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Happy Women’s History Month from the Office of Planning (OP)! Check out the article below about our new study that spotlights local women and DC sites that were central to the Women’s Suffrage movement.
Sincerely,
Anita Cozart
Director, DC Office of Planning
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The fight for women’s suffrage has roots all across America but a new publication by the Office of Planning, The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Washington, D.C.: 1848-1973, brings to life that long history of struggle—from pickets to prison—here in our nation’s capital. The publication, funded by an Underrepresented Communities Grant from the National Park Service, identifies important themes in the movement, organizes a timeline of events, names critical players, and establishes a preliminary list of places that define this history. It has also inspired the nomination of four of those notable places for inclusion in the DC Inventory of Historic Sites and the National Register of Historic Places: the National Woman’s Party Headquarters building, the Polly Shackleton Residence, Sofia Reyes de Veyra Residence, and the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA.
Designation of these four sites is an important step towards honoring the contributions women made to American history through their struggle to gain the right to vote. Read the full report on our website and join us in celebrating Women’s History Month!
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Phyllis Wheatley YWCA: The Phyllis Wheatley YWCA, organized in 1905 by a group of African American women for the social and educational needs of women of color, is the oldest surviving YWCA building in Washington, DC. The Phyllis Wheatley YWCA was established the same year as the city’s whites-only YWCA, and as such captures the multi-dimensional experiences of Black women who were dually discriminated against as women and as people of color.
National Woman’s Party Headquarters: From 1915 to 1917, the National Woman’s Party maintained its headquarters in the Tayloe-Cameron House across from Lafayette Park during a crucial period in the women’s suffrage movement at the national level. Widely publicized protest marches and demonstrations by members of the National Woman’s Party that landed many of them in jail originated at the house, proving critical to the ultimate passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing white women the right to vote.
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Sofia Reyes de Veyra Residence: While living in DC and advocating for Philippine independence, Sofia Reyes de Veyra and other Filipinas also strongly supported and fought in the American suffrage movement. This house served as the de Veyra family's residence from 1917-1923. After her stint in DC, Sofia de Veyra would go back to the Philippines where she engaged in the suffrage movement in her own country, earning Filipino women the right to vote in 1937.
Polly Shackleton Residence: Polly Shackleton was a leader in the DC suffrage and home rule movement. In 1967, President Johnson appointed her to DC’s first City Council and in 1974 when the District held its first elections, Shackleton won her seat for Ward 3.
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On February 26th, Mayor Bowser and Downtown leaders announced strategies to drive the revitalization of Downtown DC. As part of this effort, OP developed a Downtown DC Public Realm Plan with recommended urban design and public space improvements for Downtown’s streets, sidewalks, parks, and plazas. The strategies are designed to transform valuable outdoor space into a vibrant, safe, and active public realm that welcomes new residents and visitors and contributes to a healthy economic ecosystem.
The Downtown Public Realm Plan identifies four catalytic projects that can be moved forward quickly to improve people’s experience in Downtown DC and set the stage for longer-term upgrades to streets, sidewalks, and plazas. They were inspired by input received from residents and stakeholders, as well as from cities around the world.
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OP and DC Public Library are excited to announce a new, free collection of event materials, tools, and equipment to rent from MLK Library. The Event Supplies Library is stocked with all kinds of party supplies to support your next neighborhood gathering, like folding tables, coolers, a generator, ladders, projector and screen, and easels.
OP has laid out concepts and guides for transforming public spaces into lively, useful areas that serve the community. This new collection of materials and tools allows us to bring that vision of activated streets into reality. Residents and small business owners only need a library card to get the supplies they need to host pop-up events, outdoor parties, and community meetings.
For more information on how to reserve and check out event supplies, visit www.dclibrary.org/using-the-library/event-supplies-library.
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 Image Source: Gehl
OP’s Urban Design Visual Guide makes technical terms accessible and understandable so that more District residents can participate in discussions about how we design our city. Join us on March 30 and April 27 to explore urban planning and design terminology with practical examples and visuals, followed by a walking tour around the neighborhood to apply this newfound knowledge on our city streets. Learn how planners and designers think about public space and how we can all work together to improve it. See event details and registration links below.
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Zhara Edwards is a 30th Class Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow joining OP’s Food Policy Team. She is a recent graduate of Case Western Reserve University where she studied Anthropology and minored in Public Health. Her project with the Food Policy team focuses on college hunger at universities within the District. With a passion for public health, Zhara is interested in exploring the ways food policy and nutrition can foster improved health outcomes for communities.
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Learn more and get involved in our community planning projects:
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Join us at the following events where OP staff will be available to answer questions and share information about OP’s work:
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April 4-6: DC History Conference
- The DC History Conference, a free, three-day event, welcomes students, community members, educators, artists, storytellers, and cultural heritage workers.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street NW
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April 10: DC Budget for Food Programs Webinar
- Join the DC Food Policy Council for a virtual training on the budget process to learn how you can share your thoughts on key food program budgets.
- 5:30-6:30pm – virtual meeting
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April 17: OP @ The Front Porch
- You’re invited to join DC’s Office of Planning for our Summer of Commemoration! We are gathering to honor the vibrant stories and profound impacts of Black Washingtonians and other leaders of color in Wards 4, 5, 7 and 8. The series kicks off with a guest appearance by DC’s very own, Noochie, to reflect on how he commemorates musical artists at his front porch!
- 7-8pm – virtual event
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Downtown Coffee Chat at Compass Coffee, March 4th
Nannie Helen Burroughs Small Area Plan Community Workshop, March 16th
Ivy City Small Area Plan Community Visioning Workshop, March 23rd
OP Food Policy Team at RootingDC Urban Gardening Forum, March 9th
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Downtown Coffee Chat at Urban Roast, March 4th
OP Team at Nannie Helen Burroughs Small Area Plan Community Workshop, March 16th
Ivy City Small Area Plan Community Visioning Workshop, March 23rd
OP Team Alongside Other Presenters at HBCU Architecture Spring Forum, Hosted by UDC, March 22nd
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