51st

The city's chances at statehood have improved in 2021, but there’s still one big obstacle: the filibuster.

This is a special bonus episode of 51st, from WAMU's What's With Washington. To support the show, visit wamu.org/supportwhatswith.

What does Washington, D.C.'s future hold? We take a trip to 2030 to find out. Plus, Kojo Nnamdi and Tom Sherwood explore why D.C. statehood is so personal for local journalists like them. This is the sixth and final episode of 51st, from WAMU's What's With Washington. To support the show, visit wamu.org/supportwhatswith.

D.C.'s status as a district has drastically altered the lives of some residents, including people convicted of felonies and medical marijuana patients. Formerly incarcerated Washingtonian Jameon Gray and marijuana legalization advocate Adam Eidinger share their stories, and D.C.'s attorney general offers up solutions. This is the fifth episode of 51st, from WAMU's What's With Washington.

To support the show, visit wamu.org/supportwhatswith.

Should D.C. become its own state, combine with Maryland or stay the way it is? Most local activists say 51st statehood is the only way to go, but opponents believe it violates the U.S. Constitution — among other issues. Who’s right here? This is the fourth episode of 51st, from WAMU’s What’s With Washington.

To support the show, visit wamu.org/supportwhatswith.

The civil rights movement is reshaping D.C.'s push for representation and local control. Will local leaders like Walter Fauntroy and Marion Barry be able to get the city on solid ground? This is the third episode of 51st, from WAMU's What's With Washington.

To support the show, visit wamu.org/supportwhatswith.

A Philadelphia mutiny. A secret dinner meeting with three Founding Fathers. A controversial political boss's citywide reorganization plan. To understand Washingtonians' voting rights today, we dive into the city's past. This is the second episode of 51st, from WAMU's What's With Washington.

Three major events in 2020 bring D.C.'s lack of representation into the spotlight: the coronavirus pandemic, protests near the White House against police brutality, and a historic statehood vote in Congress. This is the first episode of 51st, from WAMU's What's With Washington.

51st is a series about Washingtonians’ fight for representation. D.C.'s 700,000 residents don't get to elect a voting representative to Congress, and the federal government can block their laws. 51st will trace how racism, party politics, and even an attempted mutiny in Pennsylvania have stood in the way of the city’s path to full representation. We’ll also try to figure out if D.C. has a real shot at achieving statehood today. Could D.C. ever be the 51st state?