Mathew Brady Memorial Dedication at Congressional Cemetery

Craig Howell’s Civil War tours are inspiring. Just ask Larry West. While on Craig's tour of Congressional Cemetery a few years ago, Larry thought Mathew Brady's grave stone did not reflect his historic significance. He decided to dedicate himself to creating a permanent tribute that would tell of Brady's renown. Larry created a new memorial to present Mathew Brady the entrepreneur and posing artist. Brady was a major recorder not just of the Civil War, for which he is best remembered, but American history and all Americans across the races in a time when racial segregation was the norm. Details of the memorial will be revealed at the dedication, but Brady, Abraham Lincoln, and Frederick Douglass will all be represented along with vintage photography. Refreshments will be available (cash bar and finger food) and there will be music and an image table with examples of daguerreotype, ambrotype, and tin type photography. 

Larry West is designing and building the Brady Memorial.  He has recently been in the news for presenting his extensive historic photo collection to the Smithsonian Museum of African American History. 

The ceremony will include brief speeches by our panel:

Larry J. West, Photo-historian, Brady Collector, African American Archive Dealmaker

Grant Romer, Photo-historian, Daguerreotype Worldwide Lecturer, Educator, and Master Conservator

David J. Kent, President, Lincoln Group of DC, and Author, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius

Clifford Krainik, Brady Lifetime Researcher & Author, Frequent Contributor to White House Historical Association Publications

The dedication ceremony will be held at the Brady grave site in historic Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E St, SE, Washington, DC, on Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 2 pm to 4 pm. The event is free, but please RSVP so we have a good head count.