Posts by Jane Levey

HITT Contracting, Inc. to Receive His...

September 20, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

HITT Contracting, Inc. is this year’s Distinction in Corporate Achievement recipient at the Historical Society’s annual Making D.C. History Awards gala. HITT’s signature block-letter logo is easily recognized by the city’s residents. And for good reason. HITT has been responsible for numerous notable, large-scale projects, such as ABC Nationa [...]

Central Union Mission to Receive Hist...

September 19, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

Central Union Mission, the 134-year-old supporter of D.C.’s needy, will receive this year’s “Distinction in Social Service” at the Making D.C. History Awards on September 20. The non-profit institution offers an emergency rescue shelter, rehabilitative and job training programs, retreats for underprivileged children, and much more to Washingt [...]

Drew and Jarvis Families to Receive H...

September 7, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. is proud to announce that the Drew and Jarvis Families will receive this year’s “Legacy Families of Washington, D.C.” distinction at the Making D.C. History Awards. Accepting this award on behalf of the families is fourth-generation Washingtonian and former City Councilmember Charlene Drew Jarvis. Af [...]

Akridge to Receive History Award

August 29, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

John “Chip” Akridge, founder of Akridge The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. is proud to celebrate Akridge, this year’s Distinction in Historic Preservation recipient for the 2018 Annual Making D.C. History Awards. Founded by John “Chip” Akridge in 1974, the commercial real estate company has developed or managed more than 14 million sq [...]

Washington History Highlights: Malgor...

August 2, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

Historian. Advocate. Curator. Mentor. Writer. Dog Lover. These are just a few adjectives to describe Dr. Malgorzata J. Rymsza-Pawlowska, who contributed “Envisioning Community: The Struggle to Preserve Cleveland Park, 1978-2018” to the latest issue of Washington History. Her essay examines how Cleveland Park residents fought in favor of small [...]

Emily’s Posts: A City of Hope

July 13, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

“We’re going to build this city… a community of love and brotherhood. The American Indians, Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans, white poor Americans from the Appalachian area of our country, and black Americans will all live together here in this city of hope.” — Rev. Ralph Abernathy, May 13, 1968 After writing about the Smithsonian Ana [...]

Washington History Highlights: Crafti...

June 25, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

Last week we sat down with Matt Dembicki who inaugurated a new feature in Washington History with a historical comic. He fearlessly took on the challenge of developing a storyline about Mayor Walter E. Washington’s leadership during the civil disturbances of 1968. Only instead of a word count, he was limited to drawing inside a single box. Ta [...]

Gillette Receives Visionary Historian...

June 14, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

On Thursday, May 10, the Historical Society added Howard Gillette to the roster of Visionary Historians, joining Kathryn Schneider Smith, Dr. James M. Goode, Lonnie Bunch III, and Dr. Frank Smith. Historian Howard F. Gillette, Jr., has combined distinguished scholarship with active public service throughout his career. In 2011 when he became [...]

Emily’s Posts: A Right to the City

May 25, 2018 Written by Jane Levey

Welcome to my very first installment of Emily’s Posts! Part of my new job as the social media coordinator for the Historical Society is to take really cool field trips (a real hardship, I know) and let our blog readers know what’s going on in the world of D.C. history. I’m writing today to tell you that the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Mus [...]

Robert H. McNeill (1917-2005)

December 8, 2017 Written by Jane Levey

Self-portrait of Robert McNeill. Courtesy of Susan McNeill. December 19, 2017, marks the centennial of the birth of photographer Robert H. McNeill. Pictured here in a self-portrait from 1940, McNeill was born in Washington, D.C., in 1917. Known for his crisp photographs of life in Washington, McNeill forged an expansive career. He was lauded [...]