National Mall Coalition

07/11/2026

A new episode of the podcast Sidewalk Ballet, "about cities and the people who shape them,” opens with National Mall Coalition chair Judy Feldman talking about Marian Anderson in 1939 singing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It includes several commentators talking about the significance of public space in a democracy interspersed with Feldman talking about the design geometry, symbolism, and public use of the Mall.

► https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-tjxzr-1b04744?utm_campaign=embed_player_stop&utm_source=embed_player_pb&utm_medium=download

Part One of a Two Part Documentary The Constitution begins with "We the People." The rest of the American story is, in many ways, the unfolding of who becomes "We." The Democracy of Public Space – Part One: Do We Mean It? traces the evolution of the National Mall from an unfinished vision into one...

07/10/2026

"The Mall today is facing unprecedented challenges. The historic blueprints for the Mall and the public’s role in shaping this symbolic landscape are under attack by the President’s unilateral and highly unpopular actions."

Happy 250th, America! As we celebrate our country’s founding and look hopefully toward the future of the American experiment, we must also rededicate ourselves to an encouraging future for our National Mall, the Stage for American Democracy: We need a new plan for the Mall’s 3rd Century! The Mal...

07/08/2026

National Public Radio reveals the blatant self-dealing at the heart of Trump’s Triumphal Arch, which will be reviewed tomorrow (Thursday) by the National Capital Planning Commission.

➡️ Read the National Mall Coalition’s testimony on the Arch --
https://www.nationalmallcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/National-Mall-Coalition-Triumphal-Arch-comments-Request-for-Sec-106-06152026.pdf

The design process for new memorials shouldn't be fast-tracked or dictated by a select few, experts say. But a small group of people close to President Trump played an outsized role in the arch's quick approvals.

07/04/2026

Happy Fourth of July to all fans of the National Mall, and to all Americans!

https://www.nationalmallcoalition.org/2019/07/happy-independence-day/

Founding Father John Adams got our national celebration of Independence Day only half right. Yes, we celebrate with “pomp and parade," but not on the day he predicted.

06/17/2026

“West Potomac Park is an integral landscape component of the brilliant historic plans — 1791 L’Enfant Plan and 1901-2 McMillan Plan – that give our capital the visual and symbolic power revered by Americans and foreign visitors alike,” said Judy Scott Feldman, chair of the National Mall Coalition. “We join our fellow plaintiffs in demanding respect for the capital’s visionary planning legacy and the public consultation process that sustains Americans’ faith in their democracy.”

Irreplaceable National Park Site Threatened By Proposal for Another Trump Construction Project

05/28/2026

One hundred and four years ago this week, on May 30, 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall.

It had its place on the Mall thanks to the 1902 McMillan Plan (https://www.nationalmallcoalition.org/legacy/national-mall-history/) that expanded the boundaries of the Mall one mile west of the Washington Monument to create a monument to “that one man in our history as a nation who is worthy to be named with George Washington -- Abraham Lincoln.”

Today, there are numerous proposed new museums, memorials, gardens, and more proposed for the Mall. WE NEED A NEW 3RD CENTURY PLAN (https://www.nationalmallcoalition.org/innovation/3rd-century-mall/) to update the one from 1902 if we are to continue honoring our country's history and culture.

05/07/2026

DC columnist Petula Dvorak's recent “Persisters” column gives a shout out to National Mall Coalition chair Dr. Judy Scott Feldman’s longtime Mall advocacy.

Trump's trying to remake Washington. He's painting a pool, demolishing history and proposing a (tragic) Triumphal Arch. This woman saw it coming.

04/16/2026

"Without an updated plan for thoughtful, meaningful growth, the Mall is at the mercy of special interests and those seeking to remake the Mall in their own political interest."

Whatever you think about the president’s proposed memorial arch, it is nowhere clear this is the best location.

04/10/2026

"An anonymous group called the Secret Handshake has put up satirical statues of Trump and artworks that emphasize everything from the president's friendship with the late convicted s*x offender Jeffrey Epstein to Trump's taste for marble and gold leaf."

The Trump administration and its critics are waging a war of images on the National Mall like none before. The president's face stares down from federal buildings while statues and posters mock him below.