From the Collection

On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will make history as the first black man to occupy the White House as President of the United States. However, African-Americans have been part of history of the White House, the Capitol building, and other national institutions since the founding of the District of Columbia. Unfortunately, their achievements have often been forgotten or ignored. This book, a combination history book and travel guide, remedies that situation with facts and stories about the people, places, and events associated with the black history of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. It also provides information on where to find artwork and monuments honoring African-Americans and describes the black history museums and memorials scheduled to open in the future (such as the National Museum of African-American History and Culture). The bibliography will be useful to students searching for further information on the contributions of black people in creating our nation's capital.

Take a Look

What does the housing crisis have to do with the turmoil on Wall Street? Why did banks make half-million dollar loans to people without jobs or income? And why is everyone talking so much about the 1930s? Adam Davidson and Alex Blumberg of the radio show This American Life explain the housing crisis in a program intended for the average person. To listen to streaming audio or download a transcript at the This American Life website, click here.

Adam Davidson and Alex Blumberg of This American Life explain the current crisis on Wall Street, including how it arose, how it might spread globally, and what this might mean for average people. They also discuss what regulators could have done to prevent the situation from happening in the first place and whether the federal bail-out is a good idea. To listen to streaming audio at the This American Life website, click here.