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.