Now, We See You!
DC Oral History Collaborative
Three weeks ago, I was excited to receive a grant from HumanitiesDC for my Oral History Project, Now We See You. I’ve witnessed DC’s rapid transformation over the past twenty years and wanted to document these changes for posterity by speaking to the people most affected. However, I wasn’t sure how or where to start. That’s why I’m looking forward to the training this grant would provide as an oral historian, along with the resources and possibilities it would open up.
This project seeks to uncover what is missing in the spaces that make up DC’s transforming neighborhoods, what has replaced them, and how these changes have impacted the community.
Now We See You was inspired by the George Bellows painting The Lone Tenement at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, DC. When I first saw the piece six years ago, I was struck by the light emanating from it, punctuated by the sound of the chu-chu coming from the steam engine boat on the right. Sadly, I failed to notice the lone building smack in the center of the painting and the black-clothed figures scattered under the bridge.
Although partially visible in the painting, the newly constructed Queensboro bridge, linking Queens with Manhattan, casts a shadow over the lone tenement, relegating it to the background. The bridge plays an key role in the scene. It serves as a metaphor for urban development, an overarching theme I want to explore in my Oral History Project.
The scene in the Lone Tenement reflects the promise of commercial transformation during the Industrial Revolution, and the potential benefits of technological advancement and urban development. However, this progress often comes at a steep cost, disproportionately impacting marginalized and minority communities. Urban development, or its more ugly term, “gentrification,” usually results in erasure; a loss of culture, communities, and ways of life.
As I learned more about the painting’s history, I was shocked to learn that the vast space under the bridge once housed rows of tenements filled with immigrant communities striving to make their way in New York City. The removal of the tenements was hailed as progress, as they were considered a scourge on society.
While the Queensboro Bridge facilitated the movement of people and goods, we can’t deny it ultimately resulted in the displacement and erasure of communities. I am particularly interested in exploring these two themes in my Oral History Project as I consider DC’s transforming neighborhoods.
This begs the question; How do we balance the fruits of progress with its losses? Who gets left behind? What is erased, and what takes it place? Can we create markers that give evidence of the lives of the people that once existed in these spaces?
Interestingly, the lone tenement depicted in the painting no longer existed by the time Bellows was working on the piece. For me, the painting serves as a memorial of those tenement communities, which is what I find so powerful about it.
Three years after seeing this painting, I was on a walk along H Street NE. Seeing its transformation — the signage of new stores, renovated homes, and trendy cafes sprouting up — ignited a desire to capture the stories of the people who once lived there and in similar neighborhoods across DC, many of whom have been displaced due to gentrification. In the words of Elif Shafak, I consider them to be “memory bearers” of our collective past. By understanding these stories we can connect our city’s rich history to our present moments
I recently reviewed the art installation, Centuries, by artist Nekisha Durett at the K Street underpass in NOMA, which rekindled my interest in hidden histories. The underpass had once been an encampment for homeless people. Despite living in DC for twenty years, researching its history and the city’s goals for redevelopment made me realize there were multiple perspectives on the issue of redevelopment. It’s a complex topic fraught with strong viewpoints and rushing emotions.
My Project, Now We See You, seeks to explore these perspectives. I also want to understand the cultural shifts emerging from urban redevelopment. For example, what do we mean when we say a neighborhood has lost its character? What do we mean when we say that a community no longer has a sense of belonging? Or when a resident shares that she knows of her neighbors but does not know them! What does this tell us about the changing dynamics within DC’s neighborhoods?
The stories captured will be housed at the People’s archive at DC Public Library, ensuring they are accessible to all. Our initial focus will be the Columbia Heights neighborhood. This area has undergone rapid changes over the last twenty years. Please comment below, if you’re interested in learning more or getting involved. Your voice is important! As the project evolves, I will share more information on this blog.
This project is supported by a grant from HumanitiesDC, which is partly funded by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
The DC Oral History Collaborative is a partnership between HumanitiesDC and the DC Public Libraries
