Peter MacPherson, a long-time Capitol Hill resident, passed away on Friday, September 13, 2024. The cause of death was colon cancer.
MacPherson is remembered by family and friends as someone who was most fulfilled when he was fighting for a cause he cared about deeply. His fights, some might call them epic battles, went on for years, and he was relentless and effective in holding government officials responsible for fixing problems.
MacPherson is best remembered for his advocacy of school libraries. When MacPherson began getting involved in school libraries, school librarian positions were in jeopardy of being cut, and few funds were budgeted to replenish school library collections. After countless testimonies before the City Council and DC Public Schools (DCPS), and even holding bake sales in front of the Wilson building and DCPS offices to shame government officials to fund school libraries, a DCPS School Libraries Task Force was established. This Task Force recommended many of the things MacPherson had advocated for, and today thousands of students at DCPS are the direct beneficiaries of his work.
MacPherson also put a spotlight on school modernization inequities and, through tireless advocacy with others, brought about major repairs to Stuart-Hobson Middle School after serious flaws were found with its renovation. Before he began his advocacy, no city leader was willing to undertake additional work on the building, but eventually money was budgeted to fix many of the problems he identified. One of Peter’s partners in fighting for school modernizations was Clayton Witt. 
“I was always ready for a fight for right, but Peter made me look like a piker,” Witt said. “Peter was smarter, meaner, and more calculating than anyone I had ever met. Together, we got $65 million for Stuart-Hobson and traded a grant with another school to secure the turf field. I never imagined that I would become the “good cop” in our fights with anyone other than ourselves. Peter was tireless and relentless. I would talk him out of a nuclear attack at 9 p.m., only to receive a call from a political figure asking if I could forestall his one-man protest (with media in tow) at a grand opening or political stump. Peter made being his friend difficult because he set the bar so high. He loved you more than you deserved and helped you more than merited. His personality was like his hugs—comforting, assuring, embracing, and protective.”
Congressional Cemetery was also a passion of MacPherson’s. He served on the board of the cemetery as a representative of Christ Church. He enjoyed photography and took thousands of photos at the cemetery. At one point, he put on a show of his photographs, and donated the money raised to the cemetery. He loved to walk his dog there. Victor Romero, a decades-long member of the dog walkers group, remembered Peter fondly. “Peter was indeed among the most friendly K9 Corps members. Our walks and talks were always filled with lively exchanges about national politics and local life in Hill East. A conversation with Peter would invariably cheer me up.”
Born on April 12, 1961, at Columbia Women’s Hospital in DC, MacPherson grew up in Arlington, VA. His family lived overseas for a few years in Taiwan and Laos. He graduated from Yorktown High School in Arlington. He attended the Virginia Commonwealth University. In 1992, he married his wife Rebecca, and they moved to Capitol Hill in 1996. He was a health policy freelance journalist, and for a time worked for the Congressional Quarterly.
Shortly after his daughter Evelyn was born, he became a stay-at-home dad. He was a doting father who made up engaging bedtime stories, and told Evelyn, his only child, that she was his “favorite.” He was active at Evelyn’s schools, always willing to chaperone a field trip or help a student or teacher. He even served as the PTA president of the Capitol Hill Cluster School where Evelyn attended.
Peter and Rebecca moved to Chicago in 2018 for Rebecca’s work as the Regional Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration. Peter continued to do his DC advocacy work from Chicago.
Many people remember him as being a great friend who would often call and visit. Someone once said Peter was often a better friend to others than they were to him. Jackie Sink, one of his many friends, said “I remember walking out my front door one morning and finding Peter weeding my garden. When I asked him what he was doing, he said he knew I didn’t have time, so he thought he would help.”
Peter was known for always helping his 200 block of Kentucky neighbors carry something in from their car or finding other ways to help. Greg Cavanaugh, one of Peter’s neighbors, also remembered his self-effacing humor. Greg recalled Peter saying “Remember, Greg, I want to be like you someday when I grow up.”
Peter is survived by his wife, Rebecca, daughter Evelyn, and son-in-law Sean Lynch. He is buried at Congressional Cemetery. Donations in Peter’s honor may be made to An Open Book Foundation, anopenbookfound.org.
