Sites of Remembrance: War Memorials in the Nation’s Capital (Webinar)

Washington, DC is home to a diverse collection of monuments and memorials that exemplify the role of the national capital as a commemorative setting. Join the DC Preservation League on Friday, March 18th at 12:00pm EST for a free virtual program and panel discussion about the histories and preservation of a few of these sites; the District of Columbia War Memorial, World War I Memorial, and World War II Memorial!

Edwin Fountain will discuss the campaign to restore the DC War Memorial, the initial lobbying to adapt that memorial as a national World War I Memorial, and the eventual development of the national WWI Memorial at Pershing Park. Dr. Judy Feldman will then discuss her involvement with the development of the World War II Memorial and creation of the National Mall Coalition. She will explore the rejection of the first design, the multiple iterations that followed, and the controversies and lawsuit over its site and design. Mark Rabinowitz will illustrate EverGreene Architectural Arts award-winning role in the physical restoration of the DC War Memorial and speak to the firm’s conservation work on other local sites, such as the Jefferson Memorial and Ulysses S. Grant Memorial.

REGISTER

(Free & Open to the Public)

DCPL Members are also invited to join us on Saturday, March 19th for an in-person tour of these memorials. Learn more here.

Speakers

Dr. Judy Scott Feldman, Ph.D., Chair, National Mall Coalition 

Judy Scott Feldman is a native Washingtonian, a former member of the Board of the DC Preservation League, and a founder and chair of the non-profit, National Mall Coalition. The Coalition, founded in 2000 by DC and Metro-area residents, advocates comprehensive, visionary planning for the Mall – in the tradition of the 1791 L’Enfant Plan and 1901 McMillan Plan – to ensure the vitality of this historic national treasure for future generations. An art historian, Judy taught art and architecture history at American University, and teaches and lectures for the Smithsonian Associates, Osher at Johns Hopkins, and Road Scholar on various topics, including the art and architectural history of Washington and the Mall. The Washington Post recently published an op-ed written by Dr. Feldman about about locating two new museums on the Mall. 

Edwin Fountain, General Counsel, American Battle Monuments Commission

Since 2015 Edwin Fountain has served as General Counsel of the American Battle Monuments Commission, the federal agency that maintains American military cemeteries and memorials around the world.  Edwin was a board member of DCPL from 2001-07, including three years as chairman.  His involvement with DCPL led to him starting the effort to restore the District of Columbia War Memorial, and then advocating before Congress for a national World War I memorial.  This led to his appointment in 2013 to the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission.  As Vice Chair of that commission he led the development of the new National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington.

Mark Rabinowitz, AIC-FELLOW | FAAR | FAPT, President, EverGreene Architectural Arts

Mark Rabinowitz holds decades of experience in the assessment, testing, and treatment of major historic and artistic works in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean. Mark is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, worked as a sculptor for the first sixteen years of his career. His expertise in preservation ranges from monuments, sculptures, and fountains to industrial artifacts, and historic sites. Some significant projects include the assessment of the Egyptian Obelisk in New York City, assessment and treatment of the Grant, Lincoln, and WWI Memorials on the National Mall, and conservation of monuments in Arlington, and National Cemeteries nationwide.

EverGreene Architectural Arts is one of the largest specialty contractors in the United States. Their team is made up of the finest conservators, artisans, and craftspeople. They are a full-service firm that can take your project from preconstruction to completion. They believe that architectural arts enrich our environments and our lives.

This virtual program is free and open to the public. It will also be streamed live to DCPL’s Facebook page.

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March “Monuments and Memorials” events are generously sponsored by Edwin Fountain.