City Cast DC DC’s Best Historical Collections Aren’t In the Smithsonian
Feb 4, 2026
Maya Thompson, an archivist for the MLK Library’s People’s Archive focused on Black Studies. Derek Gray, a longtime D.C. Public Library collections specialist and exhibit curator. They talk about the MLK Library as a living archive of Black DC life. They discuss the Up From the People exhibit, music and activism in local exhibits, and surprising artifacts like letters and historic rules.
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Local Leaders Shaped King's Story
- The MLK Library's People's Archive reframes D.C. history as deeply rooted in Black activism beyond the 1963 March on Washington.
- Derek Gray says local leaders and organizations shaped and were shaped by Dr. King, and the archive documents those connections.
Culture Is Political Evidence
- The exhibit highlights culture as part of activism by documenting go-go and punk's role in D.C.'s movements.
- Derek Gray notes music and art are preserved as evidence of cultural impact on political life.
Collections Preserve Changing Demographics
- The People's Archive centers Black Studies because D.C. had a majority-Black population when the collection began in the 1970s.
- Maya Thompson emphasizes preserving Black residents' legacy as demographics shift in the city.