New Book: 'Black Men Built The Capitol: Discovering African-American History In And Around Washington, D.C.'

Heard about this yesterday during Bernie "The Dean of Talk Radio" McCain's show on WOL 1450 AM. A fascinating conversation.

Little known D.C. History that I initially heard about in the late 80s-early 90s via the days when Anthony T. Browder(Author of From The Browder File) used to frequent as a guest on WDCU Jazz 90's 'CrossTalk'. He also wrote a book titled 'Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization' among many others. All must reads.

This information was never and is still not taught in most schools and universities today. This new one by Jesse J. Holland is a must-buy item on my ever continuing reading list. See below for more.
~LT

Black Men Built the Capitol
Discovering African-American History In and Around Washington, D.C.
by Jesse J. Holland

Book Description:

Millions of people visit the National Mall, the White House, and the U.S.
Capitol each year. If they only hear the standard story, a big question remains:
“Where’s the black history?”

Packed with new information and archival photos, Black Men Built the Capitol
answers this question. In this thoroughly researched yet completely accessible volume, Washington insider and political journalist Jesse J. Holland shines a light
on the region’s African-American achievements, recounting little-known stories
and verifying rumors, such as:

• Enslaved black men built the Capitol, White House, and other important Washington structures.

• Philip Reid, a thirty-nine-year-old slave from South Carolina, cast and helped
save the model of the Statue of Freedom that sits atop the Capitol Dome.

• The National Mall sits on the former site of the city’s most bustling slave market.

• The grounds that are now Arlington National Cemetery were, from 1863 to
1888, a self-sustaining village for former slaves called the Freedman’s Village.

Included are hundreds of places in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia that illuminate “the rest of the story” for Washington residents and visitors alike.

Publisher link: www.globepequot.com
Author link: www.jessejholand.com