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incomes that classify them as poor by United States government
                            standards.  In  Washington,  as  elsewhere  in  the  United  States,
                            poverty affects blacks more than whites. About 14 per cent of all
                            the  black  families  living  in  the  metropolitan  area  are  poor,
                            compared to about 3 per cent of all the white families.
                                Much of the crime in the Washington area takes place in the
                            city, especially in poor neighborhoods. However, in recent years,
                            crime rates have been rising more rapidly in the suburbs than in
                            the  city.  Washington's  crime  problem  receives  more  nationwide
                            publicity  than  that of  any  other  city  with  the possible exception
                            New York City. Whenever a government official is the victim of a
                            crime, the news is reported throughout the country.
                                Cultural  life  and  recreation.  The  museums,  government
                            buildings,  monuments,  libraries,  parks,  and  theaters  help  make
                            Washington a leading cultural and recreational center. Residents as
                            well as tourists enjoy these facilities.
                                Washington also has many cultural and recreational facilities
                            used chiefly by its residents. These include a public library system
                            with about 1, 620,000 volumes. The system includes a main library
                            and  about  25  branch  libraries.  The  main  library  is  the  Martin
                            Luther  King  Memorial  library.  Washington  has  many
                            neighborhood museums, including some that specialize in exhibits
                            of black culture. The city's main playhouses -  in addition to the
                            Kennedy Center - include the National Theatre, the Arena Stage,
                            Ford's Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre.
                                Washington has about 150 parks. Many Washingtonians enjoy
                            boating  on  the  Potomac  River.  Three  professional  sports  teams
                            play  in  the  Washington  area.  The  Washington  Redskins  of  the
                            National Football League play in the Robert F. Kennedy, or RFK,
                            Stadium,  about  2  miles  (3  kilometers)  east  of  the  Capitol.  The
                            Washington Bullets of the National Basketball Association and the
                            Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League play in the
                            USAir Arena in Landover, Md.

                                                      HISTORY

                                The first people known to have lived in the Washington area
                            were Piscataway Indians. Whites moved into the area during the
                            late 1600's and established farms and plantations. In 1749, settlers
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