Washington County

I had an afternoon train, so Bob got to tour me around the Congressional Cemetery. I have visited many times, but it had been a while. Along the way, we passed by the controversial statue of Abraham Lincoln with an emancipated slave. The positioning of Lincoln towering over a crouching slave is less than enlightened. In any case, it still stands.

Because it was not feasible or practical to ship a body home for burial, the Congressional Cemetery hosts many former members of Congress who died while in DC. Here are the graves and memorial markers I noted (*notes people I knew when I lived in DC):
Jim Graham* - Jim was an AIDS activist and ran the Gay Men’s Health Clinic when I lived in DC. In later years he successfully ran for City Council. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/former-dc-…;
An accordion player - This woman had her graves stones carved into the shape of an accordion - Music is the Answer.
A librarian - He “cataloged” himself creating a Library of Congress card catalog number and all other features one might find on a traditional library card - hole and all.
John Phillip Sousa - famous band music writer.
Northwest Native American totem arch - Not sure the story here, but it is beautiful.
Marion Barry Jr.* - The quote from Maya Angelou etched on his grave reads, “Marion Barry changed America with his unmitigated gall to stand up to the ashes of where he had fallen and came back to win…”
Leonard Matlovich* - He was one of the early contractors of AIDS and died in 1988. His stone reads, “When I was in the military, they gave me a metal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.” During my time in DC so many of my fellow gay and lesbian activists died of AIDS. It was a scary time. I never did count the number of men and women who I worked with or volunteered with who died of AIDS, but it was a lot.
Frank Kameny* - His is only a memorial grave marker as it is unclear where his was laid to rest. He is located in what Bob would call, “The Gay Neighbourhood” in the cemetery. His famous quote is “Gay is Good”.
Clyde Anderson Towson - is buried about 10 grave sites over from his lover, FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover. Yes. That’s what made him (Hoover) so damn angry and mean.
Barbara Gittings and her partner Kay Lahusen - are buried in the gay neighbourhood. Gittings organized the Daughters of Bilitis in 1958 and was one of the picketers at the White House in 1965.
Bob Dardano* - future resting place is just next to Gittings and Lahusen and other gay activists. His spot sits at the base of a beautiful cherry blossom tree. He’ll be covered with pink petals every spring. Hopefully no time soon.
Tom Foley - former Speaker of the House has an infinity sculpture in steel. One of a kind.
Alain Locke - First African American Rhodes Scholar
Warren Robbins - Founder of the National Museum of African Art located on the Mall.

Lastly, I went over to my old house at 1828 Bay Street. I purchased that house for $75,000 back in 1986 when I was 26 years old. Cathy, my former partner, and I had the small kitchen completely gutted and redone. I scrapped five layers of wallpaper off the living and dining room walls to discover that the corners where the walls met had never been sealed - only papered over. We put a lot of sweat equity in that three-bedroom, one bath house. It looked nice and well maintained.Lue lisää