1 december 1968 & walter washington on cover of white-owned washingtonian magazine

#OTD 1 December 1968 The December issue of the white-owned Washingtonian magazine was on newsstands and in the hands of subscribers. Walter Washington, mayor-commissioner, was on the cover. The cover art was created by Lloyd McNeill and commissioned by the magazine.

Milton Viorst, white, wrote an article about Washington, titled “Is it Goodbye, Then, Mayor Washington? Do we want Richard Nixon to fire this man?”

The article begins:

“Walter Washington thinks white. Walter Washington thinks White. Walter Washington thinks WHITE. WALTER WASHINGTON THINKS WHITE.”

Perhaps this introductory paragraph isn’t surprising given that every single cover in 1968, from January to November, that featured a person or people, featured whites. Indeed, the magazine was founded by whites, for whites. Founded in 1965, when African Americans were the clear majority, the Washingtonian magazine steadfastly and consistently continued to project a white city on its covers and in its pages.

Your comments are welcome below. Do you, family members or neighbors remember this issue of the Washingtonian? Do you have a copy? What did you think of the magazine in 1968? Were you a subscriber? Did you pick it up at newsstands? If so, where was it available? Did you see it in doctor’s offices in 1968? Did you think it was odd that it primarily featured whites? You may comment privately here.

Photo source: Courtesy Washingtonian magazine. I photographed the cover at the magazine offices. They have a full run of the magazine there—both bound and single copies. I thank the librarian, Patrick Jules, for his assistance.