Monuments by Moonlight

Page curated by Evan Wollerton & Meghan Smith

Photo by Xiwen Liu

Monuments By Moonlight Bus Tour

This bus tour took us to D.C.'s famous monuments and memorials after the sun set. Along the way, we learned about everything from where NOT to eat to which US President had the most fence jumpers during their term at the White House. Despite the cold weather, the interesting facts and light tone of our guide made the tour entertaining.

(Meghan Smith)

"One of the best tours in the world." Traveling with the trolley is a unique experience. You could feel that you're in the city though you're inside the car. The whole trip is accompanied by stories and historical sites, which showed how D.C., the capital of the U.S. has such an exciting past, centered on the monuments. Walking through those sites is passing by the country's history.

(Xiwen Liu)

The Marine Corps Memorial

The things we devote monuments to speak volumes about a nation's values and role models. I'm personally not the most patriotic American but I can't help but feel a swell of pride when admiring the majesty of the Marine Corps memorial. Not only is the symbolism behind the monument breathtaking but the technique and love used to carve each man is amazing. The monument is an encapturing of human prescience, hope, and power. This nation is a wonderful blend of people that do amazing things together. (Kai Okai-Brown)

Marine Corps Memorial Taken by Kai Okai-Brown on 1/13/22

As important as a visual analysis of a memorial is, it is also crucial to consider how signs and written word are used to describe or justify the memorial. Here are two such descriptions from the Marine Corps memorial. (Abby Riemer)

Photos by Abby Riemer

FDR Memorial

This was my favorite memorial because of how complex and all encompassing it was. From providing awareness for disability, to representing how FDR got the nation through both the Great Depression and World War two, to showing the great work done by his wife and first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Normally, there would be beautiful waterfalls throughout the exhibit, representative of FDRs work in national park preservation. On our trip the waterfalls were unfortunately not functioning, unsure whether it was due to the weather or covid. Regardless, the memorial was a great tribute to all the amazing things that FDR accomplished during his presidency. (Jill Preston)

I love that FDR's Scottish Terrier, Fala, was included in the memorial! (Jill Preston)

I thought this quote to the left was especially powerful as it shows how strongly FDR felt about equality for all. It also serves as a sad reminder of the state of the nation today, as we still have much to do in regards to ending widespread oppression. A problem we have seen in society for so long, but have still fallen short on making enough progress towards this goal.

(Jill Preston)

MLK JR. Memorial

The MLK Jr. memorial, which was designed by Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin, generated controversy when it was commissioned in the late 2000s. Some skeptics asked questions about shady financial agreements between US and Chinese officials, while others pointed out that the statue resembled the style of certain socialist dictators from the early-to-mid 20th century. Nevertheless, it remains as a reminder of the man who spearheaded the campaign for civil rights and fought for equality.

I walked through this memorial quietly, taking my time to read and contemplate each engraved quote that was featured. The calm quiet of the cold night and the powerful quotes left me in a contemplative state of mind.

(Meghan Smith)

World War II

On the bus tour, we only briefly drove past the World War II memorial, which I was really sad about since it was one of my favorite sights in DC. Thankfully, as a nice close to the seminar, Meghan and I decided to take an electric scooter over to the area and explore it as the sun set. It was a beautiful memorial, made even more lovely by the contrast between the night sky and the lit marble pillars. We had a lot of fun taking pictures under our home states.

I loved this quote above to the right. It's nice to see acknowledgement of women's roles in the war effort (even if its very little) in the DC monument scene when it is so oversaturated with men. (Jill Preston)

hook em'!

NEW YAWK!!

I was also really happy to see the Guam pillar! My grandpa was in the Coast Guard during world war two and he was stationed in Guam. That was one of the reasons why I love this memorial so much and felt it necessary to come visit. It was so lovely to see a reminder of my grandfather through a wonderful tribute to his bravery along with the countless others who helped in the war effort.

(Jill Preston)

Lincoln Memorial

Washington, D.C. (1/13/22). Photo by Alice Baughman.

The Lincoln Memorial has always been my personal favorite. This time I noticed things I had not noticed before. I looked up at the ceiling and admired the beautiful tiles all over. The tapestries along the sides of the walls, beyond the pillars were something I had always ignored before. Reminded me that there is always more to find even when you have visited somewhere several times. (Grace Lyons)

Photo by Xiwen Liu

Assorted BUildings

Brutalism and the District's Eyesores

Deemed the "ugliest building in DC" by our tour guide Sooner Steve, the FBI building is not exactly a feast for the eyes. At 935 Pennsylvania Avenue in Northwest DC, the building is a beige monument to the drab realities of bureaucracy. Though admittedly one of DC's less visually stimulating attractions, there is a certain honesty to the brutalist architecture. As our resident architecture expert Susan Piedmont Palladino shared, there is a native movement to protect the city's brutalist monuments against the movement to raze the building to create a more polished DC-aesthetic. As this debate continues in a politically-embattled DC, we're all curious to see what happens to the "ugliest building in DC." (Sophia Moustaid)

Photo taken from I St, looking south on 16th St NW towards the White House (Justin Oei)

BLM Plaza

One of the most interesting "memorials" that we passed on our tour was Black Lives Matter Plaza NW (aka 16th St NW between K and H streets - directly fronting the White House). You might remember this was painted as a response to the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Thinking about this as protest art rather than celebratory art (as all the other monuments are) reminds us that there is still work to be done to build an America with "liberty and justice for all." (Justin Oei)

Our visits to the monuments made me reflect on what our nation prizes as our most important moments and values, and I realized how much pride is placed on U.S. military endeavors and achievements. I wonder if this corresponds to the desire to be a 'leader on the world stage' and a 'defender of human rights and freedoms', but it also makes me consider all of the other complex contexts behind U.S. military engagement overseas, and wonder about what we do and do not learn in school about wars and conflicts. Additionally, I couldn't help but think about all of the achievements and momentous occasions in U.S. history that deserve to be memorialized with a monument or structure, but which are lacking from the public representation of our history through the monuments in our nation's capital. Of course, we should value and honor those who fought for our country. Who and what else can (or should) we honor through new monuments and memorials? Who decides how these projects are committed to, funded, and designed? (Alice Baughman)

Fun Facts from the tour:

Iwo Jima memorial: got the wrong names of the people in the monument. The woman that first called it out was one of the soldiers' mother who recognized her son's behind.

The Arlington Cemetery was first obtained by the Federal Government when they bought it for very cheap since Robert E. Lee did not pay his taxes.

The peace center's ceiling is shaped like a dove

John Quincy Adams swam the width of the Potomac

(Laura Brancati)

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