Author Archives: museummark

We have been intrigued by the life story of Hannah Slater, listed in Mt Zion Methodist church records as well as District of Columbia death records as the longest living persons buried in the Mt Zion-Female Union Band Society cemeteries in Georgetown, Washington DC. Her death is recorded as July 15, 1878, and her birthContinue reading “In Search of Hannah Slater, d. 1878, buried in Mt Zion-Female Union Band Cemetery, Georgetown”

Patrick Tisdale also recently unearthed a long buried headstone on the slope of Mt Zion Cemetery, adjacent to the vault (believed to have been used for refuge during the Underground Railroad). Patrick observes, “It is a very nicely carved Virginia bluestone, about 5.75 ft tall, 2.75 ft wide and about 3.25 inches thick (approx 600Continue reading “In Search of John Carr, d. 1815, buried in Mt Zion Cemetery, Georgetown DC”

Our colleague Patrick Tisdale at Mt Zion-Female Union Band Cemetery in Georgetown, DC, recently recovered a headstone lying in the earth, face down, near the Doughty family monument, that is to say on the Mount Zion cemetery side of the burial ground. Inscribed within a “Civil War’ style military headstone shield are the words GUYContinue reading “In Search of Guy Bennett, c. 1854-1929, buried at Mt Zion Cemetery, Georgetown DC.”

For several years, I have been puzzling over the likely maiden name of my mother’s mother, whose married name was Yetta Epstein (c.1894 or 1897-1959) and her sister “Bessie” (March 1885-17 December 1970). whose initial married name was “Masse Lebed,” was later known as “Bessie Labb, ” married to Abraham (Abe) Lebed Labb. The maidenContinue reading “Revisiting the Early Years of Yetta Epstein and Masse Bessie Labb, from Pavoloch, Ukraine”

Last week, at Emancipation Day at Mt Zion/Female Union Bank Society cemeteries, the gifted DC violinist Justin Silvey accompanied the readings of over 3,100 names of those emancipated in the District of Columbia, April 16, 1862. Naturally we are all curious if the members of the “Silvy family” emancipated in 1862 are kin to himContinue reading “In Search of Verlinda Patterson Silvy, enslaved by Susannah Maria Burche”

Yesterday at Politics and Prose Bookstore I was delighted to be invited into dialogue with my former colleague Joshua Hotaka Roth (Mount Holyoke College) about his marvelous new graphic memoir, Life Lines: Art, Memory, Relationship (University of Toronto Press, 2026). When teaching several years ago at Mount Holyoke I had the opportunity to encounter thisContinue reading “Towers of Babel: Reflections on Joshua Hotaka Roth’s graphic memoir “Life Lines””

Here are some notes on the lives and Civil War service of the brothers John Armstead Harris (1839-1893) Company G, USCT 1stJoseph H Harris (1844-1931), Company G, USCT 1st Parents: Mary Ann Harris (1820-1913) and Thomas Harris (1815-1891), who settled in Dry Meadows off Broad Branch Road in Washington County, District of Columbia, in theContinue reading “The Civil War Service of the Harris Brothers of Dry Meadows Farm (Chevy Chase, DC)”

As recently reported, the Trump administration has been eager to locate temporarily the statue to Caesar Rodney, a Delaware signer of the Declaration of Independence, to Freedom Plaza near the White House in Washington DC. Rodney was a prominent slaveowner, and his statue consequently was removed in June 2020 from Rodney Square in Wilmington Delaware,Continue reading “In Search of Enslaved People from the Caesar Rodney Estate”

My students and I in ANTH215 (Gender, Sexuality, Culture) at American University are developing close looking guides to works on display in the exhibition, “Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art.” at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. Here is a draft giude to Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi’s roZen (Rituals of Becoming) Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsib.Continue reading “Considering Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi’s “froZen (Rituals of Becoming)” photographic sequence”

I have been fascinated by the sculptural installation “Subject to the Tide” (After David Hamons) (2018-2025) by artist Oluseye Ogunlesi (sometimes known as Oluseye), now accessioned into the National Gallery of Canada’s permanent collection. Subject to the tide (After David Hammons), 2018-2025 Twill flag, salvaged fence from Africville 11 x 6 x 1 ft Artist’sContinue reading “Within These Gates: Reflections on Oluseye’s “Subject to the Tide””