If you’ve driven down 9th Street NW before, I’m sure you’ll recognize this building with it’s memorable mural dedicated to Carter G. Woodson among others.
A closer inspection after the jump.
Here’s a close up of the Carter G. Woodson portrait and quote:
"We should emphasize not negro history but the negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race, hate and religious prejudice" -Carter G. Woodson
A few other notables make an appearance as well:
Robert Gould Shaw is best known as “the guy Matthew Broderick played in Glory,” but he’s also the namesake of the Shaw neighborhood. Shaw commanded the all-black 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and was killed in their assault on Fort Wagner.
The other portrait is of Duke Ellington, arguably DC’s most famous native son. Raised in Shaw, Ellington left DC for Harlem in 1923.
On the Q Street side of the building you’ll find this curious mural:
Anybody know the story behind it?
Tags: 9th St., Carter G. Woodson, Duke Ellington, Robert Gould Shaw, Shaw
OMG!!!!! It’s 9th & Rhode Island!!!! The Carter G Woodson mural was used to paint over what was REALLY there. That corner was the home of The Holy Tabernacle Ministries store in D.C. You can see an image of the sign with the crown on the left side in the first picture. I was the artist who painted the picture of Osiris next to the corner door. On the left side, which was the front of the store, there was also paintings of the Egyptian deities Nut and Ptah (which I was also responsible for). The mural painted over additional Egyptian-style paintings. We I was working the brothers at this location, RIGHT KNOWLEDGE that was taught to us by Rev. Dr. Malachi Z. York was at a high. We were the “MEN IN BLACK” who traveled the subways and buses with a hand full of books, oils & incenses! This truly was a magical place! MT. SHAMIYR, LODGE No. 9 WILL LIVE ON IN MY MEMORIES AND THE MEMORIES OF ALL OF THOSE WHO HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO LEARN IN IT’S HALLS!!!!
The Q street side of the store was an extension of the store. Before they changed to the Holy Tabernacle Ministries, the organization was known as the NUBIAN ISLAMIC HEBREWS or the ANSAARULLAH COMMUNITY. During this phase of the organization, the students were learning the degrees of MUHAMMADISM, CHRISTISM, & MOSESISM. The Q street side were the living quarters for all of those who were apart of the community. When the fraternity made the transition from religious studies, there were many that felt their teacher, then Imaam Isa, had lost his way and left the community all together to become orthodox Muslims and Jews. This took place during the early 90’s. The local branch felt it easier to reduce their overhead, so they stopped using it. As more time past, it became boarded up from lack of use.
To get an idea of what this place looked like waaaaaay back in the day, check out this video of the HOLY TABERNACLE MINISTRIES. The class was recorded in New York, but all of their stores had the same look at that time…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYFa7CqldjY