Mayor-for-Now Vince Gray just announced the memorial schedule for Mayor-for-Life Marion Barry, and it’s a sendoff fit for royalty. The ceremony for the Ward 8 D.C. councilmember, who died early Sunday morning, will begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow, when Barry’s casket arrives at the John A. Wilson Building to lie in repose for 24 hours. The casket will then travel to a church he frequented, the Temple of Praise on Southern Avenue SE, for a musical and video tribute and a memorial service.
Finally, on Saturday, there will be a celebration of the former mayor at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, with thousands expected to attend. It’ll include a morning viewing and a memorial service beginning at 11 a.m. After that service concludes at 3 p.m., Barry will be buried in a private ceremony.
“This is not an occasion that any of us, obviously, looks forward to,” Gray said in an announcement of the memorial plans at the Wilson Building today. “I think it’s safe to say there will never be another Marion Barry.”
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, who noted that Barry served on the Council for as many years as he was mayor, added, “I would say that each of us learned from Marion Barry.”
The D.C. government and schools will remain open during the memorial services, but employees will be permitted to take up to two hours of administrative leave.
The full schedule is below:
Thursday, December 4 to Friday, December 5
9:00 a.m.: Brief ceremony to receive Mayor Barry’s casket at the Wilson Building, where his remains will lie in repose for 24 hours.
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Friday, December 5
10:00 a.m.: Mayor Barry’s body to travel to one of the churches he regularly attended
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Musical and video tribute celebrating Mayor Barry’s 40 years of public service
6:00 pm – 9:00 p.m.: Community memorial service
Temple of Praise
700 Southern Avenue SE
Saturday, December 6
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Thousands to attend a celebration of Mayor Barry’s life and legacy
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Halls C & D
801 Mount Vernon Place NW
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: Viewing
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Memorial Service
Private burial immediately following
Photo by Darrow Montgomery