Brazil

Donate

The World Cup is in Brazil, but the Bossa Nova Craze Started in DC

Before Brazil’s bossa nova swept the globe, its breakout moment happened in a DC church basement. Discover how a chance meeting, a cultural exchange tour, and a three-hour recording session turned Jazz Samba into a Grammy-winning sensation—and made Washington, not Rio, the unlikely launchpad of a musical revolution.
June 11, 2014
- Washington, D.C.
By Patrick Kiger

Popular Content

Grant Us More Jazz on the Radio: How Felix Grant Brought Jazz to the D.C. Airwaves

Shock rippled through the steamy streets of Washington, DC, in early August 1979. The source of the buzz was not the result of back-to-back testing of nuclear weapons by the United States and the...

July 26, 2022

By Meaghan Kacmarcik
How Smokey Bear Became an Icon... And a Real Life Neighbor in D.C.

“Only YOU can prevent forest fires.” Smokey the Bear has been around for as long as most of us can remember, reminding us to follow safe fire practices in the backcountry. However, Smokey’s message –...

March 2, 2018

By Mark Jones
Meet the Woman Who Lived Atop the Big Chair in Anacostia

In one of the more creative publicity stunts D.C. has ever seen, the Curtis Bros. Furniture Company commissioned Bassett Furniture to construct a giant chair in Anacostia. Then, the company then...

November 26, 2012

By Mark Jones
1989: Bringing Down D.C.'s Drug King

A joint force of DEA, FBI and D.C. Police officials had spent nearly two years building their case against the District's largest drug network. At 5:30pm on April 15, 1989 officers arrested Tony Lewis...

November 14, 2014

By Mark Jones

Not sure what to read? Let's pick a story for you!

Surprise me!

Did you know? We made the D.C. Metro into a time machine!

Explore our Metro map inspired by historical events and sites rooted in the neighborhoods that surround each station. Hop aboard! Take a ride and learn on your commute.

Check out the Historic D.C. Metro Map

Brazil

The World Cup is in Brazil, but the Bossa Nova Craze Started in DC

Featured Topics

Halloween

Hispanic Americans

Revolutionary War

Abraham Lincoln

Music History

National Mall

Women's History

Black History

Popular Content

Grant Us More Jazz on the Radio: How Felix Grant Brought Jazz to the D.C. Airwaves

How Smokey Bear Became an Icon... And a Real Life Neighbor in D.C.

Meet the Woman Who Lived Atop the Big Chair in Anacostia

1989: Bringing Down D.C.'s Drug King

Not sure what to read? Let's pick a story for you!

Did you know? We made the D.C. Metro into a time machine!

Love D.C. History? Support WETA!