Events: A historic hotel—one of the few that rented to blacks during Jim Crow

The Whitelaw Hotel by David licensed under Creative Commons.

Come celebrate the historic 100th anniversary of the Whitelaw Hotel, as a group of panelists discusses the significance and impact of the building. The former hotel hosted many entertainers, such as Duke Ellington and writer Langston Hughes, over the decades and held several meetings for national black organizations, during the Jim Crow era when blacks were prevented from renting rooms in other parts of the city.

The event, sponsored by MANNA, Inc., will be held from 6 to 8 pm Thursday, Feb. 6, at the Whitelaw Hotel, 1839 13th Street NW. Courtland Milloy, a columnist for the Washington Post, will moderate the discussion. The event is free and open to the public. Click here to register.

Other events from around the region:

Monday, January 27

Don’t be left out of the conversation: Ever wonder “what is the proper role of government in our economic and social life?” Well, this question is part of a larger discussion from 5:30 pm to 7 pm Monday, at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 Sixth Street SW. The conversation is part of a series put on by the Arena Stage’s Civil Dialogues series. The discussion is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Friday, January 31

Want to learn more about the upcoming Lee Highway project?: Join residents and community members for a workshop on the proposed study of the Lee Highway. “Be a voice of your neighborhood as we learn more about community perspectives and priorities by geography.”

There will be two workshop dates Friday, Jan. 31 from 6:30 - 8 pm, and Saturday, Feb. 1, from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Both will be held at Washington-Liberty High School, 1301 N Stafford St, Arlington, VA. This event is free and open to the public. Click here for more information about the workshop.

Saturday, Feb. 1

Some of DC’s history is right at your fingertips: Want to know how DC’s faith-based organizations impacted the District? Or maybe you want to unpack the history of civil rights leader Julius Hobson? Attend this information session to learn how to access the District’s civil rights and faith-based records. The event will be from noon to 1 pm at Washingtoniana, 4340 Connecticut Avenue NW, and is free and open to the public. You must register to attend.