File:03.DupontCircle.WDC.23apr06 (136552651).jpg

Broon, Looky and Lee . Dupont Circle, NW . WDC . Sunday afternoon, 23 April 2006

Dupopnt Circle - Street Musicians Elvert Xavier Barnes Photography _______________________ CRAZY BLACK MAN Sunday Photo Walk . Dupont Circle WDC . 23 April 2006 Elvert Xavier Barnes Photography . Writings . Ads _______

The weather turned out to be much better than what had been forcasted. According to the morning reports and after almost two days of heavy rain ... more heavy rain was to have begun between 3 and 4 PM, this afternoon.

Wanting to get some Sunday photo shots before the rain had arrived I'd head out of SW WDC apartment shortly after 12 noon. Not too sure of were I was heading but hoping to get some IMF-WB pictures and, perhaps, some Leather Weekend as well as Cherry folks milling about, in the streets, I'd take the green line to Gallery Place, transfer to the red line and deboard the subway at Farragut North. Walk down Connecticut Avenue, along the west side of MacPherson Park, turn left onto I Street and proceed west to 19th Street, turn left, walk down to Pennsylvania Avenue and postion myself directly across the street from the IMF-WB complex.

Suprised that there were no protests visable (apparently, the rain must have kept them away) I'd began to take shots of some of the police. But not the kind of up-close shots that I usually take of police, at protests and demonstrations. Cop Duty is one of my favorite and most proliferic themes. I've recently noticed my name listed on the internet amongst several search engines that seek police images.

In the process of photographing scenarios in proximity of the IMF-WB complex I would also take pictures of some of the homeless men in Edward R. Murrow Park and a 'man at work' who was installing a glass door, in one of the new office buildings on H street, across from the park. After taking several pictrures, he'd ask that I not take anymore. To which I would comply.

I'd then walk down 18th Street between two buildings that are associated with the IMF-WB complex and take pictures of the trucks that were stratigically parked beween Pennsylvania Avenue and G Street so as to block the streets from any vehicular attacks.

At 18th and F Street I'd observe a group of policeman on the southwest corner. At which I'd stand, acorss the street, on the southeast corner and snap a series of pictures focusing on their boots. And one particular white male policeman that had tattoos on his arms. Tattos are amongst my favorite and most prolifiric themes.

I'd then head east on F Street toward the Old Execvutive Building, turn left onto 17th Street and head north in the direction of Pennsylvania Avenue. Along the way I'd capture two latino 'men at work' as they washed windows in the Liberty Plaza courtyard.

Since Men At Work is another of my favorite themes, from an historic perspective, one of the things that many of pictures will reveal, years later, is that many of the 'men at work' that I have captured in WDC have been latino immigrants.

At F Street on the northwest side I'd take several pictures of a group of young Eurropeans that were standing ata table at one of the cafes.

I'd turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue en route to 1600 and take pictures of the Blair House and a young man sitting on a bench or planter in front of the Old Executive Building who was using his lap top. In the process of street photography, people using their lap tops or talking on the cell phone have been one of my favorite themes. When taking the pictures of the Blair House and the white male using his laptop I'd observe the grooup of young Europeans walking behind and, of course, photographing me.

I really don't have a problem with folks photogrphing me candidly as long as they don't make it a practice to follow me through the streets and phtograph me photographing. Which is really a form of policing and overseeing. If I and they happen upon each other and we take pictures of each other and continue on that is one thing. But, as a black male photographer, I don't like it when folks makd it a practice to determine where I'm heading and then will follow or proceed me there and then take pictures of me taking pictures. Which, as a black male, many people believe that they have the right to do. Which they do not.

Just before reaching the center of the block, which would have been 11600 Peennsylvania Avenue, I'd cross Penssylvania Avenue and enter Lafayette Park from the southwest corner. And in the process of walking across the park I'd snap a few shots of folks sitting on benches in the park.

At the center of the park, in directly of the General Layfayette stature i'd observe a man who was painting andd/or selling tee-shirts. I;'d hurry over and take a few pictures during which time an Asiman park policeman would approach the man and inform him that he could not do whatever it was that he was ddoing, in Lafayette Park. Which is also know as Peace Park.

I woulkd then decide to head back home but in the process either stop by the hotel on New Jersey Avenue where the Leather events were being held or detoru towards the DC Eagel which is where they may would congregate ... in hopes of getting some shots of leather folks millling about in the street. UN CONSTRUCTION . 28 May 2006 x x Realizing that the weather was much better than expected i decided to step drop through Dupont Circle before returning to the DC Eagle, in hopes of capturing some of the Leather stuff. Entering the circle from the south side I'd observe three men musicians practicing in the same area that I had photographed them before onme other time before, in September 2005, on the same day or day after I had gotten my new digital camera.

I walk onto the grassy lawn directly behind them, seperated by the buushes,anbd began taking pictures. One of the ree white men said 'there's that crazy black man, again' taking pictures of us. Whilesnapping, I'd respond I'm not crazy.

When I visit Dupont Circle or most places that I go, folks will say 'that crazy black man'. He is not the first person, in Dupont Circle, or in my life or at work have made that misdiagnosis of me. Almost every time that I visit Dupont Circle someone makes a similar remark to or about me. Some of the black guys call me a punk. Or 'crack addict.

I'm not crazy, nor am I drug addict. But that is exactly what America ad house negroes wish to belive and project on to me. So, if they lied about drugs and addiction, pertaining to me, is not reasonable tho think that they lied about me being crazy.,

Crazy black man. I had a brief conversation with someone yesterday about the word nigger. Which he said that he does not uise it and don't like hearing it. I would say I little issue about the word then my concersn for how I'm treated. I said many a white and black folks proclainm to never use that word. Yet, whey spendtheir entiore time, pertaining to me associatinjmg m,e woithdrugs anddciton.

When white people or house negros associate druigs and addiction to black men, effectively, they'll calling black men crazy. And, yet, it has been my expereince that it has been nmy white counterpart that have been on drugs, alcohol and who act crazy.

Take for example the fact that most of the white men whop have every approached me approached me about drugs. Not because I had drugs or was an addict but because their approaching me for drugs was connected to their right to do drugs and when they do drugs or approach blck me nfor drugs though it is the center of their lives they will then destroy everything in teh black man's life supopoosedly becaise of his conenctiuons to to drugs. Nonbe of which istrue or fasctuial. If that is not crazy, what in the fuick is it.