Outtake - vision

This image was made photographing a meeting on assignment in DC.

Things lined up... and this time, I saw.

Theodore Bikel 90th birthday performance

The great actor, folk musician, and activist Theodore Bikel gave a performance  to mark his 90th birthday in Washington DC, which I documented as part of a fundraising gala for Moment magazine.

He was, as always, in strong voice, and full of wisdom, energy, and ruach - the breath of a righteous soul.

Also pictured are musician/beat legend David Amram, folksinger Tom Paxton, and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who were part of this celebration. Not pictured are: Yiddish music maven Zalmen Mlotek, Professor Deborah Tannen and Grammy-winning folksingers Marcy Marxer and Cathy Fink.

Thanks to publisher/editor Nadine Epstein, Johnna Raskin, and Nadiv Marvi of Moment magazine for this opportunity and their help.

RIP to DC's "Mayor for Life" Marion Barry

Marion Barry, the legendary and controversial Washington DC politician and civil rights activist died early today.

I photographed Mayor Barry many times over the years (he was always 'Mayor Barry,' even as a city council member). Love him or hate him, the city will not be the same without his large presence.

Despite his many and very public flaws, for which he - and the city- paid a price - I always gruffly admired his genuine care, identification with, and representation of the poorest of the poor in our community. This part of him was steadfast and real, and he was deeply loved by the people with the least access to power in DC.

We will not see his like again, and the city will be far less interesting in his absence.

This image, from the last time I photographed him, about 2 years ago, was made in Laborer's Local 657's union hall, in Northeast DC.

Baruch dayan emet. Blessed be the true judge.

Leonard "Doc" Muse - Historic marker for Green Valley Pharmacy

On November 8th, Arlington County dedicated a historical marker to pioneering pharmacist, Howard University graduate Leonard "Doc" Muse, for his over sixty years of service to the community with his Green Valley Pharmacy. He opened the pharmacy for business in 1952.

At ninety years of age, he still works the counter daily, alongside his granddaughter, also a Howard-trained pharmacist.

An enthusiastic crowd was on hand to celebrate and honor Doctor Muse.

Two of my photographs from the Arlington Photographic Documentary Project, circa 1980, are included on the marker, the first time I know of that my work has been on a historical marker.

And to Doc Muse; "bis ein-hunnert-zwänzig!" May you have 120 years.

Dr. Muse in front of Green Valley Pharmacy, 1980. APDP

Piedmont Bluesman | Rick Franklin

Columbia Pike-based Piedmont style blues guitarist and vocalist Rick Franklin recently performed at the dedication of a historical marker to Leonard "Doc" Muse at Green Valley Pharmacy in Arlington.

Rick proudly and ably carries on our regional Piedmont blues tradition pioneered by Blind Blake, Cephas and Wiggins, Archie Edwards, John Jackson, Reverend Gary Davis, and other greats. He regularly performs locally and internationally as an ambassador of this distinctive and lively form of the blues.

In addition to playing a mean guitar and wailin' the blues, he's a great guy.

Photography by Lloyd Wolf

Beyond the Bus: Operation Understanding DC | artist's book

 
 
   

      Beyond the Bus by Photographs by Lloyd Wolf
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      Make Your Own Book
   
 


I have created a new artist's book, Beyond the Bus, documenting Operation Understanding DC's summer journey and beyond. The photographs have meaning as individual images, and in sharing the inspiring nature of this transformative education project for African-American and Jewish youth. Please take a look, and learn about the important work promoting justice and tolerance the young people in this program are undertaking. All profits from the book will be donated to OUDC.

Election night assignment to cover Hogan for Governor HQ

Thanks to Washington Jewish Week editor Geoffrey Melada for the assignment. It was a long night, but all got done.

Miracles of modern technology.

Republican governor-elect Hogan.

The Right Answer

"Our summer civil rights journey loosely follows the path of the 1961 Freedom Rides, and throughout our journey, the students had the opportunity to meet with many freedom riders and hear their first-hand accounts of facing beatings, jail, and the prospect of death to fight for integration, legal equality, and acceptance. We had with us a copy of Eric Ethridge's Breach of Peace, a collection of Freedom Rider mugshot photos along with contemporary portraits. Those mugshots showed up again and again, in museums exhibits, documentaries, and in the hands of the riders themselves, who would proudly carry those photos with them when they'd address our students. We began to see them not as pieces of prison procedure, but rather as a proud documentation of the values that the riders stood up for--justice, equality, decency, humanity. 

Upon returning from our journey and beginning the work of turning our students into tomorrow's leaders and change-makers, we thought it might be interesting to recreate those mugshots, replacing the prison numbers with those values. Each student was told to write a few focused words about what Operation Understanding means to them. We hope they will take those words--and the photo--out into the world as they graduate from the program and begin making change."

Avi Edelman, Operation Understanding DC program director.

I made these photos of OUDC class 20 students recently. I think who these young people are, and what they and the program are doing is the right answer, the right approach to moving our world in the direction of wisdom, peace, and justice.

Thanks to OUDC's executive director Aaron Jenkins, program director Avi Edelman, trip coordinators Maurice Durval Wilkins Jr. and Eleni Zimiles, and all the bright lights of Class 20: Jack Arnholz, Elias Benda, Ari Brinson, Maya Bornstein, Henry Bowe, Ashyln Champ, Erica Davidson, Jarod Golub, Jabraughn Hill, Christopher Hopson, Maxwell Kanefield, Rachel Matheson, Madison Matthews, Joshua Mitchell, Mitchell Moran-Kaplan, Joy Nicholas, Matthew Paschall, Benjamin Satloff, Jessica Schwalb, Ruthie Sherman, Kadiata Toumbou, Eric Washington, Morgan Williams, and KaJuan Willis.

Peace. Salaam. Shalom.

Two serendipitously-selected out there observations from the past month

These scenes caught my attention and embedded themselves into the ebb and flow of information through my synapses.

One image transpired at the US Institute of Peace, the other channelled itself into my consciousness while making a portrait of a distinguished editor.

Data. Eyes. There you have it.