Tim Wright

May 30, 2023

exhibitions, museums

Exhibition Spotlight: Afrofuturism

Tim Wright

May 30, 2023

exhibitions, museums

Surprisingly, one of the more intriguing parts of my recent visit to the Afrofuturism exhibition was the exhibition booklet. Typically, the exhibitors booklet --if there even is one-- is a mostly ephemeral folded pamphlet with obligatory, but duplicate information. I will usually pick one up whenever I first enter a new exhibition, but if it looks like I won't get anything out to it, I put it back in the rack for the next person.

Not so with Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures. Just as the NMAAHC has done with their exhibition websites, they have created a booklet that compliments and extends your experience beyond exhibition. It is deemed a "Cosmic Companion" and that rings true.

The booklet helps you plan your walk through the exhibitors with "Discover Treks," offers prompts and questions to enhance your visit beyond the objects, and even offers tips on how to interact with the museum itself; from defining the word "object" wo helping you manage the time you have to see it all. I really loved the booklet and have been flipping through it the past few days admiring the work that went into it.

As for the exhibition itself, it is a vast, but also focused on the evolving concept of Afrofuturism. Yes, it does concern the future, but also the past. It posits past and present struggles for freedom as afrofuturist in nature; reimagining a future of freedom and autonomy.

The exhibition delves into multiple disciplines such as music, movies, television shows, literature, comics, commentary, and poetry.

The objects and displays are broken up into three "Zones" -- 1) The History of Black Futures 2) New Black Futures 3) Infinite Possibilites. In between the Zones are "Portals," a tiny transitional story to the next section. There is even a looping replay of Gil Scott-Heron's "Whitey on the Moon" looping in one of the portals. Love it.

It's a vast exhibition that explores multiple aspects of what "future" has meant, and could mean as concept. This is a great follow up to the Smithsonian's FUTURES exhibition last summer at the Arts & Industries Building.

Afrofuturism will be open for exactly one year: March 24, 2023 - March 24, 2024. It's located on Concourse Level C1, the first thing you see on the left after talking the escalator from the ground level down to the lower level exhibitions.

Reserve tickets to the Museum here (link).

Tim Wright

February 3, 2021

neighborhoods, history, design

True Reformers: From Alabama to U Street

Tim Wright

February 3, 2021

neighborhoods, history, design

Even before Industrial Bank or Southern Aid Society provided capital, financial services, and insurance plans for Black businesses on U Street, a fraternal organization by the name of True Reformers arrived from Richmond, Virginia to help lay the foundation of what would become Black Broadway.

By the time this building at 1200 U Street NW was dedicated in 1903, the Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers was already one of the most successful Black owned enterprises in the United States.

The origins of the Three Reformers date back to temperance and William Washington Browne. Browne born as an enslaved person in Georgia. During the Civil War, he fought for the Union and after the war became a teacher. He grew to believe that alcohol was the great hindrance to Black wealth and vitality. Not surprisingly, even temperance organizations were segregated. Browne attempted to join the all white Alabama temperance society, Good Templars in 1874. They refused, but helped Browne charter Black chapters across the state under the name Grand Fountain. Browne became the leader of Grand Fountain and grew the chapters throughout and then beyond Alabama, fairly quickly.

Browne was invited to start a similar group in Richmond, Virginia in 1876. There, the mission evolved and expanded. By 1880, the Reformers group in Richmond had become much more than a temperance society. It had evolved into a self-help and mutual benefit organization with the goal of enabling Black members to live without help from the White community. That meant creating Black-focused services such as banking, insurance, and others restricted, segregated industries.

The Savings Bank of the Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers opened in 1888 and was the first Black owned and Black operated financial institution to be chartered in the nation. It was so successful that during the Panic of 1893, they were the only Richmond bank that continued to honor checks. From there, Grand Fountain expanded their financial services offerings over the next quarter century to become arguably the most influential institution for Black commerce nationwide. Browne passed away of cancer in 1897, but by then the True Reformers was a self-sustaining organization with membership in the thousands.

In 1903 the True Reformers’ newly opened structure in Washington at 1200 U Street NW was America’s first to be solely owned by, financed by, designed by, and constructed by African Americans since Reconstruction. They offered a multitude of amenities and services to Black people in DC. Conference rooms, leased office space, a performance hall, and street level retail were all part of the vast offerings beyond financial services.

One of the first businesses to lease space on the ground level was Fountain Pharmacy, opening in 1905. For 12 years, the Fountain was operated by Dr. Amanda Gray who started her own business after graduating from Howard University and working as a pharmacist at the Woman’s Clinic, a care facility located, at the time, near 13th and T Streets NW.

Medical directory produced by Fountain Pharmacy. (Library of Congress)

Article about Dr. Gray in Pharmaceutical Era journal c. 1912. (Library of Congress) — Article about Dr. Gray in *Pharmaceutical Era* journal c. 1912. (Library of Congress)

Dr. Gray is thought to have been the first Black woman to own and operate a pharmacy in the city. Her store in the True Reformer building offered additional services such as laundry, mail, and even housed a telegraph office. Dr. Gray also produced a directory of emergency medical services in the city. Dr. Gray ran the Fountain Pharmacy until the death of her husband and fellow pharmacist Arthur in 1917.

During the fledgling first few years of what would become the “Black Broadway” era on U Street, the True Reformer building became known for hosting jazz concerts popular with both youth and adults.

In 1916 a young Duke Ellington played some of his first shows for money inside the rooms of True Reformer Hall, as it was colloquially known, thereby making him a professional musician. Just a year later in 1917, the True Reformers sold the building to the Knights of Pythias, who officially renamed it Pythias Hall, but the old name persists to this day.

Somewhat fittingly, the building is now home to the Public Welfare Foundation, a grant-making organization focused on social justice issues in the United States.

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True Reformer building c. 1990s with its sole tenant, a Duron Paints store. (Library of Congress)

Read more:
William Washington Browne and the True Reformers of Richmond, Virginia | JSTOR
A Family of Pharmacists | Library of Congress
William Washington Browne | Library of Virginia
Public Welfare Foundation | Public Welfare Foundation

Tim Wright

August 14, 2020

Alethia Tanner Park: Beautiful Green Space, Incredible Namesake

Tim Wright

August 14, 2020

Walking over a rain garden in Alethia Tanner Park.

Alethia Tanner Park is one of the two newer parks in the NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood. I actually consider this park to be in the adjacent Eckington neighborhood, not NoMa. However, this is all within the boundaries of the official NoMa Business Improvement District, so it makes sense. But I digress. Residents of NoMa selected Tanner as the namesake for the park from among several candidates, with Tanner garnering over 60% of votes.

Just a few acres in size, the park is a solid one. Among the amenities thoughtfully arranged in such a small are area: a wide grassy expanse with partial tree cover, an informal pavilion with rigging for events, small picnic table section, enclosed playground area for families, separate dog park and relief area (fenced!), and bike parking with a bike maintenance tower. All this, plus the park accessible directly from the Metropolitan Branch Trail, a pedestrian and bike path running alongside the rails in Northeast DC. I highly recommend a visit!

Back to Alethia Tanner, though. Who was she? Let’s take a look.

Alethia Browning Tanner

Alethia Browning Tanner was born as an enslaved person on the Pratt plantation in Prince George's County, Maryland. Alethia and her sister were allowed a plot of land to grow vegetables for their families. In addition, Rachel Pratt also allowed the sisters to sell those vegetables on the streets of Alexandria City and Washington in the District of Columbia. The Pratt name may be familiar. Thomas Pratt, the son of Rachel Pratt, went on to become the 27th Governor of Maryland.

Alethia sold vegetables at the well known market just north of the White House in Presidents Park (now known as Lafayette Park). It is possible --and probable-- she met Thomas Jefferson there as he was known to frequent the vegetable markets there along with other prominent early Washingtonians. There are also White House records suggesting she worked for Thomas Jefferson in some capacity, likely doing various housework tasks.

Document for medical services for workers in Thomas Jefferson’s White House, including “Lethe,” likely Alethia Tanner. Via White House Historical Society. — Invoice for medical services provided to workers in Thomas Jefferson’s White House, including an entry for “Lethe,” likely Alethia Tanner. (*White House Historical Association*)

Tanner saved enough to purchase her own freedom in 1810. The total amount, thought to have been paid in installments, was $1,400. In 1810, $1,400 was a significant amount; about the equivalent of three years' earnings for an average skilled tradesperson. Self-emancipation was not an option for all enslaved peoples, but both Alethia and her sister Sophia were able to accomplish this, almost entirely though selling vegetables at the market. Alethia Tanner moved to DC and became one of a significant and growing number of free Black people in the District. In 1800 there were 793 free Black people living in DC. By 1810, there were 2,549, and by 1860, 11,131 free Black people lived in DC, more than the number of enslaved peoples.

Starting at about 15 years after securing her own manumission, Alethia Tanner worked to purchase the freedom of more than 20 of her relatives and neighbors; mostly the family of her older sister Laurana including Laurana herself, her children, and her grandchildren. All in all, Tanner would have paid the Pratt family well over $5,000. All of this was done with proceeds from her own vegetable market business. Even after her family and friends were emancipated, Tanner continued to provide services. For example, she paid monthly to keep her nephews enrolled in a newly formed DC school for Black children. One of those nephews, John Cook, became shoemaker's apprentice for the express purpose of repaying Alethia for his emancipation and schooling. An older and more experienced John returned years later to run the school for Black children he earlier attended.

Alethia Tanner also lived near the White House, near what is now the corner of 14th and H Streets NW, not far from where her market was located. She was very much involved in the burgeoning Black culture among free and enslaved peoples in DC and was well known in the community. As one of the founders of what is now known as Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church (M Street NW), she left a lasting mark on Black DC culture from religion to education.

She ran the market through the early 1850s and remained active in DC until her death in 1864, outliving a number of her own relatives from younger generations. Much of what we know about her life came from an official 1870 Congressional Report to the House of Representatives from Henry Barnard, the commissioner of education in Washington, DC. Barnard recounted her philanthropic and organizing efforts to further education for Black children in DC throughout her life and wanted it to be put on record.

Alethia Tanner Park is located at 227 Harry Thomas Way NE, near the corner of Harry Thomas Way and Q Street. It can also be accessed by foot or bike via the Metropolitan Branch Trail, just north of the Florida Ave entrances.

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