THE FORMER BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA

Name: Off The Record Tours
Address: Washington, D.C.
Telephone: 202-255-5685

By David Shaw

July 11, 2023

One of the first things people ask me when they talk about visiting Washington is whether they can visit Black Lives Matter Plaza. The answer is always: I can show you where it used to be.

The two-block stretch of 16th Street by the White House was a vibrant but sacred space to contemplate race in America. Whoever you are and wherever you come from, you always took something away from this city’s landmark.

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The White House forced the District to remove Black Lives Matter Plaza in 2025.

Duration

2 hours

Group Size

1 to 6

Above It All - Washington National Cathedral

A piece of the Moon in a stained-glass window. Darth Vader keeping watch from the outside. A pulpit where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke just days before his assassination. Washington National Cathedral rewards a closer look. Step inside, and the height, craftsmanship, and changing light may hold your attention first. Then the questions begin. Who created all this? What were they trying to say? And how did a place of worship become part of the nation’s public life? Join me, David Shaw, to explore the people and ideas behind the stone and glass. We’ll discover stories of faith, ambition, remembrance, and imagination—with a few wonderfully unexpected details along the way. I first visited the Cathedral as a child and never forgot it. Today, as a certified Cathedral guide, I enjoy helping others discover what makes this place so memorable. You don’t need religious beliefs or architectural knowledge to join us. Bring your curiosity. You’ll leave with stories to remember and a new appreciation for what this extraordinary place reveals about Washington—and ourselves.

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$350

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Duration

3 hours

Group Size

1 to 6

Arlington National Cemetery: Secrets and Stories

A name on a headstone. A few dates. Perhaps a handful of words about a lifetime.

At Arlington National Cemetery, those brief inscriptions open the door to extraordinary stories. Behind them are people who shaped American life: presidents and performers, athletes and activists, military heroes and people whose contributions deserve to be better known.

Walk with me, David Shaw, and we’ll explore what their lives reveal about our country—its ideals, its contradictions, and the ways it has changed. There is courage here, and sacrifice. There are also surprising personalities, unexpected connections, and moments when history’s irony speaks for itself.

Arlington is a place of remembrance, but remembrance does something for the living. It shapes whom we honor, what we value, and how we understand ourselves.

You’ll leave with stories to remember and a deeper connection to the people beneath these stones.

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$500

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Duration

2 hours 30 minutes

Group Size

1 to 6

Hidden on Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill was my first Washington neighborhood. I lived here for six years, and I still come back every week. Walk with me, and I’ll show you what keeps drawing me back. There’s history here that invites a closer look—and a good conversation. Behind the handsome houses and familiar landmarks are people with ambitions, convictions, and contradictions. Their stories give us plenty to explore.

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$500

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Duration

2 hours 30 minutes

Group Size

1 to 6

Embassy Row: Divinity and Diplomats

A grand house makes a statement. So does the country that chooses it for an embassy. Along Massachusetts Avenue, buildings once created to display private wealth now represent nations. Flags have replaced family names, but the desire to make an impression remains. Join me, David Shaw, for a walk from Washington National Cathedral toward Dupont Circle. We’ll explore the people behind these addresses: those who built their fortunes, those who represented their countries, and those whose lives became part of the neighborhood’s history. There is beauty here, but also ambition, conflict, faith, and the occasional political absurdity. We’ll look closely, ask questions, and discover how much a street can tell us about Washington. You’ll leave with memorable stories and a richer understanding of how people and nations establish their place in the capital.

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$350

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