Jaybird's Jottings

Books

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson has reached number three in Amazon’s U.S. History bestseller list.  But since Woodward has his new book at number one as hardcover, and two via Kindle, Wilkerson is actually at second.  

Wilkerson’s tour de force is easily my favorite book so far this year.   I’m following one of her three protagonists, Dr. Robert Foster (called Pershing when he was growing up).  In 1953, he leaves behind his family in Monroe, Louisiana, drives across Texas and finally reaches Los Angeles.  I chose him because I was somewhat aware of the South to North stories, but other than knowing Oakland was a destination, unfamiliar with those who went west.   

Foster had a long, tiring drive across the Sunbelt.   He was pleased to be out of the world of Jim Crow, but still found prejudice.   Hotelkeepers turned him down, even though the Vacancy sign shined bright for others.  One can’t help but draw comparisons to the struggles of the Joads in Steinbeck’s masterpiece, The Grapes of Wrath.

Foster tried Oakland but returned to Los Angeles where a friend helped him.  He found work initially, going door to door to collect urine samples and performing exams.   One lady refused him and called him the N word.  Terribly ironic, for she was black too.

Of this humiliating experience, Foster told Wilkerson:

To think that I had come all this was from the Deep South, out here to this Land of Milk and Honey and Opportunity and Intelligence, to find that one of my own color was disrespecting me.

 

On the horizon is another massively researched book, Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow.    It is already high on the charts, and doesn’t come out until next Tuesday.    

A lot of books have been written about Washington, but this one is getting high praise.   It’s even timely, as the criticism of our current President heats up.

In her review, Janet Maslin writes:

“Washington” also devotes great attention to the harsh criticism that Washington faced as soon as the luster faded and the governing began. As president, missing his beloved Mount Vernon and incurring great financial losses to serve as head of state, he was carped about so relentlessly that even his way of tapping a fork at the dinner table could become fodder for malicious gossip.

 

 

 

Walking Tours: Georgetown

If I were to name my Top Five favorite DC neighborhoods, Georgetown might not be my number one, but it would certainly make my list.    It’s got hills and bluffs, a handsome bridge, riverside attractions, preppy college vibes, unique shops and excellent restaurants, famous residents and historic homes on quiet, tree-lined streets.

This weekend, Cultural Tourism, in conjunction with Walking Town DC, held some free walking tours, so we chose Georgetown. We’ve seen some of this place before, but it’s mostly been M Street and south down to the river.  This was our chance to see some of the rest.

With a light rain trying to dampen the outing, about 35 of us met at 10 am on Sunday on the eastern fringe of the neighborhood at the corner of M and Pennsylvania, in sight of Rock Creek Parkway.   Amy, our knowledgeable tour guide, led us away from the traffic-choked artery and into the quiet part of the neighborhood.   The comparisons with Old Town Alexandria are inevitable, with the walk up from the river on brick sidewalks, the historic district, and Federal-style town homes.

In real estate, it’s location, location, location.   Georgetown certainly has that, but their real motto might be, residents, residents, residents.   Famous current ones include John Kerry, Ben Bradlee, Bob Woodward and Madeleine Albright.   

Famous former residents include Julia Child.  We didn’t know that so we were pleased when Amy stopped us at the corner of Olive and 28^th, and pointed out the yellow wood frame house.   Child learned some of her chops here in the 40s. 

 Plodding uphill, we also saw a couple of historic African-American churches, and, hey, wasn’t that George Will arriving at a home in a black SUV?   Fresh off his This Week appearance no doubt.

When the tour reached Wisconsin Ave and the commercial strips, we peeled off and headed back down to M Street and Tackle for the best fish tacos around.   We also made a quick stop at Apple to check out the new iPad, and I got some quick advice on how to correct a problem with our computer.  I love it when the smiling Geek Guy helps me like that.

Georgetown certainly has its downsides - traffic and jaywalkers on M, no Metro and a certain snootiness - but its charms and cachet are seducing.   

And to do this for free, not bad.

 

Sacandaga Totem

This granite obelisk, installed last week at the corner of King and S. Fayette, is not an historical plaque, but I thought I would post it.   Titled, Sacandaga Totem, it’s the work of John Van Alstine, who gave it to the city as a gift in 2008.  

 

Old Town has put up a few other public art displays, but those are on the periphery.   

 

I have to admit when I first saw this, a photo, I was not sure how I felt about it.  But the being there added depth, and I really like it.

 

A tip of the hat to the City for pushing the envelope.   Not everything in an historic district has to be old.

 

 

 

National Book Festival

Ten years ago, some book lovers at the Library of Congress in Washington came up with the idea for a National Book Festival on The Mall.   Attendance has grown each year, reaching six digits last September.    This year’s attendance looked like it could reach that mark once again.

 

I shifted my approach this year.   Instead of sitting down for the authors, I drifted around to see what I could see.   During a conversation with Overdrive, the folks who are bringing more and more digitals books to the public libraries, we spotted Laura Bush arriving.  Later, she sat down for an interview with CSPAN’s Book TV.

 

Jonathan Franzen drew a standing room crowd of about 500 for his new novel "Freedom."   A great writer on his own, he is also enjoying the "Oprah Bounce."     

 

The better half had eyes for Isabel Allende, telling me she had a down-to-earth speaking style.  

 

I interviewed someone standing in line for an author signing.   Lisa came from Indiana for the sole purpose of taking in her 3^rd National Book Festival.    Her favorite part of the festival is hearing the authors and finding out what inspires them.    Lisa’s favorite authors are James McBride and Jan Brett.    She reads about two books a week.

 

We came home and listened to CSPAN’s coverage.  Adele Logan Alexander, who wrote the Intro for Black Washington, talked about her new book Parallel Worlds.  It is getting great reviews.  Stacy Schiff impressed with a witty speaking style.   David Remnick talked about his biography on Barack Obama.   What a force this author is.

 

Another great NBF.  They even placed volunteers and staff at strategic points away from The Mall to hand out the programs.

 

Thanks to all who make it happen.   Hopefully next year it won’t be so dang hot! 

 

Nats Baseball: Why Go Now?

The other day at a DC blog, Washingtonians discussed the sad plight of the Nationals as they played out the rest of the season.

Why go to their games someone asked?   They’re in last place and long since out of the chase.

Fair enough point, but baseball fans do not live by wins alone, and the situation may not be as bad as it seems.   Here, then, are some reasons why baseball can be enjoyable as the season winds down.

 

See the future

The Nationals finally have some decent homegrown talent and they are getting some playing time.    Infielder Danny Espinosa got the call up in early September and is realizing the dream of his young lifetime.    The youngster has cracked 6 home runs in 20 games and is believed to be the Nats’ second baseman next season. 

 

Get your schadenfreude on.

The Nationals are out of contention but have a say in the playoff race. Several weeks ago they put a hurting on the Cardinals who were still in the race.  The Nats also beat the Braves two out of three last week,  which helped the Phillies and the other wild card contenders.

 The waits are a lot shorter.

Going to a game this time of year is a breeze.  Show up right before game time, buy the cheapest seats ($10), and drift over to empty seats in the lower seating.   Sure, that’s an ethical dilemma but when attendance dips below 15,000, we bet the team loves seeing you there. 

Also, the lines for concessions are shorter (this is your chance for that Ben's Chili Bowl half smoke) and your chance for catching a foul ball or home run are increased.    

 

The weather is better.

Well, we are getting some crazy hot weather today but cooler temps begin tomorrow, leaving behind those hot and humid days.  

 

Relax and enjoy.

When was the last time you just walked around the ballpark, taking in the scenery, the history boards, the public art, the views?   Have you seen the back side of the stadium with the history timeline that begins with the 1859 Nationals?

 

The game always brings you something.

Sure, it’s no fun knowing that the home team has a less than 50-50 chance of winning, but on their current home stand, the Nationals have put together a nice little three-game winning streak.   In Tuesday’s game, they plated seven runs in the eighth to come from behind and beat the Astros 8 to 4.

 

Fan Appreciation

Teams that are out of contention beef up their prizes and give aways in the final home stands, as well as putting on special promotions.  

Prices are lowered at the merchandise store.   In 2005, I remember buying a cold weather jacket on the last day of the season, getting half off.

 

Last Chance to Cheer

Last season, on the final home game of the year, the Nationals staged a comeback in the bottom of the ninth against the Mets.   Down by two, Justin Maxwell drilled a bases loaded home run for the dramatic walk off win.

What, you missed that??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tenth Inning

In the mid 1990s, Major League Baseball conducted a Top Secret experiment to find the inner most concentric circle of baseball fans.

First came a test of the heart.  A players' strike scarred parts of two seasons and deleted the 1994 World Series.

Then came the mind.  A comprehensive nine-part series on the history of the game was aired on PBS.  The pace of the presentation, if seen today, would be described by some as watching paint dry. I’m jesting, of course, about the experiment, but the other parts are true.  

The man behind the documentary is Ken Burns.   In support of his new one, "Baseball: The Tenth Inning" (airs on PBS next Tuesday and Wednesday), which updates baseball through the 2009 season, the award-winning producer has been making the rounds at some of the big league parks, and in front of adoring audiences across the nation. 

Burns made a stop here in Washington last night at a close-to-sold out Lisner Auditorium (capacity 1,500) on the campus of George Washington University.  Also on hand were co-producer Lynn Novick and ESPN writer Howard Bryant.

Four clips were shown.  I don’t want to give anything away, but for those who remember the nine-part series and its slower pace, this time around attention spans are not tested as much.   Interviews are still part and parcel, with Thomas Boswell, George Will and Bob Costas getting time, but actual game footage enhances the watching experience.

During the Q&A session, the panel was asked a line-up's worth of questions.   Notably was one posed by a young boy who asked them to name the greatest player of all time.  Burns said Willie Mays, Novick went with Ruth, while Bryant, stipulating that he could only say about what he saw, and in terms of greatest and impact, said Derek Jeter. 

Hopefully, Burns covers some of the sabermetric movement, which would give a big groan to that answer.    

Otherwise, a very enjoyable evening, and one man four seats down gave updates on the Nationals-Astros game.  I pined for the Giants score, which of course, is part of the story of the great NL playoff race which has consumed those sets of fans.

For over 130 years, major league baseball has survived its low points, and the game and the fans have always come back. 

Hopefully, Ken Burns and his cameras will, too. 

 

 

 

Loudoun Hounds

Are you ready for some baseball Northern Virginia?

 

A team of investors headed by Brooks Robinson, Frank Howard and Harmon Killebrew sure are.  After years of hoping and planning, Loudoun County will field an expansion team in the independent Atlantic League in 2012.

 

On Tuesday night the name of the team and its logo were unveiled at a press conference held at the 1757 Golf Club in Ashburn.  Loudoun Hounds won out over Silver Stars and Blue Heron.    On hand were Killebrew and VIP Baseball CEO Bob Farren.

 

Starting May 2012, the team will play its 72 home games at a new ballpark to be built at the intersection of Route 7 and Route 28, about three miles north of Dulles Airport.    If all goes as planned, local universities, high schools, and wooden bat leagues will also play at the ballpark.   

 

The stadium will be a part of the new Kincora Village Center.  This July, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved a plan for the new $2B mixed-use community that will include office space, two hotels, performing arts center and residential units.

 

The ballpark will include a microbrewery.   Its capacity is reported to be 5,500 which may not be big enough.  Loudoun County is one of the fastest growing counties in the U.S. and has the highest median household incomes (2006 to 2008).   Fairfax County, whose western border is just three miles from the stadium site, has the second highest figure and a population over 1M.    And this is quality baseball.   The Atlantic League has been described as having AA pitching and AAA hitting.

 

The new nickname is a nod to the county’s history with foxes and hunting.   The Virginia state dog is an American Foxhound and in nearby Leesburg is the Museum of Hounds and Hunting.

 

No word on whether or not Sweet will re-unite and perform on Opening Day but we guarantee fans will hear be hearing some Elvis...    

 

Benjamin Hallowell

One of the things I am hoping to do after I get through with my survey is to take a look at people, places, events that have not been immortalized in bronze.    I took a sneak peek the other day by thumbing through Smith and Miller’s book (A Seaport Saga) and scanned the index for anyone with more than three of four entries.    Then I checked that against my list of plaques.

The person with the most entries, 10, is Benjamin Hallowell.  The esteemed Quaker Educator (1799-1877) made great contributions to Alexandria, inside and outside the classroom.

In 1824, Hallowell opened an academy at the Lee-Hopkins House.   He not only taught children during the day, but adults at night, giving lectures on astronomy, history and other subjects. 

His students included Robert E. Lee and members of the Lee family.

After the death of their son, the family left Alexandria, but returned soon thereafter.   In 1834 Hallowell purchased the site of the old Hoffman Sugar House on the west 200 block of North Washington between Cameron and Queen and converted it into a boarding school that prepped students for college.  He added an observation tower, symbolic of his desire to provide education.

Some called the school Brimstone Castle, due to its color.   Many called it one of the best in the area.   Hallowell’s reputation soared.   

Hallowell founded and promoted the Lyceum Movement, which led to the building of the Lyceum.   He also served as the City Surveyor and Police Constable.  He also founded Maryland Agricultural College in 1859, the forerunner to the University of Maryland.

Hallowell left Alexandria but returned in the 1850s and built a lovely three story dwelling on N. Washington across from Brimstone Castle.   Despite efforts to save it, the house was destroyed in the 1960s.

Hallowell taught people to think.  What were the city leaders thinking when they allowed this elegant and historic home to be demolished?

 

Photo One from Hallowell Wiki Site

Photo Two provided by Amy Bertsch, Office of Historic Alexandria

Photo Three from A Seaport Saga, Donning Company Publishers

Capital Bikeshare

DC and Arlington deserve a lot of credit for having the vision to bring modern bike-sharing to DC. As a result, things will never be the same again when Capital Bikeshare launches 36 stations in DC and 13 in Arlington today.  – WashCycle

 

It will be the biggest thing to happen to area transit since Metrorail opened. It will change travel patterns and attitudes. It'll be good for the economy and public health. – Greater Greater Washington

 

So many people positively shaped this weird idea of renting bikes for a short period of time to take this idea from Amsterdam to Copenhagen and now to Washington, D.C. and Arlington, VA. I guess dreams do come true. – Metro Bike

 

 

37 years ago, the effects of the Oil Embargo began to be felt in our country.  Panic buying created long lines at the gas stations.    I was in high school and drove my ’67 LeMans to school, but opted to ride my 10 speed during the crisis.   

 

All these years later, we’re still driving like bats out of hell in gas-guzzlers, but we’ve made some progress on alternative ways of getting around.   I was in a very small minority in ‘73-‘74, but now the cities are dotted with two-wheelers.  

 

Here in Washington, the numbers will go up significantly now that the Capital Bikeshare has started up.   400 bikes are available but the number will grow to 1,100 by the end of October, making it the largest bikeshare in the US.

 

I drove over the Crystal City today, the southern most sell point.   According to GGW, the maps on-line do not list all the stations, but evidently, the ones at each site are correct.

 

They will be adding stations in the coming weeks.   I think one at both ends of King Street in Old Town would be highly successful, especially since you can drop the bike off at the nearest station. 

 

A great day for our region.  We’re finally leading in a good transportation list!

 

 

 

Isabel Wilkerson

Over the course of six decades, some six million black southerners left the land of their forefathers and fanned out across the country for an uncertain existence in nearly every other corner of America.  It would transform urban America and recast the social and political order of every city it touched.  – Isabel Wilkerson.

 

The better half and I drove over to Politics and Prose yesterday afternoon to see Isabel Wilkerson.  Born in DC, she is a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist and the author of The Warmth of Other Suns, The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration.  

Wilkerson is currently in the middle of a ten-city book tour.   She spent 15 years researching and conducted over 1,200 interviews.

The author spoke to a packed house of about 100, saying Washington, DC was a dream city for her parents to migrate to.   She was very touched by the large turnout and said it felt great to be home, even if just for a while.

She spoke for about 45 minutes.  Here’s a brief rundown on her talk.

Why the book? 

Paradoxically, it was a story not fully told.  At one point, 90% of blacks in the US lived in the South.  Half that number migrated north and west.  Both her parents came to Washington.   

 

Why the migration?  

To escape and find jobs.  World War I decreased European immigration and jobs were needed to support the industrial effort.

Wilkerson also described life in the South as a caste system, bringing down people of all colors.

Where did they go?

Wilkerson said her website will soon have a map.   There were three general tracks, up the Eastern Seaboard to DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, NY and Boston, the central movement to Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland, and the Western one to California.  

When?

1915 to 1970.   This was also a factor in why no one wrote about the story.  

How is the story told?

Through the life’s of three people and their stories – Ida Mae Gladney from Mississippi to Illinois, George Starling from Florida to New York City and Robert Foster from Louisiana to Los Angeles.

 

After we got back, I thought about my parent’s story.  Were there any similarities?

My Dad’s folks grew up dirt poor in Eastern North Carolina.  They lived in an old wooden house that we would now describe as a shack.   Their bathroom was an outhouse.  The road leading in from Hiway 17 near Wilmington was a dirt road.    He picked tobacco, a dirty job that gave him a red neck and fifty cents a day pay.   

Wilkerson mentioned that another reason she wrote the book is time - the people involved are dying, or losing their memories.  

My Dad has passed, and I regret not sitting down and asking him about certain aspects of his life like this one.  What prompted him to leave family behind and move to Greensboro?    I’m pretty sure the answer is his work with Gulf Oil and a better life.

Of course, although my Dad did face certain obstacles, it was nothing compared to those in the South who had black skin.  

One of the reasons I am so interested in this book is I saw what blacks went through (Believe you me, I’m no angel in these matters).    Not the horrors of the Deep South, but some segregation and the more subtle prejudices.  

Even those seemingly smaller injustices could be extremely poignant.  Wilkerson related the story about a trial in North Carolina.   Blacks were required to swear on a separate Bible.   The one for the black witness could not be found.   Instead of waiving the rule, the judge insisted on a search for the separate Bible.

The last thing I said to Wilkerson was that, through conversations, I know of some African-Americans in the area here who retired and moved back to North Carolina.

“It is a lot better now,” she replied.

It certainly is, but for way too long it was not.

My task now is to read what it was like for the six million Americans who found the courage to find a better life for themselves and their families.