John Muller, a local historian, author, and Frederick Douglass authority, will lead a walking tour of the Frederick Douglass murals in Old Anacostia on Oct. 16. Formerly known as Uniontown, the historic neighborhood in Southeast D.C. is where the great Frederick Douglass built his home and estate on Cedar Hill. Anacostia is often overlooked by tourists and art buffs, but Muller is trying to change that. The tour will visit Anacostia’s distinctive murals, where he’ll discuss their local importance and historic significance. “Beyond downtown museums and midtown and uptown galleries, the Historic Anacostia neighborhood hosts and maintains several outdoor museum-quality canvases of a half-dozen Frederick Douglass themed murals created by local artists, citywide artist collectives, and some of the best known muralists in the city,” Muller tells City Paper. Two murals on the tour were painted by Aniekan Udofia, a prolific contemporary artist whose iconic work can be seen on the wall at Ben’s Chili Bowl and other prominent locations around the city. The other murals were painted by Juicy Creationz, Joe Pagac, Yetunde Sapp, and MTC Art Studios. Muller wrote the 2013 book Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C: The Lion of Anacostia, and has led Douglass-themed tours along Georgia Avenue NW and in Capitol Hill, as well as Baltimore, Cambridge on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and Frederick in Western Maryland. “The walking tour is both an appreciation and recognition of the lasting legacy of Frederick Douglass and the uniqueness of Old Anacostia,” Muller says. Tour guests are encouraged to ask questions, take plenty of photographs, and wear comfortable walking shoes. The Frederick Douglass Murals Walking Tour starts at 11 a.m. on Oct. 16 at Anacostia Metro Station. eventbrite.com. $0–$20.
For more museum and gallery recommendations, check out our calendar.