HumanitiesDC

DC Oral History Collaborative June Meetup
2026-06-01 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | DC History Center, 801 K St NW, Washington, 20001, United States
Calling all local oral historians: HumanitiesDC and the DC History Center are offering their next oral history meetup in Washington, DC! Join us at the DC History Center on Monday, June 1 at 6 pm to be in community with other oral historians. During the meetup we’ll share ideas, talk through challenges and obstacles, and celebrate successes. The first half of the evening is dedicated to small group discussion, with snacks. Then, we’ll gather for a group discussion.
You do not have to be a practicing oral historian to participate but come prepared to learn from others and to share your own thoughts, perspectives, and experiences.
Register here

About the DC Oral History Collaborative

The DC Oral History Collaborative, a unique partnership between HumanitiesDC and the DC Public Library, was started in 2017 to encourage Washington, DC residents to record the stories of their communities, share them with the public, and preserve them for the future. Since then, hundreds of oral history fans and practitioners have taken the Collaborative’s training, started projects, and attended oral history related events.
The Collaborative incorporates grant funding, trainings, coaching and other resources to help residents document, preserve, and celebrate the history of all DC communities, specifically through oral history.

Foundation to Future Soul: A Photo Exhibition
2026-06-04 12:00 - 2026-06-30 17:00 (America/New_York) | Manifest 002, 1242 3rd Street NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States
MASTER TEACHERS ~ A Soulversations Series
Vol. I Foundation to Future Soul: The Cultural Advocacy That Made Black Music Month
In June 1979, a historic convening set in motion the federal recognition of June as Black Music Month. Photojournalist Ron St. Clair was in the room and he brought a camera. Foundation to Future Soul brings St. Clair’s fifteen archival photographs to Manifest in DC’s Union Market District for the full month of June 2026. Each image is set in historical context, connecting that political moment to the music, communities, and advocates who made it happen. All fifteen pieces are available for acquisition after the exhibition closes. This is the story of Black Music Month in photographs, by the man who was there.
More info here

Hot Mess
2026-06-04 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Penn Social, 801 E Street Northwest, Washington, DC, 20004
Some nights go as planned. This show is about the ones that don’t. Hot Mess is a night of live, true stories about chaos, confusion, and the moments when everything goes off the rails, in public, in private, or right when it mattered most. These are the stories that make you cringe, laugh, and say “yep, been there.”
Registration link

Sun Ra: Do the Impossible Documentary Screening
2026-06-05 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
Sound. Spirit. Imagination. A cosmic exploration of the Sun Ra legacy through film, conversation and community connection. Join us for a special screening of Sun Ra: Do the Impossible, a powerful documentary exploring the life, legacy, and boundless imagination of musician and visionary artist, Sun Ra. Following the film, we welcome you for an intimate Q&A panel featuring key contributors and cultural voices connected to the documentary, offering deeper insight into Sun Ra?s enduring impact on music, Afrofuturism, and artistic expression. The evening will conclude with a reception, inviting guests to connect, reflect, and celebrate in community.
Registration link

DC Day of Archaeology Festival
2026-06-06 10:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Catholic University of America, University Lawn, 620 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC, 20064
Local families are invited to discover the past and learn about the clues under our feet at the DC Day of Archaeology Festival, a free, family-friendly event on June 6 that brings history to life through hands-on activities. Hosted by Archaeology in the Community, this annual festival gathers archaeologists and other heritage-related professionals from across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region to share the stories, science, and the discoveries that shape our understanding of the past. Taking place as part of DC Archaeology Month in June, the festival offers a full day of engaging experiences designed especially for kids and families. This event will be held at Catholic University of America, University Lawn outside the Pryzbyla Center.
Learn more

DC Oral History Collaborative: Oral History Interviewing Workshop
2026-06-15 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 401c, Conference Center, 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
This session in our oral history workshop series focuses on the interview experience itself.

This core workshop in the DC Oral History Collaborative workshop series will provide participants strategies to make the interview experience rewarding for the interviewer and the narrator. The workshop will begin by exploring what comes before the interview – connecting research and planning with building trust and rapport with narrators. Participants will then discuss a wide variety of potential challenging situations that may arise in an oral history interview and will co-create a list of strategies for working through those situations. Finally, participants will have the opportunity to practice their skills by interviewing another member of their cohort.
Register here

The DC Oral History Collaborative (DCOHC) documents, preserves, and celebrates the lived experiences of all Washington, DC residents and communities through oral history. The Collaborative accomplishes this by providing training, mentorship, resources, programs, and funding to current and aspiring oral historians. The Collaborative is a partnership of HumanitiesDC and the DC Public Library

Pride Month Poetry Reading
2026-06-16 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St. NW, Washington DC, MD, 20006, United States
2026 PRIDE POETRY WORKSHOPS AT THE ARTS CLUB

The Arts Club of Washington announces a slate of free community writing workshops for 2026, led by five Pride Poets-in-Residence. Workshops are designed to be generative, so participants will leave each session with a new poem-in-progress, and are open to writers of all levels of experience and backgrounds. This is the final of six sessions.

Pride Month Poetry Reading
Reading by Gregory Adams, Xochi Quetzali Cartland, Marlena Chertock, Angelique Palmer, and Nico Penaranda, the five LGBTQ+ poets awarded 2026 Pride Poetry Fellowships from the Arts Club of Washington. Followed by a reception and book signing.
Register here.

2026 Home Rule Music Festival at the Parks at Walter Reed
2026-06-20 12:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | The Parks at Walter Reed, 6900 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20012, United States
Celebrate five years of culture, community, and sound at the 2026 Home Rule Music Festival at The Parks at Walter Reed! This free, outdoor festival honors Washington, DC’s rich musical legacy, spotlighting jazz, go-go, funk, hip-hop, soul, and contemporary voices that continue to shape the city’s cultural identity.
Registration link
Now in its 5th year, the festival has grown into one DC’s premier cultural gatherings, drawing thousands of music lovers, families, creatives, and community leaders for a full day of live performances, connection, and celebration.
What to Expect:

Incredible live music from legendary and emerging D.C. artists
Curated local food vendors
Merch marketplace
A dynamic Record and Vinyl Fair
Live mural painting
A Kids Zone
VIP Experience Free and open to the public
