Robert Malesky

Just eat and smile a lot.

The Enslaved Families Who Worked This Land Slavery was legal in Washington DC until 1862, when Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act. Through it, we can learn a great deal about those people held in bondage in what would b…

Today is Emancipation Day in Washington DC. In 1862, nearly 3,100 enslaved people were freed, and the owners compensated for their financial loss. This is the story of the men, women and children who were released from bondage in our area 163 years ago. Remember their names.

Thanks for being there Lars. I'm sure Kee was smiling down on us. Safe journey back.

I know I don't have many followers here, but I just had to post a little bit about my beloved wife, who passed today. Kee Malesky was a research librarian for NPR for over two decades, and every reporter, producer and editor there owes her a great debt. We were married for 55 years.

Rhiannon Giddens is the latest artist to cancel Kennedy Center gig Folk musician Rhiannon Giddens said on social media that she has moved her May concert – originally scheduled for the Kennedy Center – to a different venue in Washington, D.C.

Folk musician Rhiannon Giddens said on social media that she has moved her May concert – originally scheduled for the Kennedy Center – to a different venue in Washington, D.C.

Really. And the closeup photo of him in those handcuffs really affected me. What a look in his eyes.

The Mystery of the Wandering Lincoln Conspirator Most people know about the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth and David Herold after the assassination of President Lincoln. Far fewer know about Lewis Powell’s desperate run to our area as he tri…

It's Lincolns birthday, a good day to remember his life, and his death. When he was killed at Ford's Theater, John Wilkes Booth headed south, but one of the other conspirators headed to the future Brookland neighborhood, looking to escape. bygonebrookland.com/2025/02/12/t... #DChistory

Brookland’s First Church…and It Wasn’t Catholic! The story of the Brookland Baptist Church and the people who created it, in the words of a well-known Brookland developer. Begun as the Queenstown Baptist Church in 1881, it changed as the neighbor…

The origins of Brookland's first church.
in a neighborhood known for its Catholic roots, it may surprise people that the initial church built here was Baptist. #DChistory
bygonebrookland.com/2025/01/27/b...

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?

Jeez, that's a lot more than I would have expected. We got 8 inches last week, and thanks to the sub-freezing weather, it is still on the ground. At least I have a snow shovel.

Do you even have a snow shovel?

Happy birthday, Lars-boy.

Why I'm quitting the Washington Post Democracy can't function without a free press

She quit the Post, and I understand why. Very sad. substack.com/home/post/p-...

The Fascinating History of Edgewood It was once called “Metropolis View,” but was renamed Edgewood by the Chief Justice of the United States and his beautiful daughter. A story of wealth and scandal.

Edgewood is one of DC's lesser known neighborhoods, but there's some absorbing history there, including grave-robbing and sexual scandal. #DCHistory
bygonebrookland.com/2017/03/06/t...

Not the headline I wanted to wake up to today. Glad you're all safe. Sheesh.

I'm known for writing in-depth histories. Sometimes too in-depth. Lol

A Short History of Brookland A short, photo-rich history of the Brookland neighborhood in Washington DC.

A short, photo-rich history of the Brookland neighborhood in Washington DC. bygonebrookland.com/2022/03/29/a...

A lovely wintertime photo of the tracks north of Washington DC's Union Station in 1920.

Are you considering it?

It’s tough out there.

Just took my probiotic/prebiotic gummies. At least they taste good.

One

Early 1900s postcard with a dramatic nighttime view of the Old City Hall (now the DC Court of Appeals) on Judiciary Square. Designed by George Hadfield and built between 1820 and 1849, it was one of DC's first major public buildings.

Lovely image. Rare to get a nighttime view. But where's the Lincoln statue?

Nice, crisp aerial of DC from the Washington Monument in 1911. Pepco plant, old Post Office, Pension Building, GPO, Union Station, Agriculture Dept. greenhouses on mall, Center Market all visible. Some still stand. #DChistory

I found "Writing Beyond Writing" by Tim Brookes particularly enlightening. Brookes is the man behind the Endangered Alphabets Project, and delves deeply into the cultural history of various writing systems. Fascinating.

I been helping the Mapping Segregation folks by transcribing various deeds in Washington DC for racially restrictive covenants. If you've never seen one, this is what the language looks like.

Friday Chat: The future of D.C.'s Home Rule D.C.'s autonomy could be in jeopardy now that Republicans control the executive and legislative branches of the federal government.

As a 50-year+ resident of Washington DC, this is what I'm most worried about after the election - losing home rule. Washingtonians have only been able to elect our own mayor and council since 1973. Before that rule was by appointed commissioners..appointed by Congress. wamu.org/story/24/11/...

Walking the Color Line in 1909 Little Isabel Wall was kicked out of the Brookland School in 1909. Whether she was white or black was a question that roiled the neighborhood.

I've been writing a local history blog about my Brookland neighborhood and the larger history of Washington DC. After ten years, my most popular post is this one, about treading the line between Black and White. bygonebrookland.com/2020/05/21/w...