In this session, we will discuss the historical context behind the violence that rocked the neighborhood of Mount Pleasant in May of 1991, focusing on changing neighborhood demographics, gentrification, immigration, and policing practices during the 1980s and early 1990s. It will also assess the aftermath of the protests and looting, including the effectiveness of reforms proposed by Latinx leaders in the wake of May 1991.
This session will be led by Patrick Scallen, Editor of Washington History magazine and a historian of the Salvadoran immigrant population in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. He teaches courses on US immigration history, Latin American history, Latino history, and DC history at American University and Georgetown University. He has lived, worked, and conducted research in Mount Pleasant for 20 years and is a lifelong educator.