Modern Journalism Began with the Civil War
How the Civil War gave birth to modern journalism in the nation’s capital
The life of a newspaper correspondent in pre-Civil War Washington was marked by insultingly low wages, uncertain job security and frequent charges of inaccurate or biased reporting.
So, in a way, not much has changed in 150 years.
But the onset of the conflict in 1861 acted like a spike of adrenaline for the city’s journalists.
Read more of the article at How the Civil War gave birth to modern journalism in the nation’s capital – The Washington Post.
Story by Paul Farhi – The Washington Post; Photo from the National Archives
A family’s hidden history is revealed after sale of their grand Georgetown estate
The Evermay estate in the Georgetown neighbourhood of Washington, D.C., was built in 1801 for Samuel Davidson. Samuel Davidson provided the land for the construction of the White House. The house was purchased by Ferdinand Lammot “Mot” Belin, the future US Ambassador to Poland in the 1930s and has been in the Belin family since. In May, the house was sold by Mot Belin’s grandson, Harry Belin and now Harry is discovering the story of his family that he never knew. In an article in The Washington Post, Ian Shapria reports on what Harry found out.
The weather for Peter Belin’s flight home from Europe was largely serene. It was early in May 1937, and as touchdown in New Jersey approached, the recent Yale graduate snapped
photos of the airport’s three-story hangar, the ground crew, and the stark, oval shadow of his mode of transportation, the Hindenburg zeppelin.
Moments later, after the crew flung down the landing ropes, an explosion rocked the Hindenburg’s rear. Peter grabbed his things — his datebook, his camera — and leapt from the doomed craft. He survived the 30-foot plunge.
Soon, he returned to his family home in Georgetown, a magnificent estate known as Evermay, perched on a rise with a view of the Washington Monument and Rock Creek Park. Peter didn’t talk much about the Hindenburg, because that was the Belin way: Don’t draw attention to yourself; don’t be showy.
Read the rest of the story at A family’s hidden history is revealed after sale of their grand Georgetown estate – The Washington Post.
African American history sites are plentiful in Washington
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial is attracting all the fanfare this week. But just 
outside the spotlight, in Washington and its surroundings, there are dozens of houses, museums and other sites that reflect the history of African Americans in this capital city and the country.
Some places boast a large historical footprint, such as the U.S. Supreme Court on Capitol Hill, where Thurgood Marshall argued 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education . The case ended in the landmark decision that declared segregated schools unconstitutional. Others offer more backstory to the story of race in America, such as the home of Carter G. Woodson, known as the “father of African American history.” Located at 1538 Ninth St. NW and recently acquired by the National Park Service, the house will eventually be restored and opened to the public.)
Read More at African American history sites are plentiful in Washington – The Washington Post.
Story by Emily Wax & Jessica Goldstein – The Washington Post
Posted in Historic Travel Destinations | 
Black History, Historic Travel Destinations, US, Washington DC | 
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