When I was in Washington D.C. for a week, my inner patriot and historian sides emerged as I walked down each street with hundreds of historical figures and symbols marking the sides of where I walked. This photo essay will consist of photos I believe really capture the historical ambiance of Washington D.C. Throughout the week, I visited national landmarks such as the U.S. Capitol building, the National Museum of African Art; The Memorials of Thomas Jefferson George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln; The National Air and Space Museum; and the World War II Memorial. Each area gave me a piece of historical information that allowed me to have my eyes opened to the past, present, and future of America and I hope that looking at these photos inspire you to take a nice trip north to Washington D.C., to get a feel of an amazing atmosphere and indulge yourself in numerous historical activities.
The U.S. Capitol building was constructed in 1973 and since has been built, burnt, rebuilt and restored. Inside it’s extravagant exterior, the U.S. Capitol Building provides a place for the Senate and the House of Representatives to come together to discuss national policy (Hunter, 2016).
Thomas Jefferson Memorial situated as a hidden treasure. Jefferson was the third U.S. president, who was active from 1801-1809. In that time, Jefferson limited the growth of the federal government and reduced the nation’s debt (Hunter, 2016).
Painting inspired by Apollo 11 – the spaceflight that landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, on the Moon in 1969. The two astronauts were the first to have landed on and to have brought back samples from another planetary body (Hunter, 2016).
The National Museum of African Art is the only kind in the U.S. dedicated solely to the collections and exhibitions of art from the entire continent of Africa (Hunter, 2016).
Abraham Lincoln Memorial set atop a hill in Washington D.C. The 16th U.S. president helped to abolish slavery and fought for things many had opposed (Hunter, 2016).
Abraham “Honest Abe” Lincoln Memorial. The inscription above the statue reads: “In this temple, as in the hearts of the people, for whom he saved in the union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever” (Hunter, 2016).
The inscription reads “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that”, which is a quote Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. had said in 1963. King was the face of the Civil Rights Movement from 1954 until he was assassinated in 1968 (Hunter, 2016).
The George Washington Memorial stands at 555 feet tall. George Washington was the nation’s first president from 1789 to 1797. He was one the Founding Fathers (Hunter, 2016).
A statue of former U.S. President Ronald Wilson Reagan standing in front of an airports, respectively named after him. Reagan served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 (Hunter, 2016).
World War II Memorial. Also known as the Second War, World War II was one of the deadliest wars due to the Holocaust, bombing of Hiroshima, Japan; Nagasaki, Japan; and Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and many other tragic turning points that went on from 1939-1945 (Hunter, 2016).
Pearl Harbor Memorial wall has an inscription of former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt heartfelt verbal speech regarding the Pearl Harbor Bombing. The inscription reads: “December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy…No matter how long it may take us to overcome the premeditated invasion the American people, in their righteous right, will win through the absolute victory” (Hunter, 2016).
Statue of James Abraham Garfield, the 20th President of the United States. Garfield’s presidency began March 4, 1981 and ended with his assassination on September 19, 1981 (Hunter, 2016).
In the week I spent in Washington D.C. I learned so much more than what my history teachers have taught me. When you are here, you see the buildings, you see the names, you hear the silence, you feel sad, happy, forgiving, and you stand in remembrance of the nation’s past. So if you are an American, I would strongly advise you to take even just one day to be in Washington D.C. and experience our nation’s history.
je suis 