Friday's Photo of the Week . 13 July 2007

Adrian Krygowski & Mohamed El-faki . Street Musicians

Dupont Circle - Washington DC - Sunday, 08 July 2007

2007 Fridays' Photos of the Week

John Wojnowski of Vatican Hides Pedophiles

When 15 year old John Wojnowski was sexually molested by a Catholic priest in Italy, in 1958, the experience was so traumatizing that he repressed it for many years.

39 years later, at the age of 54, news of a Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal in Texas started the recovery of his memory and an awareness of the damage that had been done.

After becoming aware of the damage, Wojnowski wrote to the Vatican Embassy. When they ignored his letter he began, 1998, a one man protest in front of the Vatican Embassy, across from the Vice President's House on Massachusetts Avenue in NW Washington DC.

Which was when I first observed and sometimes photographed him since as an independent contractor associated with Occasions Caterers I often catered for Tipper and Al Gore.

Unlike many of my colleaques who dismissed him as a lunatic the fact that I took the time photograph or acknowledging him when reporting to work at the Vice President's House represented a statement of solidarity. And support. Or, at least, empathy.

As would be the case when in November 2002 and 2003 that in the process of documenting the Soulforce Protest at the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) that I also captured John Wojnowski.

While I was not abused by priests, as a 53 year old black male, I do know a great deal about institutionalized racism. And hearing the same colleagues who for many years dismissed Wojnowski, at the same time, also dismiss me and my very vocal protests against their racism against me.

And in the same exact way that they dismissed Wojnowsi as 'a lunatic' they also 'dissed me'.

So, each time that I see Wojnowski, I reflect on the many government agents inclduing one who was a priest whose right to do drugs were projected onto me. It was during this time and, in fact, beginning in 1988, that many a white crack addict had been positioned around me. And when ever they came around me, they affected my life, my home and my work. So, my experiences when catering for the Gores was rooted in a form of racism that I will never recover from.

A racism that, as a 53 year old black male, I am still confronting today.

So, when photographing John Wojnowski on the Red Line on Thursday evening, 12 July 2007, it was statement of solidarity. From the perspective a 53 year old black man ...

CALOR SUNRISE MORNING PARTY with Roland Belmares 29 July 2007 at Club Five

Bahia Productions presents

CALOR Sunrise
w/ DJ Roland Belmares
Sunday Morning Party, 29 July 2007
at Club Five
1214 B 18th Street, NW, WDC

6AM - 12 noon
18+
$30

www.experiencecalor.com

Theo Eastwind & Band at The Cutting Room on Saturday, 14 July, 9:30 PM

Theo Eastwind, The Modern Day Troubadour, will appear LIVE with his band, featuring Shakerleg on drums and Adam Roberts on bass at The Cutting Room on Saturday night, 14 July 2007 at 9:30 PM.

An 11 pm performance of Le Scandal Burlesque will follow Theo and The Band.

$10 admission.

The Cutting Room is located at 19 W 24th Street between Broadway & 6th Avenue in New York City and within walking distance from any of the 23rd Street subway stop.

Click photo by Elvert Barnes to view 13 January 2007 Theo Eastwind at Dupont Circle South in WDC photoset.

Friday Night in WDC Summer Series / 06 July 2007

I actually began my Friday Night in WDC Summer 2007 Series on Friday, 8 June when the day after my return from a Memorial Day Holiday in Fort Lauderdale that I stopped in at Frank Muzzy's Bare to Bear opening reception at Pulp on 14th Street.

Armed with a new Canon Power Shot S3 1S I recorded my second video-interview when after leaving the reception and in the course of my ongoing 14th Street Project that I happened upon David Dienstag, a motorcycle enthusiant, who lives just one block south of Pulp On 14th Street.

The following week when on a weekend trip to my hometown, Lexington Park, in Southern Maryland for the purpose of photographing the Saturday, 16 June 2007 St. Mary's County Juneteenth Celebration I captured Friday Nights in Southern Maryland at the Brusters Real Ice Cream in Hollywood Maryland.

My 22 June 2007 Friday Night in Washington DC begin with the Herb White Memorial Service at the Friends Meeting House and concluded with the Two Steps Away Dancers in Dupont Circle.

Having spent Wednesday and Thursday, 27 - 28 June, capturing the first two days of the 2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival I spent Friday night, 29 June, organizing my photos and finishing up on the June 2007 webpage.

And re-editing my ongoing "Independence Day" photoessays which includes "It's A Camera, Not A Gun" and "When White Folks Come Around" and "The Fiddler".

In the past, my Friday Evening Photo Walks and Friday Nights in Washington DC were represented by still images. Whereas, this past Friday's 'walk against racism' involved videography.

I began my 06 July 2007 Video Walk at Dupont Circle South by capturing the Madison Livelystones Band, who I have photographed since 1994. While I did shoot a few few still images along Connecticut Avenue at Dupont Circle North I resumed my video walk at the corner of 17th and Q Streets. And proceeded south to P Street, east to 14th through the Logan Circle area and south on 14th Street to Thomas Circle.

Dancing On The Beach 7 - East Hampton NY - Saturday, 28 July 2007

Convicts take over the 'joint' at the Kennedy Center on 1 September 2007

The Prison Art Gallery, in conjunction with its parent organization the Prisons Foundation, will be presenting a three-hour show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, on Saturday, September 1, 2007 at 7pm. The show, entitled "How Music Helped Me Escape from Prison," consists of singers and musicians who put their interest in music to productive ends while behind bars. Everyone is invited to attend this free event.

If you are an ex-prisoner musician or singer, or know of an ex-prisoner musician/singer, there is still time to be included in the show. Each performer will have a designated amount of time to perform songs of her or his choice with brief remarks about how these songs helped her/him rise above the prison experience.

Organizations are especially welcomed to become a sponsor, which includes many special privileges and inclusion in the Kennedy Center program and in a video production of this historic event. For further information, please call 202-393-1511.

Located three blocks from the White House, the Prison Art Gallery is served by two Metro stations (Farragut North on the Red Line, and McPherson on the Orange and Blue Lines). Note that the entrance is on 16th Street, at the corner of K Street. Open Mon to Fri, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 12:30 to 5:30 PM (also open evenings by appointment - groups welcome - admission is always free).

Friday's Photo of the Week . 06 July 2007

The Bogside Artists, Muralists . Northern Ireland Exhibition

41st Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival

National Mall WDC . 4 July 2007

Should the Red Barn at No Point Farm in Dameron Maryland be BARN AGAIN!?

Located at No Point Farm on St. Jeromes Neck in Dameron Maryland this particular barn was built by my grandfather, Walter Biscoe, in the 1960's.

As one of the largest black land owners on St. Jeromes Neck Road Walter and Violet Biscoe were well respected. And always held their own.

My grandfather often told the story that in order for him to have purchased the land he had to get a Jewish man to purchase it first. And then resell it to him. Because no good standing white folk, at that time, would sell land to Negroes. Since it was not uncommon for KKK members who lived on the nearby farms to threaten my grandparents they pointed out areas, to me, in the woods behind the garden that my grandfather had often found crosses carved into the bark of trees. Since, I had always been fascinated with 'the woods' my grandparents often told me 'be careful about going back there ...!".

A few years ago when I visited West Virginia with Bill Ware I came to realize that my fascination with 'the woods' may be connected to a previous life when as a 'run away slave' that 'the woods became my safe haven and 'passage to freedom'.

The Norrises, as were most of the families on St. Jerome Neck Road, were white. Many who also owned large farms. It was not too uncommon, at that time, for my older brother Bernard Jr and the Norris boys to play together when they were at a younger age since my mother sometimes worked as their maid.

But, once they reached their teens years, white teen males were discouraged from maintaining a relatiionship with their negro childhood friends. Often the relationships had blossomed as a result of the fact that many Negro women worked in the homes of white families.

In fact, this is a matter that former President Jimmy Carter recently spoke on as having still been the case, in recent years, when his son reached 13 or so.

I've always regarded my grandparents as important figures not only in our lives but in the history of America. And have contemplated spearheading a project that would place the No Point Farm on the National Trust for Historic Preservation Register.

So when I came across Barn Again! last fall I immediately thought of the remaining red barn at No Point Farm. Which was constructed by my grandfather, Walter Biscoe.

My recent visit to St. Mary's County for the 2007 Juneteenth Celebration at Freedom Park in Lexington Park has reminded me of the rich heritage and contributions that African Americans have made to St. Mary's County Maryland. As was highlighted in the recently published book "In Relentless Pursuit of an Education".

Putting together a July 2007 - June 2007 Family Calendar in celebration of my sister, Bevaline's, birthday when selecting an image of the red barn as the calendar's cover I was again reminded that efforts should be taken to register it on the National Historic Trust For Preservation Barn Again! Registry. Which I do not find any programs listed for the state of Maryland.

When speaking with Alonzo Gaskin of the St. Mary's County NAACP during the 2007 Juneteenth Celebration regarding the importance that his mother, Elvare Gaskin, had played in his life and the community I, again, contemplated sharing with him my interest in spearheAding a project in the preservation of my grandparents' farm, No Point Farm, as an important heritage of and contribution to the African American community in St. Mary's County. As well as to the history of America!

Two Steps Away Break Dancers at Dupont Circle on Friday evening, 22 June 2007

After attending the Herb White Memorial Service at the Friends Meeting House on Friday evening, 22 June 2007 I headed to Dupont Circle in connection with my ongoing Friday Nights in Washington DC series.

As I entered the Circle at its north side, from Connecticut Avenue, I observed two Metropolitan police officers several yards in front of me walking in the same direction as I.

At a distance I could see and hear a group of black males in the process of 'break dancing'. I wondered if the police officers were rushing to the fountain to instruct the black males that they could not perform. As had been the case just a few days before when a cop car pulled up to the overpass at Dupont Circle North and told three young black males who I was in the process of videotaping playing New Orleans jazz that they could 'toot their horns' at that location.

In a similar way that I take pictures of windows that shop keepers will run out into the street and demand that I not take pictures. Or that people on the street will follow me up and down the street watching my every move and sometimes will demand to know "what are you photographing?".

As a black male photographer I am very famiiar with such discrimination since it is something that I encounter each and every time that I photograph. Not only in Dupont Circle but throughout the country in the course of my travels. And, in several cases, cops and security guards have demanded that I show them my ID.

Though the police did not instruct the group of black males to leave - the way that they stood watching was not unlike the way that I had been treated moments before by many who attended the Herb White Memorial.

After video-taping and photographing the group of black male 'break dancers' I handed them my card and said that I would post the images to flickr and upload a video to You Tube.

From New York City, Two Steps Away Dancers include Ross from Brooklyn and Sham, Chubs and Alex from the Bronx. Contact information is Stella, their Manager, at 347-365-8903 or tsadancers@yahoo.com.

"2008 Wirefly National Marathon" Early Bird Registration Starts July 4th!

The 3rd Annual Wirefly National Marathon and Half Marathon is scheduled for Saturday, March 29th, 2008.

Be one of the first to sign up for the event by taking advantage of the "Celebrate Freedom" sale. Registration for the marathon is only $60. With the half marathon set for $50.

Offer runs from 12:01am on July 4th through 11:59pm on July 7th. After that, standard registration rates apply:

MARATHON RATES
July 4th - July 7th: $60
July 8th - September 30th: $75
October 1st - December 31st: $85
January 1st - March 28th: $95

HALF MARATHON RATES

July 4th - July 7th: $50

July 8th - September 30th: $60

October 1st - December 31st: $70

January 1st - March 28th: $80

Visit Wirefly National Marathon or view 28 June 2007 Press Release, in pdf format, for more information. Click photo by Elvert Barnes to view 24 March 2007 Wirefly 2nd Annual National Marathon photo collection.

Friday's Photo of the Week . 29 June 2007

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine . Virginia Quilt Museum

2007 (41st) Smithsonian Folklife Festival Opening Day

National Mall . Washington DC . Wednesday, 27 June 2007

2007 (41st) Smithsonian Folklife Festival photo collection

2007 Fridays' Photos Of The Week

Photojournalist Michael David Murphy reports on Louisiana's Jena Six Trial

Jena Six (2 of 6)
Originally uploaded by whileseated

Michael David Murphy first became aware of the Jena Six story as a result of BBC2's documentary "Race Hate in Louisiana". He is now in Louisiana photographing and recording interviews related to the trial of the six african american boys who were charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder for a schoolyard fight.

In the next few days, Murphy will post a few images from Jena that, related to the case, will link to a multimedia piece he is working on. CNN began reporting on the story today, following the lead of the BBC, who crafted an excellent hour-long documentary that can be found on P2P networks.

Monaldi Brothers Band to reappear at DC's 9th annual Italian street festival

At one time, Washington, D.C., had its very own Little Italy! The area around Holy Rosary Church, at Third and F Streets, N.W., was once home to a vibrant Italian neighborhood, complete with frequent feste - or street festivals - like those in New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, Baltimore and many Italian cities. In 1999, Washington's active and growing Italian community came together to revive the traditions of their ancestors, and D.C.'s Festa Italiana was born! The inaugural festival that year drew 1,500 of the metro area's Italian-Americans and those interested in Italian culture, and it has grown every year since!

Now in its ninth year, the Festa Italiana, the largest Italian festival in the D.C. area, and the only one in downtown Washington, will be held on Sunday, July 8th from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Third and F Streets, N.W.

On tap will be plenty of delicious Italian food, live music, dancing, crafts, trade demonstrations, games, performances and events for children and much, much more!

Click the above never before seen photo depicting the Monaldi Brothers Band performing at the 2006 event which took place on Sunday, 24 September 2006. They are scheduled for an encore performance at this year's 8 July 2007 Festa Italiana.

Tuesday, 3 July 2007 proclaimed as Herb White Day

A memorial service was held last evening, 22 June 2007, at the Friends Meeting House in NW Washington celebrating the life of Herb White who passed at Sibley Hospital on 8 June at the age of 71 of complications associated with lung cancer.

Born 06 July 1935, a restaurateur and real estate investor who owned and operated businesses in Baltimore, Washington and Miami, Herb White was one of the founders of DC Arts Center.

When remembering his long time friend, Councilman Jim Graham brought his remarks to a close by announcing that the District of Columbia's City Council had enacted a proclamation designating Tuesday, 3 July 2007 as Herb White Day.

Though it will take me a few days to upload all the images, click the above photo to view my Herb White Memorial - Friends Meeting House - WDC - 22 June 2007 photoset.

Here is the video of Jim Graham proclaiming 3 July 2007 as Herb White Day. And you'll find the text to the "Herb White Recognition Resolution of 2007" here.

Friday's Photo of the Week . 22 June 2007

On The Rise Band . Sounds in the Square Concert Series

Farragut Square Park . WDC . Thursday, 21 June 2007

2007 Fridays' Photos of the Week

Marking the Streets for this weekend's 15th National Capital Barbecue Battle

When out taking pictures on Wednesday evening, 20 June 2007 that I happened upon this workman at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street in NW WDC, at Freedom Plaza, I inquired if I may photograph him as part of my Men At Work 2007 series.

He said yes. Upon my questioning, he said he was 'marking the streets' so that when the crews arrived on Friday to set-up for a weekend festival they would know where the street closures were.

Thanking him, I handed him my card and said the photos would be posted to flickr in a day or so and would included in my ongoing Men At Work series.

Checking the internet tonight I learned that the festival that he was 'marking the street' in preparataion of is The Safeway 15th Annual 2007 National Capital Barbecue Battle.

Sounds in the Square Concert at Farragut Square Park TONIGHT

Each Thursday evening from 10 May through 09 August, the Sounds In The Square Concert series is held in Farragut Square Park between 17th Street and Connecticut Avenue and H and K Streets in NW WDC from 5 until 7 pm.

Produced by the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District in partnership with NewsChannel 8, Smooth Jazz 105.9, the U.S. National Park Service and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority the free outdoor concert series features local and regional artists, representing genres ranging from rock to pop, reggae to country.

Tonight, 21 June 2007, Country and Southern Rock musician Dean Crawford will take to the stage, from 5 until 7 pm. Here is a sample of his music.

And here is the Summer 2007 schedule.

As a concert attendee, you’ll also receive an “all access” wristband entitling you to discounts and special deals at bars, restaurants and other businesses in the Golden Triangle.

Make a night of it.

Become a friend of the Sounds in the Square concerts at www.myspace.com/soundsinthesquare.

Daniel, Strummin' His Fingers in Dupont Circle

I began my STREET LIFE / STREET MUSICIANS video-interview documentary project on Wednesday evening, 20 June 2007 when I happened upon Daniel in Dupont Circle.

Focusing on homeless subjects who are also street musicians each interview will shed light on the individual's personal story. Or, in some cases, serve as a means by which the subject may express his/her views regarding a particular matter(s) of his/her day.

Eventually, images that I have taken, over the years, of the homeless as well as video-interview clips from my newly launched STREET LIFE / STREET MUSICIANS series will be included in a provocative "Homelessness in America - Street Life" exhibition / installation.

Daniel was sitting on the north side of Dupont Circle when I approached him inquiring if I may conduct a brief video-interview of him while he played his guitar. And explained further that the resulting video would be uploaded to the internet as part of an ongoing STREET LIFE / STREET MUSICIANS project.

Here is the video which includes the following text:

STREET LIFE/STREET MUSICIANS video-interview series: 52 going on 53, born in England, Daniel moved to PG County MD in 1965 with his family. After a discharge from the Army he returned to PG County. His music reflects the 60's but, without a 'pick' on this particular day and for the sake of this video-interview Daniel is, simply, "strummin' his fingers" ...

Click the above photo to view Street Life 2007 and Street Musicians 2007 photo sets. See also Street Musicians 2006 and Musicians & Bands and Street Life 2006 and Homelessness - WDC.

Video is at You Tube.

Mo Alem performs "The Flip Side of A Coin" at DC Guerrilla Poetry Insurgency in Dupont Circle WDC . 18 June 2007

On the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, DC Guerrilla Poetry Insurgency (GPI) holds an open mike night in Dupont Circle, from 7 until 9 pm.

I first captured the DC GPI open mike night, a few years ago, when reporting for DC Indymedia. Out testing my repaired Canon Rebel XT on Monday evening, 18 June 2007, I have captured the DC - GPI Lyrical Ambush for the third or fourth time - in as many years.

Though I videotaped and photographed several performers Mo Alem's performance of The Flip Side of A Coin" was definately amongst those that stood out. Here is the video and here is the text.

Click the above photo of Mo Alem to view my 18 June 2007 DC Guerrilla Poetry Insurgency session in Dupont Circle photoset.