What book(s) would you recommend on the indepth history & development of Washington, DC? Specifically, I'm interested in the original plan & founding of the capitol; what finally led to retrocession to Virginia; how DC lagged behind other major Western capitol cities in population, development, grandiose monumental architecture; antebellum & postbellum African American contributions & influence in culture, politics, economics; the expansion of federal power under FDR to the post 9/11 era; talks of statehood. Any suggestions & help I very much appreciate.
Sure so there are 4 off hand that I might suggest you could look at. Luckily all are available on Amazon or from your preferred reseller of choice!
Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation's Capital By Chris Myers Asch and George Derek Musgrove. An unsparing look at Race, Representation, Home Rule, and more in the district since its founding. From the clergy at Georgetown serving as slave brokers, to the frankly larger than life figure of Mayor Marion Barry that looms large over DC politics even today. For a city that for the vast majority of its history was majority Black it is a story that is often erased by simply seeing the letters "DC" in a national news report.
Washington: A History of Our National City By Tom Lewis. Mr. Lewis is an English Professor by trade but has written a good general intro history for the the District. From the cities of Alexandria and Georgetown which predate DC, to its long journey since. A good compliment with Chocalte City to see the background of the battles over Home Rule and the underlying tension between a federal govt running a city with only passing resemblance to a master plan and a Black citizenry denied real control of their local government.
Empire of Mud: The Secret History of Washington, DC By J.D. Dickey. Something of a lighter read! But full of interesting quirks, and a few moments of tragedy. For instance did you know that there actually used to be a canal that passed through what is now the Mall and in front of the White House, to avoid a particularly sandy part of the Potomac.
A Fool's Errand: Creating the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the Age of Bush, Obama, and Trump By Lonnie G. Bunch. The story of the museum's founding and origins by its first Director. A look at the intricate halls of national power, the nitty gritty of high level public history, and the inner workings of one of the most important institutions to telling the story and preserving the history of the US in the Smithsonian.