 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
.jpg)
The culture ofWashington, D.C. is reflected in its status as the capital of the United States and the presence of the federal government, its large Black population, and its role as the largest city in theChesapeake Bay region. The presence of the U.S.federal government, in particular, has been instrumental in developing numerous cultural institutions throughout the city, such as museums and performing arts centers. The city's historic Black population has also helped drive cultural activities and artistic pursuits. During the early 20th century, for example, Washington'sU Street Corridor became an important center forAfrican American culture.[1][2]
Washington has a variety of architecture including some of the country's most recognizable and architecturally important buildings, including theWhite House,United States Capitol, andThomas Jefferson Building of theLibrary of Congress. Among the various architectural styles found throughout the city includeneoclassical,Georgian,gothic revival,brutalist, andmodern. Due to the federalHeight of Buildings Act of 1910, Washington's skyline is low and includes noskyscrapers.
D.C.'s architecture is widely recognizable and popular across the country, as evidenced by the fact that 8 of the top 15 structures in theAmerican Institute of Architecture's list ofAmerica's Favorite Architecture are located in the city.
Washington, D.C., is home toa number of museums, including theSmithsonian Institution, whose museums include theAnacostia Museum, theArthur M. Sackler Gallery, theHirshhorn Museum, theNational Museum of African American History and Culture, theNational Air and Space Museum, theNational Museum of American History, theNational Museum of the American Indian, theNational Museum of Natural History, theNational Portrait Gallery, theNational Postal Museum, theSmithsonian American Art Museum, and theRenwick Gallery. The Smithsonian also operates theNational Zoo. Other art museums in D.C. include theNational Gallery of Art,National Museum of Women in the Arts, theCorcoran Gallery of Art, and thePhillips Collection.
Washington is a major national center for the arts, with many venues for the performing arts in the city. Theater dates back to the early 19th century when a theater was established in Samuel Blodgett Jr's Great Hotel on E Street in 1800, soon after the capital was relocated to Washington, D.C.[3] TheNational Theatre opened in 1835 on E Street, near theWhite House.DAR Constitution Hall opened in 1929, and remained the city's primary concert hall until theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1971.[3]
DAR Constitution Hall, National Theatre, and other venues remainedsegregated throughout the early part of the 20th century.ContraltoMarian Anderson was barred from performing at Constitution Hall in 1939, instead performing at the Lincoln Memorial to large crowds. TheU Street Corridor was the center of African American culture in Washington, D.C. TheLincoln Theatre hosted the likes ofDuke Ellington andElla Fitzgerald on U Street (known as "Washington's Black Broadway") prior to the 1968 riots.[4]
Among the city's local theater companies are theShakespeare Theatre Company,Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, andStudio Theatre.[5][6] Arena Stage has produced 22 productions that have been performed onBroadway, includingSweat, Dear Evan Hansen, andThe Velocity of Autumn.Arena Stage opened its newly renovated home on theSouthwest Waterfront in 2010.[7]
TheGALA Hispanic Theatre is a national center for the Latino performing arts that has showcased over 200 productions that range from classical Spanish theater to the works of local, young Latinos.[8] Founded in 1976 by Hugo Medrano, GALA shares the Latino art and culture to the public by creating productions that touch communities today, and preserves the Hispanic heritage for future generations.[9] The GALA Hispanic Theater is housed in the historicTivoli Theatre inColumbia Heights.
The historicFord's Theatre was one of the top entertainment venues in Washington, D.C., during theCivil War.President Abraham Lincoln visited the theater at least ten times before being assassinated. After Lincoln's assassination in the theater, Ford's Theater remained closed for over 100 years before becoming a national historic site in 1968 that continues to operate as a functioning performance space today.[10]
Notable local music clubs includeMadam's Organ Blues Bar inAdams Morgan; Blues Alley in Georgetown; theEighteenth Street Lounge in theDupont Circle district; and theBlack Cat, the9:30 Club, theBohemian Caverns jazz club, the Twins jazz clubs, all in theU Street NW area. The U Street area actually contains more than two dozen bars, clubs, and restaurants that feature jazz either nightly or several times a week. Notable Washingtonians in the entertainment industry include singer-songwriterMarvin Gaye, film actressHelen Hayes, comedianDavid Chappelle, musicianDuke Ellington, filmmakerTed Salins and two members ofJefferson Airplane: guitaristJorma Kaukonen and bass playerJack Casady.
TheJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is the busiest performing arts facility in the nation,[11] hosting approximately 2,000 performances annually. The center opened in 1971 and functions as a multi-dimensional facility as it is both a "living memorial" to PresidentJohn F. Kennedy and a performing arts center. It is home to theNational Symphony Orchestra,the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and theWashington National Opera. In addition, it hosts performances by theWashington Ballet, theRoyal Ballet, andAlvin Ailey American Dance Theater, as well as various art festivals, touring Broadway productions, Galas, and special events.
TheKennedy Center Honors are awarded the first weekend of December every year to individuals in the performing arts who have contributed greatly to the cultural life of the United States.[12] The Honors Gala is one of the annual cultural highlights of the Washington, D.C., art scene and is attended by various respected individuals in film, theater, dance, and music as well as thePresident of the United States and theFirst Lady.
TheMark Twain Prize for American Humor is presented annually by the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts to an individual who has made an impact on American society much likeMark Twain. Past recipients includeTina Fey,Ellen DeGeneres,George Carlin, andEddie Murphy.[13]
Washington, D.C. is one of the top cities in the United States for pre-professional dance students to train. Schools, such as the Kirov Academy of Ballet of D.C. and Washington School of Ballet, receive hundreds of students from around the country for their summer and year-round programs.
Washington Ballet, formerly known as the Washington School of Ballet, was founded in 1944 by dance pioneerMary Day.[14] Washington Ballet remains as one of the foremost training schools in the United States that attracts students from across the country and abroad to train in the nation's capital. Mary Day, founder and former director of the Washington Ballet from 1976 to 1999, possessed a unique vision for American ballet and is credited with having trained countless influential dancers, includingKevin McKenzie, Virginia Johnson,Amanda McKerrow,Marianna Tcherkassky, andPatrick Corbin.[15]
TheSuzanne Farrell Ballet is a ballet company at theKennedy Center that began as a series of classes for local dance students. Founded in 2006 bySuzanne Farrell, an American ballerina student ofGeorge Balanchine, the troupe has evolved to be a prestigious ballet company attracting students from around the world. The company has performed iconic works ofGeorge Balanchine,Jerome Robbins, andMaurice Béjart. Farrell announced in September 2016 that the company will disband indefinitely in December 2017, citing her desire to return to teaching full-time.[16]
Washington, D.C., hosts several contemporary and modern dance companies that tour frequently in the area, includingUrban Bush Women and theAlvin Ailey American Dance Theater, as well as Broadway musicals, plays, and revivals.[17]
.jpg)
%2c_Washington%2c_D.C.%2c_ca._June_1946)_(LOC)_(4932365776).jpg)
D.C. has its own native music genre, calledgo-go, a musical subgenre that is a blend of funk, blues, and rhythm, and old-school hip-hop that originated in the Washington, D.C., area in the early 1970s byChuck Brown.[18] The term "go-go" was originally used to describe places where young people partied. During concerts, the percussion section of a band would continually play music while the band leader engaged the audience through a call and respond method during concerts. This call and respond method later changed the term "go-go" to represent the music subgenre.[19] Many bands contributed to the evolution of go-go music includingRare Essence,Trouble Funk,Junkyard Band, andExperience Unlimited.[20]
Washington was an important center in the genesis ofpunk rock in the United States. Punk bands of note from Washington includeTru Fax & the Insaniacs,Fugazi,Bad Brains, andMinor Threat. Washingtonians continue to support punk bands, long after the punk movement's popularity peaked. The region also has a significantindie rock history and was home toTeenBeat,Dischord Records andSimple Machines, among other indie record labels. DC's punk rock movement was critically important in the broaderhardcore punk movement. The local genre is calledDC hardcore.
Washington is also home toDuke Ellington School of the Arts, founded in 1974 and part of theDC Public School System. Some other notable music education organizations which are located and founded in Washington include theDC Youth Orchestra Program founded in 1960;Blues Alley, founded in 1985; and the Levine School of Music, founded in 1976.
Founded in 1798, theUnited States Marine Band is the country's oldest professional musical organization whose unique mission is "to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps." On New Year's Day in 1801, the band officially debuted at the White House for PresidentJohn Adams and has since performed for State Dinners,South Lawn Arrivals, presidential inaugurations, and receptions. The Marine Band performs on average 200 times a year.[21]
The Navy band was often an ensemble of afife and drummer until the group expanded and became theUnited States Navy Band, the oldest band in the U.S. Navy. In May 1794, Captain Robert Dale ordered a crew that consisted of 21 privates, one sergeant, one corporal, and two musicians. In 1836, John H. Page became the first bandmaster in the Navy. The United States Navy Band's headquarters is at theWashington Navy Yard.[22] They perform at official events and public concerts around the city.
TheU Street Corridor is a commercial and residential district in Northwest Washington, D.C., that holds many restaurants, clubs, shops, and art galleries. Formerly known as "Washington's Black Broadway", U Street was once the center of African-American culture in the United States. U Street is the home to theBohemian Caverns and theLincoln Theatre, and is where famed DC-native jazz musicianDuke Ellington began his career. That area was an important center for jazz music during thejazz age.
Washington, D.C., is an important center forindie culture and music.Ian MacKaye founded the labelDischord Records, which is one of the most important independent labels created for 1980s punk and eventually indie rock in the 1990s.[23]TeenBeat Records andSimple Machines are other indie labels created in Washington, D.C.
Washington has hosted several movie premieres, including2001: A Space Odyssey,[24]The Empire Strikes Back,[25] andInterstellar.[26]
Other professional and semi-professional teams based in D.C. include theUSAFLBaltimore Washington Eagles, theNWFAD.C. Divas, theMinor League FootballD.C. Explosion, theWashington RFCrugby union team of theRugby Super League, as well as a host of others playing in thePotomac Rugby Union and theWashington Cricket League. It was also home to theWUSAWashington Freedom, from 1987 to 1989 home of theMajor Indoor Lacrosse League'sWashington Wave, and during the2000–2002NLL seasons, theWashington Power was based in the city. Inrugby league, theWashington, D.C. Slayers play in theAmerican National Rugby League.
There were twoMajor League Baseball teams named the Washington Senators in the early and mid-20th century, which left to become respectively theMinnesota Twins and theTexas Rangers. In the19th century, the town was home to teams called the Washington Nationals, Washington Statesmen, and Washington Senators on and off from the 1870s to the turn of the century.
Washington was home to severalNegro league baseball teams, including theWashington Homestead Grays,Washington Black Senators,Washington Elite Giants,Washington Pilots, andWashington Potomacs.
TheCapital One Arena in Chinatown, home to the Capitals, Mystics, Wizards and theGeorgetown Hoyas, is also a major venue for concerts,World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)professional wrestling, and other events, having replaced the oldCapital Centre. Since its opening in 1997, the arena has served as a catalyst of prosperity in Chinatown. Office buildings, high-end condominiums, restaurant chains, movie theatres, and other luxuries have sprung up around Chinatown. On the downside, the growth has forced out many Chinatown landmarks, and only a fraction of Chinatown remains "Chinese".[27]
The city's soccer team, D.C. United, is the most successful franchise in MLS history, with 4 league championships and 10 total tournament victories, both league highs. The city is also considered the most passionate soccer market, with a list of people including MLS Commissioner Don Garber and TV Commentator (and former US National team and MLS star) Eric Wynalda outright declaring Washington the country's best soccer market.
Washington hosts the annualWashington Opentennis tournament that takes place at theWilliam H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on 17th Street inRock Creek Park.
TheMarine Corps Marathon and theNational Marathon are both held annually in Washington.
Washington, D.C. has a robust and vibrant food culture[28] that has been growing in recent years.[29]
D.C. is the birthplace of thehalf-smoke,[30] which is a half-pork, half-beef sausage, typically placed in ahotdog-style bun and topped with chili, onions, and mustard. Half-smokes are sold at numerous locations throughout the D.C. region, but are most notably sold at the city's landmark restaurant,Ben's Chili Bowl.Mumbo sauce is a D.C.-area condiment that is a mix of sweetbarbeque andketchup sauce, often placed on meat orFrench fries. Washington is also the birthplace ofjumbo slice pizza, which is an enlargedNew York-style pizza. Jumbo slice pizza is particularly popular in theAdams Morgan neighborhood.[31]
Many celebrity chefs are based in D.C., includingJosé Andrés,[32]Kwame Onwuachi,[33]Gordon Ramsay,[34][35] and previouslyMichel Richard.Georgetown Cupcake was featured on a reality show calledDC Cupcakes.
TheGin Rickey was invented in 1883 at Shoomaker's in Washington, D.C.[36] and is D.C.'s official cocktail.[37]
D.C.'s fine dining scene is among the most prominent in the country. As of 2023, the city had the third-highest number ofMichelin-starred restaurants in the United States, only after New York City and San Francisco.
The Washington Post is the oldest and most-read daily newspaper in Washington, and it has developed into one of the most reputable daily newspapers in the U.S. It is most notable for exposing theWatergate scandal, among other achievements.The Washington Post also had a daily free newspaper called theExpress, summarizing events, sports, and entertainment. The conservative dailyThe Washington Times, onlineDCist, and free weeklyWashington City Paper also have substantial readership in the District, as does the magazineWashingtonian. On February 1, 2005, the free dailytabloidWashington Examiner debuted, having been formed from a chain of suburban newspapers known as theJournal Newspapers.
The weeklyWashington Blade andMetro Weekly focus on gay issues, and theWashington Informer on African American issues. Bi-weeklyStreet Sense focuses on issues ofhomelessness and poverty.
Many neighborhoods in the District have their own community newspapers, usually published on a weekly basis. Some of these include The Current Newspapers, which has editions servingDupont Circle,Foggy Bottom,Georgetown,Chevy Chase, and the Upper Northwest and aCapitol Hill paper called The Capitol Hill Current/Voice of the Hill. Additional papers includeIn-Towner (Dupont Circle,Logan Circle, andAdams Morgan),Hill Rag (Capitol Hill),East of the River (Anacostia), andDC North (Northeast DC). In addition, several specialty newspapers serve the U.S. Congress; most notable areRoll Call andThe Hill.
Spanish-language newspapers includeEl Tiempo Latino,Washington Hispanic, andEl Pregonero.
The metro area is served by several local broadcast television stations and is the eighth largestdesignated market area in the U.S., with 2,252,550 homes (2.04% of the U.S. population). Major television network affiliates includeWRC 4 (NBC),WTTG 5 (Fox),WJLA 7 (ABC),WUSA 9 (CBS),WDCA 20 (MyNetwork TV) andWDCW 50 (The CW) as well asWETA 26 andWHUT 32 (PBS) stations. Channels 4 and 5 areOwned-and-operated stations.Public Access on Cable Television is provided by thePublic Access Corporation of the District of Columbia on two channels simulcast to both local cable TV Systems. One channel is devoted to religious programming and the other channel provides a diversity of offerings. A regional news station,News Channel 8, is carried on Channel 8 on all cable systems in Washington, D.C. and surrounding communities. Additionally, mostBaltimore area television stations can be seen in the Washington region. Besides being viewed clearly in the District, they can especially be seen in the suburbs of theInterstate 95 corridor between both cities. They are:
WMAR 2 (ABC) –WBAL 11 (NBC) –WJZ 13 (CBS) –WMJF 16 (Ind/MTV2) –WMPT 22 /WMPB 67 (PBS/MPB) –WUTB 24 (MyNetwork TV) –WBFF 45 (FOX) –WNUV 54 (TheCW) (The Tube on DT2)
Spanish-language television is also represented byTelemundoWZDC-LP 25 and Telefutura affiliateWMDO-CA 47, but these arelow-power television stations limited to within theCapital Beltway area. Univision'sWFDC 14, however, transmits as a full power station and can be received as far north as Baltimore.
Incidentally, D.C.'s Univision and Telefutura stations (owned by Entravision) switched call letters on January 1, 2006; meaning that now Univision is the only Spanish station that can be seen at full power over the whole Washington metropolitan area. The Univision network moved from low-powered Channel 47/WMDO to full-powered Channel 14/WFDC; Univision's youth-oriented Telefutura network moved from 14 to 47. The change caused Univision and Telefutura to exchange channel locations on D.C. area cable TV systems, too.
.jpg)
Azteca America announced they would start transmitting from a new full-powered Spanish-language broadcast affiliate in the region, Channel 69/WQAW-LD on October 6, 2006, as well as its addition to local channel lineups for Comcast Cable. However, it has not been seen on the air as of yet. The earliest reports from viewers did not indicate any availability of its broadcasts inside the District, as far south asPrince William County, Virginia, or as far north as the Columbia/Baltimore area.
Several cable television networks and other news channels have their headquarters in the Washington area. Among these areC-SPAN on Capitol Hill andVoice of America (VOA) inSouthwest D.C. Two that have their headquarters in suburban D.C. includeDiscovery Communications inSilver Spring, Maryland and thePublic Broadcasting Service (PBS) inArlington, Virginia. Major national broadcasters and cable outlets including NBC,ABC,CBS,FOX, andCNN maintain a significant presence in Washington, as do those from around the world including theBBC,CBC, andAl Jazeera.America's Most Wanted is the only network primetime program produced in Washington.
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(July 2019) |
There are several major radio stations serving the metro area, with a wide variety of musical interests.Contemporary music Station (and arguably the most popular) isWIHT 99.5 FM (Hot 99.5) located inRockville, Maryland.Rock stations includeWTGB 94.7 FM (Triple A) andWWDC 101.1 FM (alternative rock/pop).Urban stations includeWPGC 95.5 FM (rhythmic top 40/urban contemporary),WHUR 96.3 FM (Howard Universityurban adult contemporary station),WMMJ 102.3 FM (urban adult contemporary),WKYS 93.9 FM (urban contemporary), andRadio CPR 97.5 FM (a popularpirate radio station broadcasting in the area aroundMount Pleasant, Adams Morgan, andColumbia Heights). Two majorcontemporary Christian music stations in the region areWGTS 91.9 FM (ofTakoma Park) andWPIR 89.9 (ofWarrenton, Virginia). Stations that concentrate on talk and sports includeWJFK 106.7 FM,WSBN 630 AM (ESPN Radio),WQOF 1260 AM (progressive talk),WOL 1450 AM,WPGC 1580 AM (gospel), WTEM 980 AM (sports talk),WAVA 105.1 FM (Christiantalk radio),WTOP 103.5 FM (news), andWWWT 1500 AM/107.7 FM (3WT/talk). Radio duosDon and Mike andRon and Fez both had great success on WJFK, although the latter now broadcast on D.C.-basedXM Satellite Radio via the network's New York studio.
The Sports Junkies is a popular sports talk radio show on 106.7 FM. The show's hosts John Auville, Eric Bickel, Jason Bishop, and John-Paul Flaim, are life-long friends and have been working together on the show since 1996. The show is on weekdays from 6am to 10am.
WOL 1450 AM, WKYS 93.9 FM, and WMMJ 102.3 are owned by Washington'sRadio One, the largest African American media conglomerate in the country. It was founded by Cathy Hughes, a prominent figure in Washington radio since her days atHoward University's WHUR.
There are twoNational Public Radio (NPR) affiliates:WAMU 88.5 FM (NPR andPublic Radio International programming, community programming, andBBC news), broadcast from theAmerican University, andWETA 90.9 FM (around-the-clock classical music). Other stations includeWASH 97.1 FM (adult contemporary),WMZQ-FM 98.7 FM (country music),WBIG 100.3 FM (classic hits),Triple X ESPN Radio 92.7 FM/94.3 FM/730 AM (sports talk station controlled byWashington Commanders ownerDaniel Snyder),WLZL El Zol 99.1 FM (Latin/Tropical),WPRS-FM Praise 104.1 (gospel),WPFW 89.3 FM (jazz and progressive talk),WJZW 105.9 FM (smooth jazz), andWLVW 107.3 FM (Christian contemporary). Additionally, most major radio stations from Baltimore can be heard in the Washington metropolitan area.
XM Satellite Radio and NPR are based in Washington. TheVoice of America, the U.S. government'sinternational broadcasting service, is headquartered in Washington.
D.C. has a notable and diverseLGBT culture.Dupont Circle has historically been the epicenter of LGBT culture in D.C.[38] Since 1986, on the Tuesday beforeHalloween, theHigh Heel Drag Queen Race is held.
TheLatino community represents around 13% of Washington, D.C.'s population.[39] In 2010, the largest Latino population in Washington, D.C., wereSalvadorans, followed by Mexicans and Puerto Ricans respectively.[40] Communities fromPeru,Guatemala,Honduras,Colombia, and otherLatin American countries are also represented in Washington, D.C.
Spanish is the second most-spoken language in the country. Many government programs and facilities provide services in Spanish for the Latino community. Centers, such as theWhiteman-Walker Clinic and theDepartment of Human Services, offer services in Spanish and have special programs for the Latino community. The Metro and other transportation systems offer information in both English and Spanish. TheOffice of Latino Affairs was created in 1976 to serve the Latino community in the area. Ayuda is a national immigration legal directory that helps Latinos and other immigrants with legal issues.[41] The Hispanic Access Foundation is a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C., that works to improve the lives of Latinos in the United States by promoting civic engagement and helping them gain trustworthy support systems.[42]
Several medical centers, such asLa Clínica del Pueblo, Mary's Center, andM Health Fairview, cater to the needs of the Latino population by providing services in Spanish. Many hospitals offer bilingual services including translators and bilingual staff on call twenty-four hours a day.
Washington, D.C., has several bilingual schools, including Oyster Elementary school,Bell Multicultural High School, andCarlos Rosario International Public Charter School. Its major colleges and universities includeGeorgetown University,American University,Ana G. Méndez University System,George Washington University,Howard University,Catholic University of America,Gallaudet University, and theUniversity of Maryland, College Park. Several colleges and universities in the area have Spanish and Latino representatives for the recruitment of Latino students. Several organizations, such as theLatin American Youth Center, help foster the educational and professional needs of young Latino students.
