WELCOME TO SALON REDUX: IN THE SPIRIT OF GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON

Reviving the Legacy. Inspiring New Conversations. Building Community. 

Salon Redux pays homage to Georgia Douglas Johnson, the pioneering Black poet-playwright whose S Street Salon in early 20th-century DC welcomed luminaries such as Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Alain Locke, and May Miller. In a time of segregation and limited opportunities, Johnson’s salon became a powerful space for reflection, resilience, and cultural innovation.

Today, Salon Redux invites DC residents to carry that legacy forward. You will host small, intimate gatherings of 5–10 guests of your choosing in homes, libraries, parks, or community spaces, using a free Salon Toolkit filled with Johnson’s history, curated discussion prompts, and action ideas for community building. Hosts will share brief event summaries to document this grassroots cultural revival.

Guided by the principles of Emergent Strategy, Salon Redux believes that small, intentional acts of community connection can ignite cultural transformation. We honor Georgia’s model: gathering thoughtful people in small rooms to spark conversation, nurture joy, and inspire positive change.

• Celebrate DC’s literary and cultural heritage
   
• Foster meaningful community engagement and creative dialogue
   
• Encourage and equip us to become cultural stewards
   
• Document DC's ever evolving story in relation to the movements of the people

• Kickoff Event (Fall 2025): Public launch with a model salon and toolkit release
   
• Free Salon Toolkit: Historical context, hosting guidance, and discussion themes
   
• Host-Led Salons: Community-driven city-wide gatherings

• Post Salon Reflection: Opportunity to summarize the gathering and share photos

By looking back to Georgia Douglas Johnson’s spirit of openness and togetherness, we move forward more connected, more creative, and more compassionate. 

This project is funded in part by HumanitiesDC.