Fort Dupont Park Summer Concert Series 2012

Every year I look forward to the concert series at Fort Dupont Park in Washington, D.C.  It has become widely popular and it tends to be very crowded.  However, there is nothing like the visual of a huge crowd [mostly African American] of people from the DMV getting together to celebrate music from the soul.  It is really a celebration and expression of culture -- American culture.  This years promises to be a nice one.  I hope to see you there this summer.  Concerts are free and opened to the public.

Note:  Shows are every Saturday as indicated below and usually start around 8:00 pm; however, get there before the time because places on the lawn fill up fast.  This is especially true in front of the stage. 

Check out the 2012 lineup:


July 14

• American Noiz': A celebration of American Music featuring a Motown review by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington; Accompanied by Joel Coleman, Dr. Guy Ramsey, Juliet Jones, Victor Provost & Scott McCormick  

July 21:

• Heatwave
• Nu Era  

July 28:

• ROY AYERS
• Secret Society  

Aug. 4:

• DC' Best Funk 'n R&B Night
• In Gratitude: A tribute to Earth Wind & Fire
• Featuring the Graingers, Jared, WaWa LaGrande, Gene McBride
• Mousey Thompson & James Brown Experience
• Jeffrey Walker  

Aug. 11:

• DC's Legends 'n Soul Night
• Al Johnson & his A Team
• Peaches & Herb
• Skip Mahoney & the Casuals
• HALO

 Aug. 18:

• KLYMAXX featuring Bernadette

Sources:  http://www.nps.gov/; i.ebayimg.com

Sign O' The Times: Fort Stanton Park

Frederick Douglass (c. 1817-1895)

"Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe." -Frederick Douglass

Harriet Tubman (1820(?)-l913)
"I grew up like a neglected weed -- ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it."

Bethune, Mary McLeod (1875-1955)

"The whole world opened to me when I learned to read."

Vick (198_-2006)

Teddy Reads: Rest In Peace (RIP) Vick, we love u.

Note: The teddy bear is a makeshift memorial to someone who was killed near or on that very spot. I've never met Vick, but he represents so many young black men who are murdered on the streets everyday of any city, USA.

Atonement 76'

Sometime back in the fall or spring 1976, I was just a boy at Washington Highland Elementary School in Washington, D.C. Well, one morning I was playing with some friends outside on the schoolyard pictured above. I remember that it was in the morning right before the bell. That morning, we laughed and chased each other around the bumpy asphalt we called our playground. Back then, there was no soft foam or sand to play on in my neighborhood in Southeast D.C. There was just asphalt, rocks, and sometimes glass. As you can see, nothing has changed.  While playing “chase” with another child, I accidentally bumped into a little girl and she fell face-down onto the hard asphalt. Initially, she did not make a sound and then she rolled over to her back and let out the most horrific scream. It was so loud that all the children stopped playing to look. I stood there amazed as I watched her older sister pick her up from the ground.

At that moment, I could see that her mouth was busted from the impact of the fall. There were front teeth missing and blood dripping from the mouth mixed with tears and saliva. I was immediately filled with terror and remorse for my carelessness, so I ran over to say that I was sorry for what I had done. The older sister looked at me in a way that I will never forget; her eyes seemed to express both sorrow for her sister and hate for me. Her eyelids squinted and expanded as she looked at me with a tight mouth and growing anger. Now, I know what my mother meant when she would say, “…if looks could kill.” I felt that she wanted to kill me that morning in 1976.

The little girl, with busted, swollen lips lost her front teeth that day; Me? I was made to sit in the classroom for the rest of morning and afternoon recess to think about what I had done. This moment took place over 30 years ago and I’ve never forgotten. Sometimes, I wonder whatever happened to that little girl. If she is still with us and hasn’t fallen as prey to the cruel streets, I pray that God will bless her right now as I write my thoughts. Also, if she and her older sister still remember that remorseful little boy at that moment -- over 30 years ago on the asphalt playground -- I pray that they have forgiven me. Peace~