The naming of a road, park, or building can be decided in honor of a specific person, place, or thing. The Smithsonian Museum’s National Portrait Gallery is now offering the history behind the naming of the streets in Washington D.C.
The exhibit is called “Block by Block: Naming Washington”. It gives an insight into the lives of the individuals who gave life to the city’s beginnings. The individuals highlighted include women, abolitionists, pro-Union Civil War heroes, prominent African Americans, and the most recent names Black Lives Matter Plaza.
This exhibit is important for people who have not acknowledged the history behind the names of streets and other common areas around the city. These names are said and written down so often, this exhibit allows people to connect a moment in time or a specific face to that place now.
Original Post from Smithsonian Magazine
Read More Here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/hidden-histories-lurk-names-washington-dcs-streets-180978438/
