Take a left off of the Anacostia Freeway on to Firth Sterling Ave – what do you see? You see empty fields. You see shiny new buildings just breaking ground. Construction equipment. Sweeping views of the capital. As one community member states in this film, if you are a developer, you see a gold mine. But these empty fields hold powerful memories. Enslaved people once worked this land. Later, during Reconstruction, formerly enslaved individuals purchased it, and built one of DC’s first thriving Black communities.
Here, the city constructed a sprawling public housing complex in the 1940s, beloved by insiders, if notorious to outsiders. Here, the movement for Welfare Rights took shape. Here, the Junkyard Band honed its chops on homemade instruments before putting a turbocharge into the city’s Go-Go music. Here, residents lived in the Barry Farms Dwellings up until 2019, when the final community members were removed for the redevelopment. This documentary film, a collaboration between the Bertelsmann Foundation and the DC Legacy Project, tells a story of a journey for community, land, and for justice. It is a story of Barry Farm, but it is also a story of Washington, DC. And, in the cycles of place and displacement, it is a story of the United States of America. Join us on January 31, 2023 for a 51-minute documentary showing and a talk-back with the film creators: Sabiyha Prince, Sarah Shoenfeld and Samuel George.
Space is very limited for this event and registration is required. This is a DCPL Members-only event. Note that you need to be signed in to your Neon account in order to successfully register. Not a member? Become one here or during registration.
Information about accessibility, parking, and general event protocol will be emailed to registrants for their convenience. Please note that masks will be required inside of the Octagon Museum during this event.
Contact DCPL's Programs Manager Shae Corey with any questions: shae@dcpreservation.org | 202-783-5596
Tuesday, January 31st, 6:00pm - 7:30pm EDT
In-Person at the Octagon Museum
Register: https://dcpreservation.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/dcpreservation/event.jsp?event=270&