Snap to It: Photos of Black Washington

Our digital cameras' memory cards are running near full. We've got that visit to the relatives in Sarasota, little Madison's first steps, that weekend in Cancun (good thing, too, 'cause we can't remember a thing from that trip). Photos are important. We get it. But sometimes, our pics are only interesting to ourselves. (We know ... we really need to stop with the Facebook already. It's getting ridiculous.)

At the brand-spankin'-new (well, at least brand-spankin'-reopened) National Museum of American History (14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.), a new exhibit explores photographs that are important to an entire nation of people.

Black Washington: Picturing the Promise displays photographs shot in a U Street studio opened in 1911 and became one of the longest-running African-American-owned businesses in the District. You'll find candids and other images that illustrate the life of DC African-Americans of the time. Portraits include jazz legend Duke Ellington (who, conveniently for us, was a neighbor of studio owner Addison Scurlock); Sidney Poitier, and Muhammad Ali.

The photographs span decades (good thing they weren't relying on memory cards back then), going up through civil rights protests and riots of 1968. Also on display: artifacts such as cameras, photography equipment and at least one fur coat.

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