Researching Latino/a/x DC

Washington History is the only scholarly publication devoted exclusively to the history of our nation’s capital. First published in 1989, the magazine replaced the Records of the Columbia Historical Society (1897-1989). Washington History is filled with scholarly articles edited for the general reader. It is written and edited by distinguished historians and journalists, and offers a rich array of images as well as reviews in addition to scholarly research articles. 

Anyone can access the full run of Washington History journal through JSTOR by registering for a free account that allows online-only access to a certain number of articles per month. DC History Center members have unlimited access via JSTOR through their membership accounts. In addition, DCPL library cards provide access. Washington History is also available via the DC History Center’s online store. If you have any issues accessing any articles, please contact library@dchistory.org to request a copy from the library. 

On January 27, 2022, Sileshi Alifom, owner of Das Ethiopian Cuisine; Ana Reyes, owner of El Tamarindo; and Andy Shallal, CEO of Busboys and Poets reflect on their own experiences as immigrants and owners of restaurants in the nation’s capital. Immigrants have long played a critical role in DC's food system. Mamma Desta (1978-1983) first introduced Washingtonians to Ethiopian food. El Tamarindo (opened in 1982) introduced the pupusa and serves as a community anchor, offering stability through successive waves of neighborhood development. With co-producer Marianne Tshihamba, we gather local restaurateurs to discuss the history of food as a form of cultural diplomacy, activism, and economic stability in the city over the years.

On October 21, 2021, Carmen Torruella-Quander, Ana Ndumu, Angeley Crawford Gibb, and Rosalyn Lake-Montero discussed what it means to identify as a Black, immigrant, Spanish-speaking woman in Washington, DC. The panelists explored this challenging question of identity, language, and immigration as well as the history of Latinas in the DC area through reflections on their own and their community's experiences. The DC History Center co-produced "See Our Latinidad, See Out Blackness" with Manuel Mendez, Chair of the DC AfroLatino Caucus.

On March 23, 2021, the DC History Center hosted an interview on Facebook Live with University of the District of Columbia student—and DC History Center collaborator—Mariana Barros-Titus, and Manuel Mendez, Chair of the DC AfroLatino Caucus. They discussed the work of the DC AfroLatino Caucus, as well as the history and contributions of Afro Latinos in Washington, DC. Barros-Titus also introduced her work on the DC History Center’s new initiative to compile a resource guide of local archival resources on the Latina/o/x communities of DC (published in May 2021, the guide became the basis for this Libguide).

This Context for Today: Salvadorans in the DMV web page focuses on contextual resources relating to the largest Latino/a/x group in DC, including a video of the March 18, 2021 DC History Center program with Ana Patricia Rodríguez, PhD, José A. Centeno-Meléndez, and Abel Nuñez. The page also features a reading list developed by Rodríguez and Centeno-Meléndez further exploring Salvadoran and other specific DC-area Latino/a/x communities, including Afro-Latino Washingtonians.