This publication was developed by Michelle Lisa Herman, Stephanie Mills Trice, and Deborah Grimstead to serve as a guide to the Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Library “Heritage Wall” permanent installation created by artist Michelle Lisa Herman in 2023 and to showcase the rich history and culture of the Fort Totten and Lamond-Riggs area and residents.
A call for participation was sent to contributors of the Heritage Wall installation, posted on local blogs, and shared with contacts and communities by Herman, Mills Trice, and Grimstead from May to August 31, 2024. Text submissions and oral history interviews were collected from those who volunteered to participate in this publication. The book features excerpts of the original artwork created by Michelle Lisa Herman for the Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Library “Heritage Wall” (part of the DC Public Library) as well as photos and narratives of community participants that illustrate a tapestry of their lived experiences in the Fort Totten and Lamond-Riggs neighborhoods.
This project was made possible by HumanitiesDC via their Community Culture & Heritage Projects Grant, which Michelle Lisa Herman and Stephanie Mills Trice received in 2024 to develop this book. Founded in 1980, the Humanities Council of Washington, D.C. (HumanitiesDC) aims to enrich the quality of life, foster intellectual stimulation, and promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of local history in all neighborhoods of the District through humanities programs and grants. For information on HumanitiesDC and grant opportunities visit www.wdchumanitiesdc.org. The original artwork excerpts of the larger installation are printed here with permission of the artist, Michelle Lisa Herman.
Organizations that have received copies of the book
Organizations we are planning to donate the book to
- African American Music Association, Inc. (AAMA)
- Bryant & Bryant architects (https://www.bryantmitchellarchitects.com)
- Lamond Riggs Citizens Association
- Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Community Library
- Friends of the Lamond-Riggs Library
- DC History Center – Kiplinger Research Library
- Sumner Museum
- District of Columbia Office of Planning, Historic Preservation Office
- Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society; (AAHGS; National not DC chapter)”
- MLK Library Reference Dept
- The People’s Archive at DC Public Library
- Library of Congress
- Engine Company 14, DC Fire Dept.
- Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center
- Riggs-LaSalle Community Center
- LaSalle-Backus Education Campus (formerly LaSalle Elementary School)
- Councilmembers
These organizations were identified collaboratively by Michelle, Stephanie, and Deborah. Michelle, Stephanie, and Deborah will be in communication with these organizations in the next few weeks to begin coordinating donations.
Read the book online
More about Michelle Lisa Herman
Michelle Lisa Herman is a Washington, DC-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans theoretical and philosophical research, feminist and disability politics, comedy, and conceptualism.
Herman has shown internationally in both group and solo exhibitions at locations such as the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain), Cinéma du Foyer Saint-François (Bourges, France), the Corcoran (Washington, DC), The Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC), The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), Goggleworks (Reading, PA), Hillyer Art Space (Washington, DC), Arlington Art Center (Arlington, VA), Visarts (Rockville, MD), and the Washington Project for the Arts (Washington, DC).
Herman’s work has been written about and featured in Hyperallergic, New American Paintings, The Washington Post, NPR, and East City Arts. Herman is an alumna of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MFA, 2020) and the Sparkplug artist collective sponsored by the DC Arts Center.
More About Stephanie Mills Trice
Stephanie Mills Trice, a former Fort Totten and Lamond-Riggs area resident, has conducted oral histories of the Fort Totten Storytellers organization. These oral histories feature the Fort Totten Storytellers and will be transcribed according to Historical Society of DC transcription standards. These can be seen at:
- (Part 1) Voices of the DC Fort Totten Storytellers | Chat and Chew Celebration | By Humanities DC | Facebook
- (Part 2) Voices of the DC Fort Totten Storytellers Pt. 2 | Chew & Chat Cebration Pt. 2 | By Humanities DC | Facebook