We are the Heart of DC
- Partners for Historical Justice
- Jan 16
- 2 min read
Both expanses of the L-shaped mural
MLK Ave stretch of the Luis Del Valle mural
Alley side of the Luis Del Valle mural.
Title
We are the Heart of DC
Artist
Luis Del Valle (animal section by artist Mas Pas)
Location
1800 block Martin Luther King, Jr Ave SE) near the 11th St Bridge (with extension on the side access road)
Description
A 200-foot mural on a fence partially enclosing a vacant lot. The section along the 1800 block of MLK Avenue (just west of Marion Barry Avenue) depicts a Native American woman of the Nacotchtank people, the original inhabitants of this region, from whom the term “Anacostia” is derived; a basketball player; Frederick Douglass, the neighborhood’s most famous historic resident; Marion Barry, locally celebrated as “Mayor for Life”; and two women roller skaters, one coming towards us, the other moving away.
At the street corner, behind the lamp post, is a lion on a blue field, representing Frederick Douglass, the Lion of Anacostia, who continues to evoke the neighborhood’s fighting spirit. To the left of the lamppost, along a blocked access road, is a section painted by artist Mas Pas. Several animals honor the ecosystem of the Anacostia River: two raptors of the river flank a tortoise and deer. In the middle is a totemic icon that incorporates two doves, signs of hope and new promise, and a butterfly, a symbol of transformation and renewal.
Background
The mural is located on MLK Avenue’s westernmost edge, near the start of the bridge linking the Anacostia neighborhood to the western parts of the city. This bridge site has many associations with freedom making in the region, dating back to April 16, 1862, when Emancipation came to DC, over two years before it came to Maryland in November 1864. Many enslaved people self-liberated, seeking freedom by crossing this very section of the river. The mural also welcomes visitors to Anacostia as they arrive from the western wards of the city. It was also the bridge over which Frederick Douglass walked to work in his positions as Recorder of Deeds for DC, and then as U.S. Marshall for D.C.
For background on the Bridge symbolism, see:
A previous version of the mural was damaged by vehicle accidents. Del Valle was recommissioned to paint a new version of the mural, which may be seen today.
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