Alethia Tanner Day

[Sponsored Event] In celebration of NoMa’s beautiful new Alethia Tanner Park, and in honor of the park’s namesake, the NoMa BID hosts Alethia Tanner Day with a pop-up outdoor market, Neighbors DC, featuring all women of color-vendors and makers. Other activities include live music from DJ Mathias Broohm and Too Much Talent Band; demonstrations and Double Dutch lessons from DC Retro Jumpers; and vegetable planting activities. Food will be available for purchase from 7 Starr Wings food truck.

Alethia was a formerly enslaved woman who purchased her freedom and the freedom of 23 family members and friends with money she earned by selling produce at outdoor markets, including one in President’s Square (a.k.a. Lafayette Square), where one of her customers was said to be President Thomas Jefferson. Once free, she continued to help the Black community, becoming a champion of education for Black men and women in the District and helping establish schools and churches.