The Goodspeed Update

This page contains an evolving list of books about Washington, D.C. history I find interesting. The list will reflect my interests and is not meant to be a complete bibliography. For further suggestions, the D.C. history email list H-DC has posted a list of 50 Essential Washington DC History Books. If you have suggestions please contact me, I’d love to hear them.

The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro
by Zachary M. Schrag
This book is the first serious history of the D.C. Metro system, and draws upon painstaking research and detailed oral history interviews. At once academic and engrossing, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the transit system Schrag persuasively argues is continuing to re-shape our city. Read my review. (Amazon link)

Dream City: Race, Power, and the Decline of Washington, D.C.
by Harry S. Jaffe and Tom Sherwood
This book is a combination biography of longtime D.C. mayor Marion Barry and history of the city during his tenure as mayor. Written by two longtime local journalists, the book is readable and rich in detail. I consider it a must-read especially for younger people who want to understand the city’s politics. The major drawback is a lack of any synthetic understanding of the metropolitan transformation that caused the “decline” of the city. (Amazon)

Ten blocks from the White House; Anatomy of the Washington riots of 1968
By Ben W. Gilbert; The Staff Of The Washington Post
This book was published shortly after the civil disturbance in D.C. which occurred after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Although long out of print most D.C.-area libraries have a copy and Alibris has copies for around $15. The book contains a highly detailed look at the event, describing in vivid detail both the actions of political leaders and average people. Although I believe there is a risk in exaggerating the role of the 1960s urban disturbances in accelerating middle class flight from American cities (which began much earlier and was generally caused by larger forces like FHA home loans and freeway construction), I think a close study of the events can be important for two reasons. First, considering the events can offer insight to understanding what Hirsch termed the “second ghetto,” and second, understanding the geography of rebellion is instrumental to understanding patterns of urban development today. The damage caused by the 1968 riot resulted in the current location of the Washington Convention Center, changed the routing of the Metro, and dictated the location of thousands of units of subsidized housing. (Amazon)

The Failures Of Integration: How Race and Class Are Undermining the American Dream
by Sheryll Cashin
This thoughtful book exploring housing segregation draws many examples from the D.C. area. Cashin is a Georgetown University law professor. Read my review. (Amazon)

Between Justice and Beauty: Race, Planning, and the Failure of Urban Policy in Washington, D.C.
by Howard F. Gillette, Jr.
Perhaps the most well-known book about the development of 20th-century Washington, Gillette’s book focuses on the role of the federal government in the city’s development. (Amazon)

Washington: City and Capital
Published in 1937 as part of the Federal Writers’ Project American Guide series this 1,100+ page book is far more than a simple city guide, but an encyclopedic snapshot of the city and federal government in the 1930s. The book is available online. Read my post about it for the link. (Amazon)

Washington, D.C.: Inner-City Revitalization and Minority Suburbanization
By Dennis Gale
Published in 1987, this book contains an analysis of Washington by a professor of urban planning at George Washington University. The book contains an analysis of politics, education, and provides a good early resource on the trends of his title. (Amazon)

Others:

Upscaling Downtown: Stalled Gentrification in Washington DC
Brett Williams
This study of Mount Pleasant describes some of the sociological implications of middle class whites moving into an established African American and Hispanic community. (Amazon)

The Secret City: A History of Race Relations in the Nation’s Capital
by Constance Green

The Hidden History of Washington, DC
by Tingba Apidta

Urban Odyssey: A Multicultural History of Washington, D.C.
by Francine Curro Cary

The Beat: Go-Go’s Fusion of Funk and Hip-Hop
by Kip Lornell and Charles C. Stephenson Jr.

Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation’s Capital
by Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins.

The Secret Architecture of Our Nation’s Capital: The Masons and the Building of Washington, D.C.
by David Ovason