On the evening of Monday, February 8, the Overbeck History Lecture Series welcomes Tom Lewis, author of the highly acclaimed Washington: A History of Our National City, for an illustrated book talk emphasizing the Capitol Hill neighborhood’s role in the long and varied pageant of the federal city.
The first comprehensive history of the District of Columbia since Constance McLaughlin Green’s Pulitzer Prize-winning effort more than fifty years ago, Lewis’s book presents Washington’s story as a series of portraits of individuals, noted and obscure, who built the city, shaped its politics and culture, and promoted or impeded the rights of its citizens.
Tom Lewis is a professor emeritus of English at Skidmore College and the author of several books, including The Hudson: A History; Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio; and Divided Highways: The Interstate Highway System and the Transformation of American Life. He has also collaborated with director Ken Burns and Florentine Films on a number of documentary films for public television, serving as a consultant, writer, director of research, and co-producer.
The lecture will take place at Hill Center at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, yet, a reservation is needed due to limited seating. You may register by visiting the Hill Center webpage or by calling 202-549-4172.