‘We Make History’ at the Anacostia Community Museum Explores How DC Stories Become History
Visitors take in the We Make History exhibition at the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum
Who gets remembered? What gets preserved? And how do the everyday stories of Washingtonians become part of the historical record?
Those questions are at the center of “We Make History,” the current exhibition at the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, on view through January 2, 2028.
The exhibition explores how history is created, preserved and shared, highlighting Washington-area residents whose work as change makers and history keepers has had an impact across generations.
At the heart of the exhibition is the extraordinary family diary of Adam Francis Plummer, who began writing it in 1841 while enslaved in Prince George’s County. His daughter, Nellie Arnold Plummer, later continued the diary. The museum says it is believed to be the only known multigenerational diary in the United States begun by an enslaved person.
But “We Make History” stretches across generations and across different parts of DC culture.
Visitors can see a coat belonging to legendary singer Marian Anderson, a guitar belonging to Chuck Brown, DC’s “Godfather of Go-Go,” photographs documenting everyday life in the District, and a Washington Spirit jerseyrepresenting the city’s professional women’s soccer history.
Letters, photographs, sports memorabilia and other objects help make a larger point: history isn't only made through major national events or by famous figures. Families, neighborhoods and communities create and preserve history through the things they document, save and pass along.
The exhibition also incorporates interactive experiences designed to get visitors thinking about their own lives and what they might choose to preserve for future generations.
That message is especially fitting for the Anacostia Community Museum, which has spent nearly six decades documenting and sharing stories from communities throughout the Washington region.
Bring the Little Ones: Friday Storytime and Sensory Play
Families can also connect with the exhibition through the museum's ongoing “Big Moments, Little Stories: Storytime and Sensory Play” series.
The program takes place Fridays in October from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the museum's Sunburst Lounge.
Children and their caregivers gather for stories centered around community, family, neighborhoods, history and the changing seasons. Families can stay afterward for indoor play and creative exploration.
Sensory toys and other tools are available for children who benefit from tactile, movement or sensory experiences. The program is designed for children 18 months to 7 years old and their caregivers.
There’s More Happening at the Museum This Fall
The Anacostia Community Museum has a full calendar of free programming this October, including its Saturday farm stand, crochet, chess, gardening, collection-focused programs and a Halloween pumpkin-painting event.
“We Make History” is free and does not require a pass. The Anacostia Community Museum is located at 1901 Fort Place SE and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except December 25.
Want to see what else is happening at the museum this month?
Learn more about the Anacostia Community Museum's October events.