Absolon Kent

WASHINGTON — It’s nice when you don’t have to travel far to discover a world of history, culture, and stories. Today, we started at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library for the District Vibes: American Pride exhibition, which offered a powerful look at how the people of D.C. have helped shape American culture—from neighborhoods and creativity to music, sports, food, and social change.

Then, we stopped at a true D.C. institution, Ben’s Chili Bowl for lunch. The final stops of the day were a visit to the African American Civil War Memorial and a sneak preview of the recently renovated African American Civil War Museum. The museum’s From Slavery to the White House: Tracing Michelle Obama’s Ancestry exhibition and The Glorious March to Victory: Civil War to Civil Rights were both informative and inspiring.

#TodaysAdventure #MyDMV #GetOutside #TeamKent #KENTCANDO #FamilyTime #AmericasNationalParks #WashingtonDC #BlackHistory #AmericanHistory

WASHINGTON — Last night, Thurraya and I had the honor of attending the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

For the past decade, this extraordinary museum has preserved, shared, and celebrated the stories, struggles, achievements, and enduring contributions of African Americans to our nation's history. Since opening in 2016, it has welcomed millions of visitors from around the world, becoming a place of education, reflection, inspiration, and hope.

The evening brought together guests to commemorate this important milestone with opening remarks, a special anniversary program, and an opportunity to celebrate the museum's remarkable first ten years. Walking through the museum and sharing in this celebration was a powerful reminder that history is not only something we study—it is something we preserve, honor, and pass on to future generations.

#TodaysAdventure #MyDMV #KENTCANDO #TeamKent #NMAAHC #Smithsonian  #BlackHistory #HistoryMatters

SPRINGFIELD, Va. — During the New Deal era, the Civilian Conservation Corps established racially segregated camps across the South and border states. The Depression-era Colored CCC camp at Fort Belvoir (Army 3 VA-2399 C) was home to African American enrollees who constructed fire trails and other conservation infrastructure throughout Fairfax County's forests. Like all Colored CCC camps, the Fort Belvoir unit operated under federal segregation policies, reflecting the compromise that President Franklin D. Roosevelt made with Southern Democrats to secure passage of New Deal legislation.

Today, the Fairfax County historical highway marker near the Lake Accotink Park Headquarters building acknowledges both the labor contributions of these men and the discriminatory system under which they served.

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