The Carousel on the National Mall
On August 28, 1963, during “the March on Washington,” Rev. Martin Luther’s King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. On that same day, just 45 miles away, the practice of segregation was discontinued at the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park just outside of Baltimore. And an eleven-month-old baby named Sharon Langley was the first African American child to go on a ride there when, along with two white children, she rode on the park’s classic, old-time carousel.
The next day, “amid all the news stories about the March on Washington, there were also stories on Sharon Langley’s merry-go-round ride. Three kids – one black and two white – riding together provided an example of the harmony King spoke about at the march, when he hoped that one day black children and white children would regard each other as “sisters and brothers.”
On today’s lunchtime bike ride I went see that carousel. But I didn’t have to ride all the way to Baltimore to do so. Today that very same carousel is here in D.C., on the National Mall (MAP) in front of the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building, where young children enjoy themselves while their parents watch them ride the seemingly benign carousel, unaware that it has a rich history which is much more interesting than its appearance would suggest.
On April 12, 1967, the Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley opened the carousel on the National Mall. The original carousel was built in 1922 by the Allan Herschell Company, and was accompanied by a 153 Wurlitzer Band Organ. At that time, rides cost 25 cents. However, not everyone was happy to see a carousel placed on “America’s front yard.” Some were concerned that that the carousel, along with the popcorn wagons and some outdoor puppet and musical performances that were already there at the time, would lead to the Smithsonian developing into what the New York Times termed “an ivy-covered Disneyland.” But that never happened, and the carousel remains to this day.
Today’s carousel is not the original, though. Due to wear and tear the original carousel was replaced in 1981 with the carousel from the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park, which was forced to close in 1973 after suffering severe damage from flooding when Hurricane Agnes. The Gwynn Oak carousel is 10 feet larger in diameter and has 60 brightly-painted horses, as opposed to the former which had 33. It also has a few non-moving seats, and one sea dragon. And riding on the carousel is not limited to children. All are welcome, including adults, as long as you’re willing to pay the current ticket price of $3.50.
[Click on the photos to view the full-size versions]
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