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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

~ Carter G. Woodson and Nannie Helen Burroughs

Recall the Sunday, 06/17/2012 Bloomingdale Neighborhood blog post titled ``controversial history behind the naming of the Williston Apartments, 212-222W St NW – ‘Dr. Williston`s services were not sufficiently important enough tohave a housing project named after him.`` ? 

                     


If you clicked on the http://www.scribd.com/doc/97296577/Williston-Apartments-Historylink, you spied two letters signed by familiar names – one by Carter G. Woodson, Director, Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, Incorporated – and another letter signed by Nannie Helen Boroughs of the National Training School for Women and Girls, Inc.
         
The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History became the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), whose office is located at 2225 Georgia Avenue NW – just up the street, as it were. I decided to contact ASALH to see if they might have interest in seeing the 1937 Carter G. Woodson letter regarding the naming of the Williston Apartments. I phoned ASALH and indeed, ASALH was interested.
           
Then I Googled for an organization focused on the life and history of Nannie Helen Boroughs. I found a website for the Nannie Helen Boroughs project – www.nboroughsinfo.org– located in Annapolis, MD. I phoned the number on the website and spoke with ``The Colonel`` -- an inspirational retired Army colonel who has dedicated his life to Nannie Helen Boroughs. He was very much interested in reading her letter regarding the topic of the naming of the Williston Apartments. The Colonel chuckled because her letter ended with ``It would be quite fitting to name one of your housing projects for a Negro woman. It seems that the men are getting a lion`s share of the honors.`` He commented that her promotion of Negro women was a consistent theme throughout her life.

The Colonel then directed me to two specific links on his website – two lists that Nannie Helen Boroughs is well known for -- ``12 Things the Negro Must Do ForHimself`` and ``12 Things White Folks Must Stop Doing``.

The Colonel is eager for anyone who shares his passion for Nannie Helen Boroughs to help promote her. He said that he could use help with speaking arrangements, his website, etc. His contact phone number is 888-913-4315.

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