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You are invited to DC Public Library’s weekend-long celebration to mark the opening of The Negro Motorist Green Book exhibit at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Running from Nov. 2, 2024 – Mar. 2, 2025, The Negro Motorist Green Book and DC Public Library’s companion exhibition The Green Book in D.C. offer an immersive look at the reality of travel for African Americans during a time of nation-wide segregation. Through the lens of this indispensable guide, brought to life by artifacts from Green Book era businesses, historic footage, images, and firsthand accounts, you will also see the rise of a vibrant Black business and middle class.
Get a first look at this exhibiting new exhibit while you enjoy two full days of events for all ages during opening weekend, including:
Saturday, Nov. 2 | 1 – 4 p.m.
- Panel Discussion | At 1 p.m. in the Auditorium, Washington Post columnist Colbert King will moderate a discussion between Gizelle Bryant (Real Housewives of the Potomac) and Josephine Beavers (Vocalist). They will talk about their family ties to the Green Book and its historical significance for Black business owners and traveling performers in an era of segregation.
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Children’s Sock Hop | Families will enjoy dancing, balloons and story time in the Children's Room
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9th and G Diner | Enjoy diner foods, catered by Florida Avenue Grill, with a view of 9th & G Streets at a recreation of a Green Book era diner
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Relax in the 5th Floor lounge | DJs Scooter Magruder (WPFW FM 89.3) and Poet Taylor (WPGC Radio) will be broadcasting live from the library playing music popular at Black Broadway clubs and theatres.
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View Historic Performances | Watch clips of the many musicians and singers who performed at Green Book locations in the library's Auditorium.
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Pop-up Green Book Museum | Meet representatives from organizations featured in the Green Book in D.C. exhibition, including the Royal Golf Club, the YMCA, the Cloud Club, and D.C.’s Old Cars of Washington.
Sunday, Nov. 3 | 1 – 4 p.m.
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Vintage Car Show | Come see the cars and hear the stories showing how families traveled during the Green Book era.
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Teenarama Dance Party | Relive the 1960’s with dancing to the music of the Mustangs and DJ Scooter Magruder, competitions and door prizes hosted by the African American Music Association.
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Food Trucks | Snag bites from Rito Loco, Roaming Rooster, and Goodies
Don't miss this opportunity to explore the rich history of African American travel and celebrate the resilience and innovation of the community.
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Looking for more art experiences with the library?
The DC Public Library is pleased to partner with the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and Archives of American Art to present two installations as part of the exhibition Felix Gonzalez-Torres: Always to Return, on view from October 18, 2024 through July 6, 2025.
The exhibition is located at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture, 800 F Street NW, and continues outside the building with the placement of the artist’s light string work “Untitled” (America) (1994) in three key locations: the facade of the museum, the first floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, and outdoors along 8th Street NW, near the museum, in partnership with the DowntownDC BID. Walking tours of the exhibit begin Oct. 23 and thanks to our exhibit partners, as well as Downtown DC, tour guests get a 20% discount on food and drinks at the bar at Dirty Habit!
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Like many avid e-book readers, you may find yourself incessantly refreshing your holds in Libby in anticipation of your next great read becoming available. Now there may be a method to your madness! With the new Skip-the-Line feature, you might be able to snag some of our most popular titles immediately! Skip-the-line books are special copies of titles set aside by DC Public Library and help us lend select copies of popular titles more quickly by having a few unique rules for how they circulate.
Skip-the-line copies of titles:
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Don't have wait lists
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Can't be renewed
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Have a shorter loan period of 14 days
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Have a limit on the number you can borrow at one time. At DC Public Library, you are able to check out one skip-the-line book at a time.
Skip-the-line copies are marked with a shamrock icon. So next time you’re in Libby, check it out and see if it’s your lucky day!
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Join Loyalty Bookstores, DC Public Library, and Kwento Collective for DC's inaugural Liwanag Filipino Lit Fest, taking place on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 11:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. all in the Petworth Neighborhood. Building on the work of our sister festival, Liwanag Lit Fest in Long Beach hosted by Bel Canto Books, our hope is to shine a light in the DMV on Filipino literature and authors from the diaspora.
Events taking place at the Petworth Library include:
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1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. | Romance Author Talk + Kids Lit Author Talk
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Kids Room: Kids Lit Author Talk with Erin Entrada Kelly & Anna Lapera
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Meeting Room: Romance and Joy Author Talk with Tif Marcelo & Taj McCoy
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2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Sustaining Kapwa: Food as a Bridge in the Filipino Community
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Participating Authors: Abi Balingit, Annabelle Tometich, Matt Ortile, moderated by Wilma Consul
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3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. | Memory as Resistance: Preserving Filipino History Through Art, Activism and Narrative
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Participating Authors: Gina Apostol, M Evelina Galang, Geena Rocero, and Lysley Tenorio, moderated by Jen Eusebio
For more information and to register, please visit the Loyalty Books website.
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This Week At the Library
See what programs are coming up this week in person and online at the Library!
Ward 1 | Mt. Pleasant Library
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Costume Swap | Monday, Oct. 21, 5 p.m.
The Mt. Pleasant Library Friends are leading a costume swap during October. Bring or get a costume for Halloween!
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Ward 2 | Shaw/Watha T. Daniel Library
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Sit and Stitch | Monday, Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m.
Bring your own material/project for an hour of camaraderie and crafting!
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Ward 3 | Palisades Library
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Palisades Writers Workshop | Thursday, Oct. 17, 6 p.m.
A workshop for writers of fiction and nonfiction - writers at all levels of experience are welcome.
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Ward 4 | Takoma Park Library
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LEGO Social | Friday, Oct. 18, 3:30 p.m.
Kids – explore your creativity and build amazing creations with LEGO bricks!
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Ward 5 | Woodridge Library
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Braid Society | Wednesday, Oct. 16, 4 p.m.
Adolescent girls are invited to join the library for a discussion of the book “The Braid Girls” by Sherri Winston. Crafts, music, icebreakers and a hearty snack also included!
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Ward 6 | Southwest Library
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Off Script! Celebrity Memoir Book Club | Tuesday, Oct. 15, 6:30 p.m.
Come read about the lives of your favorite celebrities in their own words!
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Ward 7 | Benning/Dorothy I. Height Library
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Benning Anime & Manga Club | Tuesday, Oct. 15, 4 p.m.
Safe space for teens who want to explore their interest in, and share their love for, Japanese anime and manga with fellow enthusiasts.
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Ward 8 | Parklands-Turner Library
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Afterschool Spooky Movies | Friday, Oct. 18, 3:30 p.m.
Grab your pumpkin spice lattes because Afterschool Spooky Movies returns for a frightfully delightful lineup of spooky favorites that will keep viewers entranced every Friday after school.
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Central Library | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
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Banned Together: Unite Against Book Bans | Saturday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m.
Join the Library, Atomic Focus Entertainment, and PEN America for a pre-release screening of the first feature-length documentary about fighting the spread of book bans in the U.S., Banned Together. The film pulls back the curtain on two of the most controversial issues in America today: book bans and curriculum censorship in public schools.
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Find all upcoming programs in your library or online on our calendar!
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The DC Public Library Exhibits Department is now accepting applications for arts and humanities exhibitions to be displayed in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. This opportunity is for exhibitions scheduled in Summer 2025 and beyond.
The DC Public Library celebrates art and exhibits as a source of learning, discovery, growth, and connection. The MLK Library hosts temporary exhibits in spaces throughout the building, in order to highlight the history and culture of the District of Columbia. This season, we are giving special consideration to exhibition proposals that reflect in some fashion on America's 250th Anniversary, to be presented in DC Public Library exhibit spaces between January and December, 2026.
Additional Important Information
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This year's deadline for applications is Friday, November 1, for exhibits scheduled Summer 2025 and later. The next deadline will be in fall 2025.
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It is highly recommended that applicants review the Guide for Exhibit Applicants at this link and visit the MLK Library before preparing an application. You may contact us at MLKexhibits@dc.gov to set up a tour of exhibits spaces.
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Only complete applications will be considered.
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Questions about the exhibit application process may be sent to MLKexhibits@dc.gov.
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To request accommodations for this program, please contact the DC Public Library Center for Accessibility by email at DCPLaccess@dc.gov or phone at 202-727-2142.
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Please note that we are not accepting solo art exhibitions at this time.
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The Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (MOAPIA) invites you to join in celebrating Diwali, the Festival of Lights, on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the US Navy Memorial. Diwali is a time of joy, community, and cultural celebration, and we’re excited to bring the spirit of this beloved festival to Washington, D.C.
Join for an evening of vibrant cultural performances, delicious ethnic cuisine, and the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony led by a priest, a cherished Diwali tradition symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness. It will be a night filled with celebration, community, and joy!
This event is free and open to the public. We welcome all to come and experience the cultural richness of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities.
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