Freedom Plaza Part I: Origins

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Statue of Jack Sisson. One of more than a dozen new statues added to Freedom Plaza over the past year.

Over the past calendar year downtown DC’s Freedom Plaza has been transformed and updated, with some changes permanent and others temporary. Reopening this summer after a long closure dating back to the early winter months, the plaza has seen the addition of a cadre of statues, updated quotations, and a renovated water fountain. In this series, I will explore the origins of Freedom Plaza, some of the key infrastructure changes, cover each of the new statues including who (or what) they commemorate, and how the meaning of Freedom Plaza has changed over the last 40 years.

Part I: Origins of Freedom Plaza

Freedom Plaza is the name of a rectangular, city block-sized park located just southeast of the White House and north of the National Mall area. The park is bounded by 13th Street, 14th Street, and a split Pennsylvania Ave on the north and south sides, although some maps still label the north side of Penn Ave as E Street. Across the southern edge of Freedom Plaza is the John A. Wilson Building, the home of DC's local municipal government. The Wilson Building has its own adjacent statues, Alexander Shepherd and Marion Barry.

Freedom Plaza dates back to 1980 and was originally named Western Plaza. In 1974 a new Congressionally established agency, the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation (PADC), created a report to guide the next few decades of growth along the Avenue corridor. The PADC’s main goal was to revitalize the portion of the Avenue between the White House and the Capitol. In order to accomplish this goal, they set ambitious objectives including making Pennsylvania Avenue more attractive and practical for pedestrians, preserving existing historic structures on the Avenue and its side streets, and establishing new spaces for commercial, residential, and cultural venues. The PADC’s work spanned from basic projects like repaving the roadway and sidewalk landscaping all the way to establishing complex public-private partnerships with developers to create new buildings that aligned with PADC plans. 

Illustration of the area around Western Plaza before it was consolidated into an actual park.

1952 pre-Western Plaza photo of the Veterans Information Center and Shepherd statue, in front of the District Building.

The proposal that resulted in the creation of Western Plaza leaned on the original L’Enfant plan of Washington, which included a plaza on this site. In the late 1970s, this area was bisected by car travel lanes of Pennsylvania Avenue (see illustration above). On each side of the thoroughfare were two smaller existing pocket parks, one of which already held a statue of General Casimir Pulaski (now in Freedom Plaza), and the other a statue of Alexander Shepherd (now at the Wilson Building).

One of the goals of Western Plaza was to better frame and present the District Building (now known as the John A. Wilson Building) from Pennsylvania Ave, as well as any future buildings on the land next to the District Building. Those lots ended up becoming the massive Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The design of Western Plaza is credited to the firm Venturi, Rauch & Scott Brown with additional contributions from George E. Patton.

Freedom Plaza (lower right) is one block from the U.S. Treasury and the White House. The domed Trade Center building is seen at center.

The plaza was planned to be a place for workers or visitors to escape the busy city sidewalks, despite much of the plaza being an open stone plinth with little tree cover or seating. The main artistic element is an oversized blueprint style, 1887-era map of the L’Enfant plan, specifically the part of the city linking the White House to the U.S. Capitol. Early plans included three dimensional models of the White House and Capitol Building to be placed on the plaza, but those were ultimately scrapped. What did make it into the plaza were multiple historic quotations that are incised across the Plaza’s floor. Quotes range from selections from the Constitution, to literary giants, presidents, civil rights leaders, and others from the first 200 years of American history. Once completed in 1980, the plaza remained essentially static over the past 40 years, except for one big change.

In 1988 the name of Western Plaza was changed to Freedom Plaza to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1988 marked 20 years since the assassination of Dr. King and 5 years since his birthday became a federal holiday. King also stayed at the adjacent Willard Hotel before the March on Washington in 1963. To mark the plaza’s name change, a time capsule was placed under the plaza, set to be opened in 100 years time (2088), when we are set to reflect on Dr. King's legacy more than a century after the Civil Rights Movement. The capsule contains one of King’s bibles, a clerical robe, cassette tapes of a number of his speeches, and a special U.S. flag with 51 stars, a nod to potential statehood status for Washington, DC. Dr. King supported local control for the residents of DC, and a version of home rule was passed into law after his death, in 1973. More than a decade later, Congress authorized the King time capsule by Joint Resolution in 1987.

Coretta Scott King and others gather to dedicate Dr. King's time capsule in 1988.

The time capsule before being lowered into the ground.

Since 1980 Freedom Plaza has indeed been a public commons of sorts, acting as a flex space for all types of gatherings. It’s been the home base of protest marches and demonstrations, a stage for musical performances, home to the annual celebration of Emancipation Day in DC, the start & end point to many road races and marathons, witness to every Presidential Inaugural parade since 1980, the location of temporary outdoor exhibitions, and as a transitional space between the National Mall and the commercial area of downtown DC.

Parade for Franklin Roosevelt's third Presidential Inauguration in 1941. This area became Western Plaza 40 years later.

By 2020, the vision for Freedom Plaza and Pennsylvania Avenue established by the PADC had run its course. The National Capital Planning Commission is currently operating under a new plan with a similar name, the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative. 

Aside from the greater Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative, over the course of this year, the Plaza has been transformed in accordance with the larger acknowledgments of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A number of statues have been added to the park, ostensibly by the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service. Including a statue of the allegorical Spirit of Liberty, more than a dozen new statues have been added to Freedom Plaza in 2026, all representing men from the era of the American Revolution. The first added and most prominent of the new statues of the group is of Delaware's Caesar Rodney. 

In Part II of this adventure guide we’ll take a close look at the Rodney statue as well as all the new additions, who the new statues represent, what the purpose of the new additions are, how they still qualify as ephemeral even though they are in the form of semi-permanent statuary. And in Part III we’ll tie it all together, diving into the identities of the other new statues on the plinth and what what says about the new narrative of Freedom Plaza.

Continue the journey with Part II: Commemorations on Commemoration and Part III: A New Narrative and a New Reflection.

Want to experience this in person? We see all this and more on our Eyes on Emancipation Pennsylvania Avenue tour. See the tour schedule here or contact us for a private tour.

Six of many temporary (?) additions to Freedom Plaza.

Early plans called for tall monolith-type towers and 3D models of buildings in Western (Freedom) plaza. These never made it into the final design.

Tall monolith towers and seating concepts that are not part of the present day Freedom Plaza landscape.

Declaration's Promise: Exhibition Spotlight

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The Two Georges was one of the more "readable" exhibitions in recent Library of Congress history. I say readable because much of my experience was me eagerly learning more about King George III through well-designed text panels -- and as I learned more, my interest deepened regarding how his life intertwined with George Washington's. There were other engaging elements as well, including aspirational maps, personal artifacts, portraits, and utilitarian ledger-type documents used by each of the Georges. Text panels were a good mix of direct-from-source material and succinct explainers of each man's reality regarding their eventual confrontation over the revolution. 

Not every exhibition would make it as a book, but this one was actually published into a book, The Two Georges: Parallel Lives in an Age of Revolution (UNC Press). As with each exhibition in the Library of Congress, I spent time learning some of the key components in order to incorporate it into my tour of the Jefferson Building. My guests generally liked the content and those that used the free time I gave them in the exhibition gave The Two Georges high marks.

So, I was a little sad to see it close – as most exhibitions tend to do at some point, of course. To the credit of the Library, the new main exhibition opened the same day Two Georges closed, leaving no gap between having a main show on the second floor. The new show opened on July 4, 2026 and I'm sure you can guess why.  

The Declaration's Promise: A Revolutionary Idea is both a high concept exhibition that frames the Declaration using phrases pulled from the document itself, while ALSO being ground level exploration of how Americans have used the Declaration to demand equal rights and establish a more democratic nation. Phrases like "Life, Liberty," "Created Equal," and "Consent of the Governed" act as headliners to the eight constituent sections of the exhibition. The sections alternate between presenting artifacts that speak to the crafting of the Declaration's language with presenting a 250 year survey of movements and shifts within the country that leveraged the promises of the document itself.

Four double-sided museum cases help create the eight sections of the exhibition:

• Revolutionary Mind: Here the documents and objects highlight the influence of and eventual detachment from English ideas about self government. This detachment ultimately resulted in the Declaration's grievances and promises. The key document here is a Jefferson hand-written rough draft of the Declaration, likely the star document of this show.

• Drafting the Declaration: The story of how the Declaration was created is often glossed over. It was indeed a project by committee. A Committee that existed within a new, uncertain body full of disagreements and silos, the Second Continental Congress. There are some really great documents here including the Pennsylvania Evening Post from July 6, 1776, which was the first newspaper printing of the Declaration informing the citizens of Philadelphia of this seminal moment in time.

• Rule by the People: Breaking away from monarchical rule was the first step. What came after… well, we’re still trying to figure it out 250 years later. How to best let the people rule? Constitutional conventions, state laws, local regulations – every level of government is built around a central idea: allowing the people to decide what happens next. Defining who “the people” are and how to instill the power to make government of themselves has been a 250 year experiment. Defining documents in this section include two that speak to the creation of state governments and constitutions in South Carolina and New Hampshire. 

• A New Birth of Freedom: From the moment of adoption, making sense of the promises in the Declaration have been central to life in the United States. The greatest stress test came “four score and seven years” later. This is perhaps the most compelling section of the exhibition and it focuses almost exclusively on the American Civil War and abolition of slavery. Incredible documents here including the “Nicolay” draft of the Gettysburg Address (the earliest known draft, named after Lincoln’s secretary), and Susan B. Anthony’s 1861 speech What is American Slavery?

• Created Equal: The phrase “...all men are created equal,” has always been replete with overwhelming contradictions. Even amongst men themselves, the populace wasn’t created equal. In South Carolina, the new 1778 state constitution limited voting to white men who were free, aged at least 21 years, who had resided in the state for at least one year, were Christian Protestant, and who owned 50 acres or more of land. Voting has been opened to more and more people over the past 250 years and we are still debating who gets to participate, and how. This section features an astonishing breadth of documents related to advancing equality across the eras of a post-Declaration U.S. Included is a 1966 issue of The Ladder, the first nationally distributed lesbian periodical in the U.S.; produced by the first lesbian rights group, The Daughters of Bilitis. As well as a 1977 photo of a man using a wheelchair to board a Metro rail train, signaling the work that helped move closer to equal rights for disabled people in the public arena, including transit.

• Life, Liberty: If you asked any 10 Americans to define liberty, you very well may get 10 completely different answers. In July of 1776, generally it was thought of in political terms, essentially freedom to not live under tyranny. Today we tend to extend liberty to capture freedoms related to religion, speech, and generally being able to craft an identity outside of government interference. Documents in this section include a 1764 copy of The Koran (sic) owned by Thomas Jefferson, who was very much interested in world religions. As well as a 1917 poster print in Yiddish that targeted the patriotic spirit of newly arriving eastern European immigrants.

• Pursuit of Happiness: Liberty is tied to the pursuit of happiness. Along with “life” itself, the pursuit of happiness is listed on the same line with liberty as an unreliable right. Happiness is not just defined as leisure, but freedom to associate as one wishes in entrepreneurship, individuality, personal and professional contracts, and enterprise. This section was somewhat nebulous, but the objects help give it definition – including a copy of the Copyright Act of 1790, establishing the copyright system here and an 1855 first edition of Leaves of Grass, a seminal work of poetry heavily inspired by the Declaration and its ideals.  

• Consent of the Governed: If we are to associate with each other and govern ourselves, is that in and of itself complicit consent for the government to establish laws and mores guiding life in the states? Expansion of rights and freedoms has happened alongside the literal expansion of the nation itself. What started out as 13 colonies has grown into 50 states, a federal capital District, and multiple territories. On display here is a pre-statehood pamphlet appealing to those in favor of Hawaiian statehood and 1860 era 54 foot long petition signed by Black South Carolina residents demanding equal rights before the law as well as the right to vote.

Even against the unique stories showcased in The Two Georges, Declaration's Promise goes beyond a typical look at 250. The items showcased are often stunning looks at our attempt to move the nation forward at the behest of the words in the Declaration itself, while tacitly acknowledging that advancing rights has faced extensive challenge despite the promises on paper. I was expecting to see a rote and forced celebration of the Declaration. Perhaps --based on past exhibitions-- I should have anticipated a more nuanced approach. 

This is not an exhibition that critiques the Declaration per se, nor does it explicitly acknowledge the limited scope of contributors to the document versus whom the promises were meant to apply. However, considering the role of the Library of Congress and their focus on highlighting the breadth and range of documents they possess for research purposes, I believe the exhibition is a success. It’s less of a celebration of 1776 and more of an exposition of the Declaration’s creation and impact. Worth it visit rating: 9.0/10

See all this and more on our Library of Congress tour! Book here.

How to Tour the Library of Congress

Many trips to Washington, DC make time to visit Capitol Hill. But not all make time for the Library of Congress.

Whether you are planning a quick weekend in Washington or finalizing a packed, weeklong itinerary, there is one stop that should always make your list: the Library of Congress.

As the largest library in the world, it holds more than 170 million items in collection. But walking into its historic Thomas Jefferson Building can be overwhelming. While self-guided brochures are available, booking a Library of Congress guided tour is the absolute best way to experience this National Historic Landmark.

Top 3 reasons to take a guided tour of the Library of Congress:

1. Uncover the Hidden Architecture and Symbolism

At first glance, the Great Hall is a breathtaking explosion of Gilded Age architecture and Italian Renaissance styling. On this tour, you hear the meaning built into the marble. The Jefferson building a has several distinct spaces that we will explore in full, moving from outside to ground level, to the majestic overlook of the reading room.

My favorite places in the Jefferson Building are:

• Minerva Mosaic: Elihu Vedder’s mosaic of the Roman goddess of wisdom guarding the path to the spectacular reading room sets the tone for the institution.

• Main Reading Room: Viewed from a glass-enclosed overlook, the 160 feet tall main reading room is in the running for best interior working space in the city.

• Great Hall: Hidden details in the intricate marble carvings, including sculptures representing various historical occupations and globe-bearers symbolizing the continents.

2. Stand Face-to-Face with History’s Rarest Treasures

The Library of Congress houses priceless artifacts, but navigating the rotating exhibits alone means you might breeze right past world-changing history. As the guide guide knows exactly where to direct your attention. They will share the captivating context behind:

• The Gutenberg Bible: One of the earliest major books printed using movable type.

• Thomas Jefferson’s Personal Library: A stunning, physical recreation of the massive collection of books Jefferson sold to rebuild the library after a devastating tragedy.

• Current Exhibition: The Library’s rotating exhibitions always featuring gems from the collection that illustrate the power and importance of the institution. As if this writing the current exhibition is "The Declaration's Promise: A Revolutionary Idea.”

3. Master Logistics and Avoid Common Mistakes

Planning a trip to Capitol Hill involves moving parts, and professional guides are experts at navigating federal building procedures. Taking a guided tour helps you seamlessly manage:

• Tickets and Timing: Our two hour tour will include time outdoors exploring the Library campus and exterior architecture. Then we’ll queue up to enter the Library and explore the cast interior. Free timed tickets are required to enter the Library — don’t worry, we will handle this part.

• Seamless Connections: As always, we start on time and end on time. Whether your next stop is a U.S. Capitol Building tour (we’ll get you there, underground!) or back to the hotel for rest and relaxation, we will respect your schedule and point you in the right direction for your next adventure.

If you want to move past standard sightseeing and truly connect with American history, let an expert lead the way at the Library of Congress. Tours are in the morning, Tuesday-Saturday. Click here to learn more or Book now!

Exhibition Spotlight - HERE: Pride and Belonging in African Art

Here is an exhibition years in the making. More than 30 visual artists part of the LGBTQ+ community have contributed to this deep and varied show. The two main themes for the exhibitions are identity and belonging. 

What stood out to me the most was how tightly identity was bonded with community in the artwork. Family bonds, work bonds, friendship bonds, national bonds, and bonds with others in the queer community. That association showed through so strongly, it really drove the show for me and made turning the next corner to see what was next compelling. In what new ways can an artist convey a message? 

Inside jokes, shared traditions, a simple social event, the creation of the artwork itself; all these instances are documented in a way that really comes through in the show. The act of creating art of course can help form and sustain community and this is also evident in Here. In this exhibition, even a camcorder video documentation of a small wedding is, in and of itself commentary and art. Here is a window into both the individual artists and the wider queer community across the Africa continent (and diaspora). A truly connective show, considering the vast and differential mediums represented.

About half the countries on the African continent criminalize LGBTQ+ people to some extent. This show also exists in that context. Here also took inspiration from two similar shows from the past “The Progress of Love” a 2012 exhibition in Lagos as well as “Precarious Imaging: Visibility Surrounding African Queerness” a 2014 exhibition in Dakar.

Originally slated to open during World Pride in DC summer 2025, the Here eventually opened in January. The show will close August 23, 2026, which was the original close date. The Smithsonian National Museum of African art is located on the National Mall adjacent to the Smithsonian Castle. 950 Independence Avenue SW.

New Commemoration for Ben's

Ben's Chili Bowl days before their recent grand opening, May 2026. "The Torch" mural was still visible.

Detail of "The Torch" mural at Ben'c Chili Bowl. Artists: Aniekan Udofia with Mia Duval.

For the past seven years I have used the mural on the west wall of Ben's Chili Bowl to weave together multiple narratives that make up the Art & Soul of Black Broadway walking tour. The mural features a plethora of figures important to U Street, Washington, DC, and American history in general. In order from when you entered the alley were Barack and Michelle Obama, Harriet Tubman, Muhammad Ali, Prince, Chuck Brown, Roberta Flack, Donnie Simpson, Russ Parr, Taraji P. Henson, Wale, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jim Vance, Marion Barry, Dave Chappelle, Dick Gregory, Jesse Jackson, Cathy Hughes, and Bruce Johnson. Shortly after the restaurant reopened this month post-major renovation, the owners announced that the mural would be replaced.

Temporary mural featuring Mystics players and four local legends including Virginia Ali, owner of Ben's Chili Bowl. artist: Katty Huertas.

While calling on the general public to suggest ideas for the new mural, a temporary mural went up over the now defunct one: a collaboration with Washington Mystics basketball team Washington Mystics. In the center of the mural are players Kiki Iriafen, Shakira Austin, and Sonia Citron. Flanking the players are painted portraits of Winnifred Lee, Virginia Ali, Shirley Horn, and Pearl Bailey. Lee and Ali are considered business pioneers on U Street, having opened two of the longstanding Black-owned businesses there, Lee's Flowers and Ben's Chili Bowl. Horn and Bailey are among the top tier of performers who made U Street "Black Broadway" with Pearl Bailey actually being credited with establishing the term Black Broadway. The temporary art is as much an homage to contributors of U Street history and culture as it was an advertisement for the Mystics new alternative jerseys for the 2026 season which began the night of the mural unveiling.

Murals are an ultra-ephemeral part of the built environment. And that's a good thing, ultimately. Visual artists using a medium such as murals can adapt to represent the times in a way architecture isn't always able to. Architecture's semi-permanence also means it tends to end up defining the times more so than offer frequent comment on it. Murals on the other hand rely much less on infrastructure, funds, or expectation of permanence. Even with the force of nostalgia they come and go to such an extent that when a mural does persist into the next era, what remains isn't always as understood as it was on debut. So, many details get lost over time -- the original artist, intent, meaning, colors or materials, elements, and even physical footprint. To me, a 20 year old mural is equivalent to a 200 year old building -- you really do not come across one too often in DC. And since the bureaucracy of making a new building is extensive, while a murals' creation could leave not even a paper trail, there aren't often "records" to refer to when researching DC murals. On the flip side, the era of unmitigated documentation on social media combined with the current popularity of murals as public art has resulted in new avenues to track their origins, meaning, and correct attribution.

Mural that previously existed outside 1344 U Street NW. Artist: @ArtBlocDC.

Before "The Torch" version of the Ben's mural was painted, I used to end the U Street tour at another mural a half-block away. That mural simply included the words "BLACK BROADWAY" in huge block letters with a short quote by DC hip hop artist Head-Roc. After its abrupt removal in 2019, I rewrote the end of the tour to reflect not just the loss of the mural, but also the changing landscape of the neighborhood, including the perception of the neighborhood. When a mural disappears, its relevance to almost everyone that takes a tour drops to near zero. Guests are somewhat interested in art trends ("When did the murals program begin?" "Has non-sanctioned graffiti declined?," etc.) and extremely interested in interpretation of existing murals, but also seem to understand and perhaps appreciate the ephemeral nature of street art. However, they want to experience the neighborhood as it is, even while learning about how it was. As for the new Ben's Chili Bowl mural, there are still some unknowns. It's unclear if Ben's will utilize the DC government's Murals DC program, which would fund the work by paying a muralist or muralists directly. There is no publicly available timeline for the mural's completion. We also of course do not yet know the artist or artists. And the question of questions: who or what will be depicted? Who would you like to see? Stay tuned for updates.