

April 14th, 2012 at 10:00 AM | $20 for grandstand seating, free along parade route | parade@downtowndc.org | Tel: 877.442.5666 | Event Website

Lavish floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, and performers burst down the historic avenue in an energy-filled spectacle of music and showmanship seen only once a year during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Address

Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets, NW

U.S. NAVY MEMORIAL HOSTS 21ST ANNUAL “BLESSING OF THE FLEETS

April 14th, 2012 at 01:00 PM | Free | mweber@navymemorial.org | Tel: (202) 380-0723 | Event Website

The centuries-old “Blessing of the Fleets” ceremony is intended to safeguard crews and ships from the danger of the seas through a traditional blessing given by a clergyman at the water’s edge.
The Blessing of the Fleets’ highlight occurs when Sailors from the U.S. Navy’s Ceremonial Guard proceed across the Memorial Plaza’s “Granite Sea” to pour water from the Seven Seas and the Great Lakes into the surrounding fountains, “charging” them to life and ushering in the spring season.

Address

701 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest Washington D.C., DC 20004

FotoDC National Cherry Blossom Photo Contest 2012

April 15th, 2012 at 12:00 AM | 6.95-12.95 | Tel: 202.337.FOTO | Event Website

Grab your camera and catch Washington “in the pink!” FotoDC and the National Cherry Blossom Festival present the second annual Photography
Contest honoring the 100-year anniversary of DC’s beloved gift.

Show a side of The Blossoms this city’s never seen before. Find endless inspiration at the Cherry Blossom Festival. Capture a moment thousands of residents and visitors will remember. Enter the contest and your work just might blossom!

Address

1838 Colombia Road NW,

Washington DC, 20009

Preview Night Benefit Smithsonian Craft Show and Sale

April 18th, 2012 at 06:30 PM | $200, tickets by advance reservation | austrpr@si.edu | Tel: 888-832-9554 | Event Website

Cocktail Buffet, First Choice Shopping, Meet the Artists, Jazz by the John Paul Ensemble.

The Craft Show and Sale is widely regarded as the country’s most prestigious juried show and sale of fine American craft.

Address

The National Building Museum

401 F Street, NW.

Washington, DC 20001

Christ Church Art Show and Sale

April 27th, 2012 at 05:00 PM | Event Website

The annual Christ Church, Georgetown, Art Show and Sale is coming up on April 27, 28, and 29 in Keith Hall. The opening reception is on Friday, April 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The show and sale continues on Saturday, April 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and on Sunday April 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Artists contribute at least 50% of all sales to Christ Church, and the proceeds are used to expand parish outreach.

Address

Christ Church Georgetown

31st and O Streets

‘American Stories’: It’s All About Us
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“American Stories,” the newest signature exhibition at the National Museum of American History opened today and shows and tells the stories of Americans from the 1600s to the 2000s, beginning with wampum and a piece of Plymouth Rock to Apolo Ohmo’s ice skates and the 2008 presidential election.

At the show’s entrance visitors are greeted by Dorothy’s red ruby shoes from the movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” The show flows in a circle with interactive screens in the center near a video camera used by a French film crew at Sept. 11, 2001, in downtown Manhattan.

The historical objects tell “the tales from e pluribus unum,” said the museum’s interim director Marc Pachter at the preview opening. “There are millions of untold stories out there.”

There are items that belonged to Benjamin Franklin as well as a jacket worn by singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and Archie Bunker’s chair from the TV show, “All in the Family.” The profoundly historic mixes with the everyday and mythic. “The power of the ruby slippers is real,” Pachter said.

The 5,300-square-feet exhibition displays a fraction of the Smithsonian’s holding to “examine the manner in which culture, politics, economics, science, technology, and the peopling of the United States have shaped the country over the decades,” according to a museum statement. “Dedicated spaces throughout will regularly feature new acquisitions to give a more inclusive representation of the experiences of all Americans.”

Highlights include the following objects:

= a fragment of Plymouth Rock

= a section of the first transatlantic telegraph cable

= a sunstone capital from the Latter-day Saints temple at Nauvoo, Illinois

= the ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz”

= baseballs used by Babe Ruth and Sam Streeter

= a Kermit the Frog puppet

= clothing artifacts, including a “quinceañera” gown worn for a 15th-birthday celebration

= Apolo Ohno’s speed skates from the 2002 Winter Olympics [gallery ids="100731,121334,121285,121326,121295,121319,121304,121313" nav="thumbs"]