HSW Author & Lecture Series: Every Picture Tells a Story June 7, 2009

Formal portraits of African Americans are rare. In his talk, Jim Johnston will explain how he was able to find out so much about
Mamout, one of Washington, D.C.’s first prominent black men and a man whose portrait was painted by two well known artists of the time. Why did this man get so much attention and who was he? Yarrow came to Maryland as a slave at age 16. After 45 years of slavery, he gained his freedom. In the early 1800’s he was known by “all the respectable people” in Georgetown, where he became a legend.

Jim Johnston is a writer and lawyer in Washington, D.C. He has written more than 80 articles history, law, and technology in magazines and newspapers. His history writings encompass such diverse topics as Yarrow Mamout (about whom he is now writing a book) and Confederate General John McCausland, who claimed that he could have captured Washington, D.C. in July of 1864 if he had only had more men. (Ages 16 to Adults) [email protected] or 202.383.1828. FREE

Official Website: http://www.historydc.org