Anthony Orlikoff 2025
Executive Director, Historic Congressional Cemetery
From our executive director
When I walk through the historic grounds of Congressional Cemetery, a complex array of emotions washes over me. I feel the weight of over 200 years of history and legacy. I feel sadness as I pass a recent interment—another family who has entrusted us with their loved one. I feel a jolt of joy when some of my favorite four-legged friends run toward me in excitement. I feel peace and serenity in the fresh spring air, punctuated by the bright pink blossoms of our cherry trees.
But most of all, I feel gratitude—for you.
Our community makes us strong. Our neighbors make us special. Our donors and members help keep the cemetery vibrant, safe, and cared for. And our impact on the local community and Washington, D.C., is both measurable and meaningful. Our Board Members, Staff, Volunteers, K9 Corps Members, and community partners united in service of our mission to make 2024 a year of growth and renewal at Historic Congressional Cemetery.
Our shared accomplishments last year included the introduction of formal K–12 field trip programs for the first time in our institution’s history. We received a green infrastructure grant from the Anacostia Watershed Society. We launched exciting new events, including the Cherry Blossom 5K and our Día de los Muertos gathering. We brought back beloved signature programs like Soul Strolls and Cinematery. We welcomed a wave of new K9 Corps Members after finally retiring our long-standing waitlist. We repaired dozens of fallen gravestones. And we unveiled our first large-scale temporary public art installation, The Landscape Listens, by artist Tommy Bobo.
While I’m proud of these achievements, I’m most grateful that we remain in a position of trust—serving bereaved families and honoring their loved ones, as we have since 1807. That trust is our greatest responsibility and something all us at HCC hold dear.
Looking ahead to 2025, our outlook is positive and we are strong thanks to our community. In a landscape of uncertainty here in our nation’s capital, we are an urban oasis. In seasons of doubt, we can be relied on. In times of chaos, we offer tranquility and peace.
We are DC’s Greatest Undertaking and I’m looking forward to welcoming you all, whether it’s the first time or the one thousandth time (or more), to Historic Congressional Cemetery.
Our nonprofit organization is on a mission to preserve, protect, and promote our historic and active burial ground.
With its first burial in 1807, Historic Congressional Cemetery is among the oldest institutions in Washington, DC, and is the final resting place of over 70,000
individuals. Their stories are American history in microcosm, all in 35 acres of the nation’s capital. Still an active burial ground, it is the only place in Washington where individuals can be buried at a site directly on Pierre L’Enfant’s 18th century city plan.
Historic Congressional Cemetery was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011 and continues to build upon the legacy of over 200 years of American history. The cemetery is administered by the nonprofit Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery and owned by Christ Church + Washington Parish. The association is constantly striving to maintain the historic, cultural, and aesthetic qualities of this natural landscape along the Anacostia River. Hundreds of volunteers each year help preserve the cemetery and further its nonprofit mission.
