Let me know?

Dear Friends,

1. An updated, Chronology of the History of Slavery is now on-line and available for reference and research.http://innercity.org/holt/slavechron.html
2. The Washington Post Sunday Magazine published a story touching on the history of Slavery at the Holt House, the cemetery, and Adams Mill September 13. Titled the "Secrets of Jackson Hill" by Jeff Morley, itcontracts the intersecting stories of Holt House tenant, Amos Kendall, pro slavery advisor to President Andrew Jackson, and neighboring mill owner John Quincy Adams. The story highlights the continuing controversy over the Smithsonian/National Zoo's stewardship of historic sites.
3. Over the summer, the National Zoo broke its promise not to desecrate the African American Cemetery, http://innercity.org/holt/citypaper.html), they transformed a part of the Cemetery into a parking lot for construction equipment for road repairs equipment. http://innercity.org/holt/update_7_21.html A portion of the cemetery was dug up and now used for a storm runoff drain.
4. The Holt House, the Smithsonian's oldest building, continues to deteriorate. The gutters and downspouts were removed this past winter. Water damage is clearly visible in the cellar room which, legend holds, was once used as slave quarters. http://innercity.org/holt/cellar_damage.html
5. The Smithsonian's Office of Architectural History and Historic Preservation (OAHP), has completed a study of the Holt house, the mill and the cemetery. The study includes primary and secondary research in a database, along with comments and summary reports. It can be viewed at http://www.si.edu/organiza/offices/oahp/holthous/

Eddie Becker ebecker@cni.org