EVENTS

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 at 7:30 to 9:00 pm
Poetry Reading featuring Mark DeFoe, Grace Cavalieri, Sarah Browning and Hilary Tham
Grace Church, 1041 Wisconsin Ave., lower Georgetown neighborhood, DC. (202) 333-7100.
A tribute to Whitman's living legacy. Authors featured in The Whitman Issue of Beltway: A Poetry Quarterly read from Whitman and their own work. Hosted by David Bujard. Sponsored by Grace Church. Free Admission.

Thursday, April 7, 2005 at 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Poetry Reading featuring David Bergman, Myra Sklarew and Rosemary Winslow
Chapters Literary Bookstore, 445 11th St. NW, Near the corner of 11th & E Streets, Metro Center neighborhood, DC. (202) 737-5553
A tribute to Whitman's living legacy. Authors featured in The Whitman Issue of Beltway: A Poetry Quarterly read from Whitman and their own work. Hosted by Terri Merz. Sponsored by Chapters Literary Bookstore. Free Admission.

Thursday and Friday, April 14 and 15, 2005 with programs beginning at 9:15, 10:15, and 11:15 am, and 2:15, 3:15, and 4:15 pm
140th Anniversary of Lincoln's Assassination
Ford's Theater, 511 10th St. NW, Metro Center neighborhood, DC. (202) 426-6924
Dramatic readings of Whitman's poem "O Captain, My Captain!" will be presented along with the story of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, Whitman's regard for the president, and the history of Ford's Theater. Sponsored by the National Park Service, Rae Emerson, Historian. Free Admission.

Saturday, April 16, 2005 from 10:00 to 11:30 am
Whitman Guided Meditation
Friends Meeting of Washington, 2111 Florida Ave. NW, Dupont Circle neighborhood, DC.
Did Whitman really meditate? Based on the writings of Whitman's close friend Dr. Richard Maurice Bucke and Whitman's own poems and journals, participants will replicate what we know about Whitman's meditation practice, and investigate how the poet accessed spiritual dimensons that gave him mystical insight. Practitioners of meditation or those curious about Whitman's spirituality will find this session of special interest. 1.5 hours, including meditation exercise, commentary, and discussion. Led by Neil Richardson. Limited to 20 people. Advance reservations required by emailing ananda001@aol.com. Sponsored by the Washington Friends of Walt Whitman. Free admission, although donations will be accepted to defray costs.

Saturday, April 16, 2005 from Noon to 5:00 pm
Leaves of Grass Marathon Reading
The George Washington University, The Marvin Center, 800 21st St. NW, Room 307/The Kayser Room, Foggy Bottom neighborhood, DC. (202) 994-6180.
An all-day Saturday event! We will read the entire 1855 first edition of this classic of American literature, in honor of the 150th anniversary of its publication. Dividing the text into small sections, Whitman's masterpiece will be read by poets, scholars, actors, politicians--and you! Participants may reserve a reading slot in advance by emailing carly.sachs@gmail.com--or simply show up on Saturday and sign up then. Hosted by Rosemary Winslow and David McAleavey. Sponsored by the George Washington University Department of English. Free Admission.

Sunday, April 17, 2005 from 10:00 am to Noon
Walking Tour of Whitman's Washington
Meet in front of the Hotel Monaco at 7th and F Streets NW, DC.
See sites of former boarding houses, offices, and hospitals the poet frequented while living in DC, and learn about what the city was like during and immediately after the Civil War. Readings from Whitman's poems, letters, and journals will enhance the experience. Led by Martin G. Murray and Craig Howell. No advance registration required. Sponsored by Cultural Tourism DC as part of "WalkingTown DC: Stroll the City." Free Admission.

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 4:30 pm
Poetry Reading featuring David Bottoms, Patricia Gray, Saundra Rose Maley, Judith McCombs, Kim Roberts, and Richard Sharp
Catholic University, Hannan Hall, Herzfeld Auditorium, Brookland neighborhood, DC. (202) 319-5488.
A tribute to Whitman's living legacy. David Bottoms, winner of the Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets, and five authors featured in The Whitman Issue of Beltway: A Poetry Quarterly read from Whitman and their own work. Hosted by Rosemary Winslow. Sponsored by the English Department of Catholic University of America. Free Admission.

Saturday, April 23, 2005 from Noon to 3:00 pm
"Taking Poetry to the Street: A DC Public Library Celebration of Poetry"
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Public Library, Gallery Place neighborhood, 901 G St. NW, DC. (202) 727-1126.
Readings of Whitman poems and a brief talk on Whitman's connection to Washington by Sherwood Smith will be included as part of the library's annual literary celebration, beginning at approximately 12:30 pm. Sponsored by the DC Public Library Language and Literature Division. Free Admission.

Wednesday, May 4, 2005 at 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Poetry Reading: Whitman' Children
Brookland Visitor's Center, 3450 9th St. NE, Brookland neighborhood, DC. (202) 526-1632
The Brookland Poetry Series presents a reading of Whitman's poems and the poems of the Beats, the Beat-influenced, and of their contemporaries, whose poetry was strongly influenced by Whitman. Hosted by Michael Gushue and Dan Vera. Sponsored by the Brookland Area Writers and Artists Association. Free Admission.

Saturday, May 7, 2005 at 10:30 am
Walking Tour of Congressional Cemetery
Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E Street SE, DC. (202) 543-0539.
A tour of this 32-acre historic cemetery, established in 1807, will focus on Walt Whitman, Peter Doyle, and Civil War personages. Led by Steven L. Carson and Martin G. Murray. Sponsored by the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery and Christ Church. No advance registration required. Meet at the cemetery chapel. Free Admission. (Rain date: Sunday, May 8 at 10:30 am)

Monday, May 16, 2005 at 7:30 to 9:00 pm
Walt Whitman Birthday Tribute Reading, featuring Mark Doty and Anne Waldman
Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE, Capitol Hill neighborhood, DC. (202) 544-7077.
Mark Doty, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award and Anne Waldman, co-founder (with Allen Ginsberg) of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa Institute, honor Whitman with this birthday reading and celebration. Hosted by Libbie Rifkin. Sponsored by the Folger Shakespeare Library Poetry Programs. $10 Admission.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 12:30 to 2:30 pm
Luncheon and Poetry Reading featuring David McAleavey, Clarinda Harriss, Linda Joy Burke, and Robert L. Giron
The Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St. NW, Foggy Bottom neighborhood, DC. (202) 331-7282.
A tribute to Whitman's living legacy. Authors featured in The Whitman Issue of Beltway: A Poetry Quarterly read from Whitman and their own work. Hosted by Mark Ohnmacht. Sponsored by The Arts Club of Washington. $15 Admission cost includes lunch.

Tuesday, May 31, 2005 at 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Poetry at Noon: A reading from Leaves of Grass by Robert Aubry Davis
Library of Congress, Madison Building, Pickford Theater, 101 Independence Ave. SE, Third floor, Capitol Hill neighborhood, DC. (202) 707-1308.
Celebrate Walt's 186th Birthday! Television and radio personality Robert Aubry Davis will read from Leaves of Grass on the anniversary of Whitman's birth. Hosted by Patricia Gray; sponsored by the Library of Congress Office of Scholarly Programs. Free Admission.

ALSO OF INTEREST

The "Walt Whitman Way Designation Act of 2005," Bill 16-169, was co-introduced by DC Council Members Jack Evans, Jim Graham, Kathy Patterson, Adrian Fenty, and David Catania. The Act will give an honorary designation to F Street NW between 7th and 8th Streets. The designation will not affect existing street or postal addresses. The F Street location is significant in several ways: Whitman worked in the Old Patent Office (now the Smithsonian Institution National Portrait Gallery) as a federal employee; the poet also ministered to wounded Civil War soldiers in this building when it was a temporary hospital; and Whitman lived in various boarding houses within a short walk from this location. The designation of Walt Whitman Way would complement existing historic preservation initiatives, including: the "Civil War to Civil Rights" heritage trail, which features poems and reminiscences by Whitman; the restoration of the Old Post Office (now the Hotel Monaco) and National Portrait Gallery buildings, which date to this period; and the preservation of the site of Clara Barton's Office for Missing Soldiers of the Civil War, located nearby at E and 7th Streets NW. The Bill was referred to the Committee of the Whole under Council Chairperson Linda Cropp for hearings this part July. A final determination on the Bill is expected in the Fall of 2005. For more information, email the Washington Friends of Walt Whitman at CalvertMartin@starpower.net.

Group reading and discussion of "When Lilacs Last In the Dooryard Bloom'd" introduced by Prof. Rosemary Winslow of Catholic University, organized by Alice Birney, Friday, March 25, 2005 at Noon. Library of Congress, Madison Building, Mumford Room. Alice Birney announces the year's Whitman events at the Library. Free Admission. A webcast of the event can be found at: http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=3682

The Library of Congress Shop offers books, photos, and prints relating to Whitman, in honor of the sesquicentennial. See http://www.loc.gov/shop.

Poet and biographer Daniel Mark Epstein recreates Whitman's "Death of Lincoln" speech, preceded by a short concert by members of the Air Force Band, brass quintet with tenor solo and piano, Thursday, April 14, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. Library of Congress, Jefferson Building, Coolidge Auditorium. Coordinated by Barbara Bair, and sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and the Library's Manuscript and Music Divisions, this program also commemorates the 140th anniversary of the death of President Lincoln in April 1865. Free Admission. Webcast of event at: http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=3681

Open Reading Tribute to Walt Whitman, Friday, April 29, 2005. Sign-up begins at 7:00 pm, reading at 7:30. All are invited to read poems and prose inspired by or in the voice of Walt Whitman. Hosted by Sunil Freeman. The Writers' Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda, MD. (301) 654-8664. Free Admission.

"'Out from behind the screen': Walt Whitman and Leaves of Grass on the Web," a talk be Geoffrey Saunders Schramm, Tuesday, May 10, 2005 at Noon. Presented by the Library of Congress Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Employees Group. Library of Congress, Madison Building, Dining Room A, 101 Independence Ave. SE, DC. (202) 707-1864. Free Admission.

"Revising Himself: Celebrating 150 years of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass," American Treasure Exhibit at the Library of Congress in the Thomas Jefferson Building, May 16 - Dec. 3, 2005. This display draws upon the Library's Feinberg, Harned, Traubel, Houghton, and other Whitman collections and demonstrates how Whitman's continual recasting of his life roles paralleled the constant revision of his writings. Some highlights include: a rare-book shelf of all the major editions of Leaves of Grass, Emerson's 1855 letter to Whitman recognizing the dazzling accomplishment, the surviving page from the original 1855 edition manuscript, the poet's spectacles and pen, his cardboard butterfly and calamus cane, correspondence from and photographs of major friends, a lock of Whitman's and Peter Doyle's hair, and a shelf of unusual translations of Leaves of Grass showing the poem's widespread influence on world literature. Curators: Barbara Bair and Alice Birney. Free Admission. Information at http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2005/05-080.html and http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/whitman-home.html.

A special print of the 1916 D.W. Griffith film “Intolerance” will be shown on July 7, 2005 at 6:00 pm in the Pickford Theater at the Library of Congress, Madison Building, 3rd floor, 101 Independence Ave., DC. The screening is free, but seating is limited. Reservations may be made by calling (202) 707-5677 during business hours. Whitman’s 1859 poem “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking” accompanies Lillian Gish’s cradle scenes in the film.
 
"A Clear Midnight," a theatre performance in English by ID Studio of New York City, Inspired by Walt Whitman’s poem, Song of Myself. Thursday, August 11 at 6:30 pm. Free Admission. Script by William Ospina, directed by Germán Jaramillo, set design by Fanny Sanín. "A selection of verses from Song of Myself illustrates Walt Whitman´s path from his plenitude to his decline and death.  Along this path, a soldier, a maiden, a women, and Death will be the facets through which Whitman evokes the infiniteness of the world."
 Cast:  Amaia Apellaniz (Spain), Andrei Garzón (U.S./Colombia), Jimena Ladino (Colombia), Leda Matos (Dominican Republic), Harvey Rosensfit (U.S.), Marcelo Rueda and Ramiro Sandoval (Colombia). IDB Conference Center, Inter-American Development Bank Conference Center- 1330 New York Ave NW - Washington DC. (202)623-3558.
 
At the Surratt House, there will be "a first-person presentation" on "Walt Whitman: Poet of Democracy" on Sunday, October 9 at 2:00 pm where "Mr. Whitman discusses his views on poetry and politics in America and recounts his Civil War experiences." The performer is Dr. Carrol Peterson. This will be held in the Research Center of the Surratt House sponsored by the Surratt Society and the Maryland-National Capital park and Planning Commission. The House is at 9118 Brandywine Road in Clinton, MD, which is not far off Exit 7 on the Beltway-Rte 5 south and then take the Woodyard Rd. exit off Rte. 5 a short distance with the House on the left. The Surratt House was John Wilkes Booth's first stop after fleeing Ford's Theater and Mrs. Surratt became the first woman hung by the federal government for her supposed role in the assassination of Lincoln- a matter of controversy to this day. She ran the Washington, DC boardinghouse, now a Chinese restaurant but the same structure, where the plot was hatched, by and large. Free Admission. For more information call 301-868-1121 or visit http://www.surratt.org.

“Whitman and Place,” presentations by Whitman scholars Joann Krieg, Hofstra University; Ted Genoways, University of Virginia; and William Pannapacker, Hope College. Nov. 3, 2005, noon to 1:30 pm, in the Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, Madison Building, 3rd floor, 101 Independence Ave., DC. The panel will talk about their research on Whitman in New York, Whitman and the Civil War, and Whitman in Camden, N.J., and Philadelphia. The program is free, but seating is limited.

The annual Washington Historical Studies Conference, Saturday, November 5, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street NW, Metro Center neighborhood, DC. Free admission. Panels, tours, presentations. Includes an 11:15 panel on "Whitman in Washington," with presentations by Kim Roberts of Beltway Poetry Quarterly ("Traces of Walt in Washington: Art and Architectural Commemorations"), Martin Murray of the Washington Friends of Walt Whitman (Whitman's freelance journalism in Washington newspapers), and Jeffrey Reznick and Lenore Barbian of the National Museum of Health and Medicine (Whitman's experience in Civil War Hospitals). Moderated by David Ward of the Smithsonian Institution National Portrait Gallery. Information at http://www.dclibrary.org.

InSeries presents "Leaves of War: In Search of Walt Whitman," Fri. Nov. 11 at 8:00 pm; Sat. 12 at 2:30 pm; Wed. 16 at 7:30 pm, at Source Theatre. On the 150th anniversary of the publication of Leaves of Grass directors Abel López and Debbie Niezgoda bring us an evening of staged poetry and song exploring Whitman’s world and the monumental American poet’s Civil War years in Washington, working as a volunteer nurse. Bass David Brundage, soprano Fleta Hylton and performance artist/dancer Joseph Perna, give voice and visual dimension to the poetry and to music ranging from American folk music to Italian opera (Bellini, Verdi), to contemporary art-song. Tickets: General $25, Senior $22, Youth/Student $13. Box office and information: (202) 518-0152 or http://www.inseries.org.