Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia

04/17/2022

Feeling blessed!

04/16/2022

Happy #DCEmancipationDay! #TeamOS & the DC Emancipation Day Commemoration Commission joined Mayor Bowser for the 2022 DC Emancipation Day Parade today, celebrating the 160th Anniversary of DC Emancipation Day! Thank you to our incredible Commissioners, reenactors, and everyone who came out to take part in & enjoy today’s Parade & festivities! #WeAreDC #DCProud #2022DCEmancipationDay

04/13/2022

Tonight, join us virtually at 6:30 PM for "The Role of President Abraham Lincoln in the DC Emancipation Act of 1862" with Dr. David J. Kent, a continuation of the celebration of 2022 #DCEmancipationDay! #WeAreDC

Link to Join: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-role-of-president-abraham-lincoln-in-the-dc-emancipation-act-of-1862-tickets-310030588837

04/12/2022

TONIGHT! Join us virtually at 6:30 PM for "Tracing the Lives & History of African American Families" with Char McCargo Bah, a continuation of the celebration of 2022 #DCEmancipationDay! #WeAreDC

Link to join; https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tracing-the-lives-history-of-african-american-families-char-mccargo-bah-tickets-310026927887

04/10/2022

Tomorrow, April 11th, join us virtually at 6:30 PM for the DC Statehood Now Panel with former Mayor Pratt, Senator Paul Strauss, DC Vote’s Bo Shuff & Jamal Holtz of 51 for 51, moderated by Commissioner Ayanna Hawkins! #WeAreDC #DCStatehoodNOW

Link to Join: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/statehood-now-mayor-sharon-prattsen-paul-straussbo-shuff-jamal-holtz-tickets-310014079457

04/09/2022

I had an amazing time at the 2022 #CherryBlossFestParade with Events DC & DC Youth Mayor, Addison Rose today! Many thanks to both the National Cherry Blossom Festival & Events DC teams! #WeAreDC #RediscoverSpring 🌸🎉

04/07/2022

Thank you, TECRO, for hosting today’s reception in honor of the NCSS Cherry Blossom Princesses! It was such a joy to celebrate these wonderful young women alongside colleagues from both TECRO & the Embassy of Japan! #WeAreDC #RediscoverSpring 🌸

04/07/2022

TONIGHT! Join us virtually at 6:30 PM for “Frederick Douglass’ Presence in the District" a presentation with John Muller & J.L. McNeil, a continuation of the celebration of 2022 #DCEmancipationDay! #WeAreDC

Link to Join: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/frederick-douglass-presence-in-dc-with-john-muller-jl-mcneil-tickets-310005152757

04/06/2022

Thank you, Ambassador Tomita & the Japanese Embassy for hosting the Reception to Celebrate the 2022 National Cherry Blossom Festival last night! It was wonderful to meet DC’s 2022 Cherry Blossom Princess, as well as see my good friend & colleague, Secretary Wobensmith! #WeAreDC 🌸 🇯🇵

04/06/2022

Frederick Douglass’ Presence in DC with John Muller & J.L. McNeil

Tomorrow, April 7th, join us virtually at 6:30 PM for “Frederick Douglass’ Presence in the District" a presentation with John Muller & J.L. McNeil, a continuation of the celebration of 2022 #DCEmancipationDay!

Link to join:

Mayor Bowser’s DC Emancipation Day Commemoration Commission presents, Frederick Douglass’ Presence in DC with John Muller & J.L. McNeil

04/06/2022

Last night, we kicked off our 2022 DC Emancipation Day Program with an impactful virtual presentation from Historian, Dr. C.R. Gibbs, on the important history of #DCEmancipationDay! Thank you to Dr. Gibbs, our incredible Commissioners, & all those who joined us! #WeAreDC

04/04/2022

Dr. Christine Warnke, Chief of Protocol & International Officer had the pleasure of representing the Office of the Secretary at the annual National Conference of State Societies’ Japanese Stone Lantern Lighting Ceremony! Many thanks to the National Park Service, and Ambassador Tomita and the Embassy of Japan! #WeAreDC 🌸

04/01/2022

You're Invited! 📨 Monday, April 4th, the DC Emancipation Day Commission will kick-off the month-long celebration of 2022 #DCEmancipationDay! Join us virtually at 6:30 PM for “A Season of Splendor”, a discussion with Dr. C.R. Gibbs!

Link to Join: https://dcnet.webex.com/dcnet/j.php?MTID=m031e9314cd57d5fb7d2e7092565eddad

04/01/2022

Dr. Lopez Matthews, State Archivist & Public Records Administrator and Secretary Kimberly Bassett are at the MLK Jr. Memorial Library today representing the #DCArchives on Day 2 of the 2022 DC History Conference! Visit conference.dchistory.org to learn more! 📚 #DCHistCon #WeAreDC

03/29/2022

Today, Mayor Bowser met with Ambassador Karen Pierce, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the U.S. 🇬🇧 It was a pleasure to discuss the great relationship, including trade and cultural exchange, Washington, DC shares with the United Kingdom! #WeAreDC 🌎

03/28/2022

What an incredible afternoon at Oxon Run Park for the 2022 National Cherry Blossom Festival Pinknic & Kite Fly! Thank you to all the amazing & talented performers & community members who came out for kite flying, face painting, & fun today! #RediscoverSpring #WeAreDC

Special thanks to the Friends of Oxon Run, Chase, DC Department of Parks & Rec, DC Fire & EMS, and DC Water for their help in making today’s festivities such a success! 🌸

03/22/2022

Last night, I had the honor of joining DDOT Director Everett Lott & Diana Mayhew of the National Cherry Blossom Festival for the lighting of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge in #PINK, in celebration of the 2022 #CherryBlossomFestival! Visit www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org to stay up-to-date on all #NCBF festivities! #RediscoverSpring 🌸

03/22/2022

Join the National Cherry Blossom Festival & Friends of Oxon Run Park this Sunday, March 27th at Oxon Run Park from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM for the Pinknic & Kite Fly! Visit the link for more details: https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/oxon-run-pinknic-kite-fly/

We can't wait to see you there! #RediscoverSpring #WeAreDC 🌸

03/22/2022

Spring is finally here & the 2022 Cherry Blossom Festival has begun! It was an honor to join Mayor Bowser, Ambassador Tomita, Secretary Haaland, Events DC & Amazon for the #CherryBlossomFestival #OpeningCeremony! #RediscoverSpring 🌸 #WeAreDC

03/21/2022

I am excited to join the National Cherry Blossom Festival and Director Everett Lott of the DC Department of Transportation at 7:30 PM to light up the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge in #PINK, in celebration of the beginning of #2022CherryBlossomFestival!🌸#RediscoverSpring #WeAreDC

The #NewFDMB is turning pink in honor of the National Cherry Blossom Festival! 🌉 🌸 Join the District Department of Transportation this evening from your favorite #VantagePoint to witness the lighting for this special occasion.

#FDMBVantagePoint #Progress #FDMBArches #cherryblossomseason

03/19/2022

#TeamOS had an amazing time at Mayor Bowser’s #HERStory5K this morning! To all the incredible women who came out to run, walk & take part in today’s festivities, you make us #DCProud! Special thanks to My Fit DC, DC Department of Parks and Recreation & the Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives! #WomensHistoryMonth

03/10/2022

What an inspiring way to end #InternationalWomensDay, celebrating women artists & leaders from all over the world at the Female Empowerment Exhibit at Hotel Zena! Congratulations to artist Ramona Pintea, for her incredible work of empowering women through art! 🎨💜 #WeAreDC

03/09/2022

Today, on #InternationalWomensDay we are honored to highlight the women leaders of the DC diplomatic community! Of the more than 175 embassies located here in Washington, DC, 40 are led by women ambassadors, representing countries from all over the world! 🌎 #IWD2022

03/09/2022

I am honored to call so many passionate, resilient, and hard-working women leaders my colleagues! Thank you to the Mayor’s Office of Women’s Policy and Initiatives or inviting me to be a part of the #InternationalWomensDay Conversations With Women Who Lead in Infrastructure event at the National Building Museum today! 💜 #WeAreDC

03/08/2022

Thank you, Sister Cities International for hosting an inspiring panel discussion on #InternationalWomensDay, bringing together women leaders from across the globe, including Mayor Sackey of Accra, Mayor Johnson of Mandela Bay, Mayor Gorton of Lexington & Mayor Caballero of Tijuana! 🌎

03/08/2022

On behalf of the Office of the Secretary, happy #InternationalWomensDay! Join us today as we celebrate amazing women leaders here in Washington, DC and all around the world! 💜🌎 #IWD2022 #WeAreDC

03/04/2022

Thank you, Meridian International Center for a wonderful #WelcomeToWashington reception. It was a pleasure to greet Chief of Protocol Ambassador Rufus Gifford, Reta Jo Lewis, President of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S., Ambassador Zappia of Italy, & many more esteemed attendees! #WeAreDC

03/03/2022

March is #WomensHistoryMonth ! Follow the Office of the Secretary throughout the month as we highlight & honor the incredible women of both past & present, here in Washington, DC and around the world 🌎, featuring the historical holdings of the #DCArchives & more! #WeAreDC 💜

03/01/2022

Today’s 2022 National Cherry Blossom Festival Press Conference has us setting our sights on Spring! It was a pleasure to join Mayor Bowser, Councilmember Brooke Pinto, Chinyere Hubbard of EventsDC, National Mall and Memorial Parks Superintendent Jeff Reinbold, and Counsellor Ryo Kuroishi of the Embassy of Japan as we look forward to March 20th! #DCIsOpen, and we are so excited to #RediscoverSpring!

Special thanks to Diana Mayhew, and the entire #NCBFTeam for their hard work year round to bring the annual Cherry Blossom Festival to life! The 2022 Festival dates are March 20th - April 17th! Visit https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org to learn more. #WeAreDC

02/28/2022

Frederick Douglass, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman, moved to Washington, DC with his wife, Anna Murray, in 1871. During his 25 years of residence in DC, Douglass was appointed U.S. Marshal by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1877. #BlackHistoryDC #BlackHistoryMonth

In 1881, Douglass was appointed by President James Garfield to the position of District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds and received approval from the U.S. Senate, making him the first African American to hold the position.

Frederick Douglass passed away on February 20, 1895, at the age of 78. Douglass’ Will, a five-page long document, held at the #DCArchives, was filed in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (now the Superior Court of the District of Columbia) on March 29th, 1895.

In September 2021, Washington, DC celebrated the opening of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, the largest infrastructure project in the history of Washington, DC, honoring the life and legacy of the famous Washingtonian.

02/25/2022

The DC Jail Slave Journal, a register of enslaved persons committed to the DC Jail from 1848 to 1862, is a valuable piece of Washington, DC’s history, and is currently held at the #DCArchives. #BlackHistoryDC #BlackHistoryMonth

02/22/2022

So excited!! 🌸🌸 #proudboardmember

02/19/2022

Blanche Kelso Bruce was elected to the United States Senate in 1875 and served until 1881. Although he was the second African American Senator, after fellow Mississippian Hiram Rhodes Revels, he was the first African American Senator to serve a full term. #BlackHistoryDC #BlackHistoryMonth

Blanche Bruce was born into slavery in Prince Edward Country, Virginia, escaping during the Civil War and later attending Oberlin College. As Senator, he was an advocate for the rights of African Americans, and introduced a bill to desegregate the U.S. Army.

Senator Bruce and his wife, Josephine Beall Willson Bruce, lived at 909 M Street NW, Washington, DC from 1880 – 1885. Their residence has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the DC Inventory of Historic Sites since 1975.

After serving as U.S. Senator for the state of Mississippi, Bruce served as the DC Recorder of Deeds from 1890 to 1893 and as a member of the Board of Trustees for DC Public Schools from 1892 to 1895. Today, Senator Bruce’s Death Certificate can be found at the #DCArchives.