SWNA Youth and Education Forum

The event held on May 21 at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church was led by mistress of ceremonies and chair of the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) Youth Activities Task Force (YATF) Thelma D. Jones. It focused on the accomplishments of area youth and the work of our school system to improve their education and lives. The […]

Stirring Annual Black History Meeting

The Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) held its annual Black History Month community meeting on Feb. 26 at Arena Stage. This year’s well-attended meeting featured a wonderful lineup of performers and speakers, touching on a variety of topics that highlighted the importance of Black History Month and the numerous contributions of African-American Southwesters in shaping our […]

SWNA Black History Month Meeting

The Southwest Neighborhood Assembly’s History Task Force encourages our fellow residents to attend the February SWNA Black History Month community meeting at Arena Stage at 7 p.m. on Feb. 26 as we honor the memory of Dr. Beryl Rice and celebrate several talented local musicians. This program will feature memorial tributes to Rice from Rhonda […]

SWNA History Task Force Amps Up Website

The Southwest Neighborhood Assembly’s (SWNA’s) mission is “to improve the quality of life for all residents; to open to every resident the wide cultural horizon of urban living; to help create rich and equal social, educational, and economic opportunities for residents of Southwest; to assist in providing the opportunity for gainful employment for all; to […]

Black History Month: Black Figures in Southwest’s History

Martin Puryear Martin Puryear, sculptor, was featured in Time magazine’s July 9, 2001 issue in a series on “America’s Best” about prominent contemporary artists. Born in 1941, Puryear and his family lived primarily at Half & O Streets SW. He attended Syphax Elementary School in Southwest, eventually matriculating from The Catholic University of America in Washington, […]