This year’s Deanwood Day celebration will take place on May 21, 2022, at IDEA PCS located at 1027 45th St. NE. And Deanwood is worth celebrating.
Deanwood is one of the oldest and most historic east-of-the-river neighborhoods. Bounded by Division, Eastern, Kenilworth and Nannie Helen Borroughs avenues, it was once home to a racetrack and the only amusement park that was open to African Americans. Musical star Marvin Gaye and civil rights and education activist Nannie Helen Borroughs are among the notable Deanwoodians. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at a DC home-rule rally in Deanwood on August 4, 1965, and the next day met with President Lyndon Johnson to secure support for home rule.
There are only two Neighborhood Heritage Trails east of river: Anacostia and Deanwood. Please take a virtual tour of the Deanwood trail by visiting www.cuturaltourismdc.org.
To learn more about Deanwood Day, I spoke with Patricia Stamper, secretary and membership chair for the Deanwood Citizens Association and outreach coordinator for the event. I asked Stamper when Deanwood Day began and what led to its origin?
Stamper has lived in the DC area since 2004 and in Deanwood since 2017. “I am a strong-willed woman,” she said, “who believes in building community from head to toe. I enjoy living in Deanwood because of the access to public transportation and being able to travel easily in and out of the city.”
“Deanwood Day is a community family day which is typically held the Saturday before Memorial Day. It has been five years since we last held this historic event, and we are excited to bring it back to life this summer,” said Stamper. It is a great event for families to partake in the festivities and connect with their Deanwood neighbors, she said.
Good transportation is important to Deanwood. “What needs to be improved in my neighborhood,” she stated, “is the transportation infrastructure such as installing more raised crosswalks in order to slow down traffic. Drivers utilize our Deanwood neighborhood to cut through traffic, and they speed up and down our main traffic arteries such as Sheriff Road, 48th St. NE and Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE.”
Stamper would like the District Department of Transportation to install more curb bumpouts and raised crosswalks to protect pedestrians. “It would make a difference in slowing down traffic and making our community safer for pedestrians and drivers alike,” she said.
Asked about plans if it rains on Deanwood Day, Stamper replied, “If it rains it rains. But Deanwood Day 2022 will still take place. We will just go inside the cafeteria at IDEA PCS and continue our celebration inside.”
This year’s Deanwood Day is curated by Milton B. Yates of MY Fit Fam DC. He can be contacted at miltonyates9@aol.com.
I plan to attend Deanwood Day at the Anacostia Coordinating Council’s table. Stop by and let’s chat.
Long-time Ward 8 community activist Philip Pannell can be contacted at philippannell@comcast.net.
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Deanwood Day – May 21, 2022
at IDEA PCS, 1027 45th St. NE
Run of Show:
- 9:00 a.m. ‒ Campus opens @ IDEA PCS NE DC
- 9:00 a.m. ‒ Community organizations and vendors (ongoing). Free health screens, school and voter registration, resources and advocacy
- 9:30 a.m. ‒ Community Clean-Up between 48th and 49th streets from Minnesota Avenue to Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE
- 11:00 a.m. ‒ Music/DJ
- 12:00 p.m. ‒ Fitness, Fatherhood, Youth Sports demos, kids’ games and more
- 3:00 p.m. ‒ Program conclusion
