Thanks to Crystal for sending from Broome Jr High school (Rockville, MD)!

If you have a photo of a neat find from your house, place of work or neighborhood please send an email to [email protected] thanks. Please let me know where/what neighborhood you found it in too. Thanks.

Spotted this guy in Dupont: Read More

photo by Elvert Barnes

From the office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton:

“Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced the Paul Laurence Dunbar Commemorative Coin Act to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint 50,000 five-dollar coins, 400,000 one-dollar coins and 750,000 half-dollar coins in recognition of Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the first influential African American poets in American literature. Read More

1331 14th Street, NW

In mid February we posted that the Monarch Novelties building had been marked vacant (those green stickers) on 14th Street. Thanks to Chris and Mark for sending the latest: Read More

1100 block of 16th Street, NW

Thanks to a reader for sending:

“DC Council is also looking to adopt the Durbin bill, which renames a street near the Russian Ambassador’s residence after Alexei Navalny.”

Stay tuned for a possible more permanent sign…

From a press release:

“On Sunday, March 3, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Ambar Shaw, located at 1547 7th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. will host a book signing cocktail party for author Travis Mitchell. The ticket to attend the event includes two Ambar cocktails which are featured in his new book, DC Cocktails, as well as a copy of the book. Guests will meet author Travis Mitchell at the reception and can have him personalize their book. Tickets are $36 per person, excluding tax and gratuity, and can be purchased here.

Travis Mitchell is a DC-based food and drink writer, Read More

1701 14th Street, NW

Thanks to Kim for sending: “appeared overnight at the Liz (14th and R)
#goodbyemoney”

Pretty cool historical note about the location on their website: Read More

Reuben Jackson via Alan Squire Publishing

Thanks to Katie for sharing the super sad news about Reuben Jackson’s recent passing earlier this month.

On a personal note I have to say that this news has hit my very hard. Most people don’t know this but Reuben was a reader, supporter and occasional contributor to PoPville from the very early Prince of Petworth days. And when I say supporter I mean Reuben gave me strength in the very early days when I was filled with doubts. Reuben always gave me words of encouragement and urged me to keep doing what I was doing. Simply, Reuben was the best. He reached out to me after the pandemic to say hi, and I said hi. But I wish I had said so much more. Don’t we always. I’ll say it now – thank you Reuben. Thank you for your words, your voice and your friendship. You will be missed.

About Reuben’s words. Here’s what he wrote to us back in 2009:

“I am not sure I would call these “haiku”. In fact, I would not. They are 17 syllable “poems” looking at a side of this city (Washington, DC) which increasingly nags at me (to say the least). I am trying to do something with the very “Southern” aspects of life here-aspects which so-called home rule (etc.) has not changed. Finally, they are the -ahem-ahem- “musings” of a middle aged black man trying to come to grips with the tension, changes, what have you in what my Mom accurately dubbed a “big-small Southern town”.

I.

Spanish music plays
in buildings where James Brown ruled
Throbbing stereos.

II.

Followed in bookstores
Mocked by gangsta wannabees
Where do I fit in?

III.

Why would you leave here?
A childhood friend inquired
Through a toothless smile.

IV.

Men I’ve known since birth
Baby sit ragged corners
Under served by life.

V.

Girl with Whole Foods bag
Receives suspicious glances
“She must think she white.!”

VI.

Disdainful glances
Hurled at a new white neighbor.
Soon there will be more.

VII.

Parents left me here.
Is it too late to get out?
Dream on the down-low.

VIII.

Politicians flock
Like self important peacocks.
Shopping mall- at last!

IX.

Take a crosstown bus
If you dream of salad bars
And sit-down cafes.”

Katie and felow poets say that “his Trayvon Martin poem, For Trayvon Martin, is one of his best”: Read More

1331 14th Street, NW

“Dear PoPville,

Monarch Novelties marked vacant on 14th. I wonder what is in store for this space’s future?”

I wouldn’t be surprised if they just need to make a property tax payment but has anyone heard anything else otherwise?

20th/New Hampshire and O Street, NW

Somehow I had been mixing up parks. Thanks to Nora for setting me straight about the Sonny Bono plaque!! In full effect: Read More