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20th Century Washington

WAMU's award-winning ten part series, "20th Century Washington" looks back at the history of the District over the past one hundred years. The following segments aired on Metro Connection between April 1999 and January 2000.

The McMillan Plan
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In this first installment of "20th Century Washington" we focus on the McMillan plan which helped create the physical layout of Washington we know today. At the turn of the century, while the McMillan plan was creating a symbolic "nation's capital," the residents of Washington were going about the business of creating neighborhoods: homes, businesses, roads, and schools.

Kathy Merritt and Annie Wu reporting.

The Spanish Influenza
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In 1918, just as America was in the throes of fighting World War I, Washington was suddenly hit with a deadly epidemic. Eventually, "the Spanish influenza" struck cities and towns around the U.S. and abroad, killing a world-wide total of 21 million people. Historians say the suffering in DC could have been much worse, if not for the preventative measures taken by one of the city's three Commissioners, Louis Brownlow.

Lex Gillespie reporting.

1920's: Race Relations
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In this installment, we focus on the aftermath of a racially motivated riot in the summer of 1919, and look at the state of race relations in the 1920's when African-Americans comprised a quarter of the District's population.

Annie Wu reporting.

1932 Bonus March
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Thousands of veterans of World War I came to Washington during the Bonus March of 1932. But it was more than a march, it was an occupation of the nation's capital, and it helped pave the way for many demonstrations in the city in years to follow. As part of our look at events in the district during the 20th Century.

Lex Gillespie reporting.

Washington at War
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The 1940's brought great change to Washington. A small southern town became a crowded bustling city that was at the center of world attention. But as the battles were fought in Europe and the Pacific, Washingtonians shared much of the wartime experience that all Americans felt.

Kathy Merritt reporting.

1950's: The Thompson Restaurant Case
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During the 1950s, Washington was divided by race. But the city's segregation didn't extend everywhere. Schools and most theaters were segregated, while street cars and buses were not. African-Americans could use the District's libraries, but they weren't allowed to swim in public pools. Another big problem was dining out, since most restaurants refused to serve Blacks. But in January 1950, a group of DC residents challenged the "whites-only" policy in the city's eating establishments. Their efforts culminated in the "Thompson Restaurant case," which went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Lex Gillespie reporting.

1960's: Transportation
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A look at transportation in the 1960s and the fight over a proposed system of freeways through and around the District. This highway plan would go down in DC history as perhaps the most important NIMBY - not in my back yard - battle of the century.

Annie Wu reporting.

1970's: The Fight for Self-Government
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The decade began in the wake of the riots that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 - riots that devastated many once vibrant sections of the District. But in 1970, District voters selected a first ever delegate to the US House of Representatives. Congress gave district residents limited home rule in 1973, which led to the first elected mayor and city council in a century. And by the end of the decade, states were considering a constitutional amendment to give DC full voting rights in the senate and house.

James Jones reporting.

1980's: The Marion Barry Years
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DC had high hopes for its future in the 1980's. Along with the rest of the country, the District was riding high on the economic boom of the Reagan years. Just down Pennsylvania Avenue from the white house, a new mayor, Marion Barry, was making bold promises to make the District a shining example of success in the world's eyes. The possibilities for inclusive and efficient local leadership and for economic growth seemed endless. But, as the decade unfolded, the path to financial stability and management accountability in government became foggy. We look back at the Marion Barry years, and examine the city's economic rise, fall, and struggle to make it on its own, once and for all.

Lakshmi Singh reporting.

1990's: Who We Are
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In the final installment of our 20th Century Washington Series, we examine the 1990's - "who we are today." Studies point to the fact that Washington is still losing residents, but at a much slower rate than even a few short years ago. We sort out the myths and the facts about the District's population, and about who's leaving and who's staying. But first, we'd like to caution listeners that there is some sensitive language contained in this piece.

Julianne Welby reporting.