I can remember reading many articles in The Informer about the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. Most talked about how beautiful it is and how much information there is to see and how good the food is. I even remember way back years ago when you wrote articles about the design of the building and selecting the architects that would eventually build it. But after visiting the NMAAHC for the first time, I feel my life has been changed. I have always felt a sense of pride of knowing my history and the history of our people, but to see it on display and be able to walk that long road and see and read about the victories we won and the ones we lost was a life-changing moment for me. No longer will African-Americans be an afterthought in the history of this country — our history is there for the whole world to see, and it makes me very proud to be who I am. I hope and pray that when our young people visit the NMAAHC, they, too, will have a life-changing moment.
Jerome Manns
Washington, D.C.
D.C. Must Stop Shunning Black Churches
When will this mayor and city council do something to stop the forcing of black congregations out of D.C.! Your article by Hamil R. Harris, “D.C. Church Makes Long-Awaited Move; Leaves City for Maryland” (Jan. 5, 2017), is another example of the D.C. government turning its back on black churches. The D.C. government should be ashamed of itself using parking revenue as the weapon to push these congregations out. They ticket the churchgoers, the churchgoers stop coming, the church can’t survive so the church has to move and developers get the properties. The mayor and the council are doing nothing but the devil’s work!
Brenda Blair
Washington, D.C.