If there’s one thing we know about DC, it’s that history comes alive there — and the U Street corridor is proof of that.
Built up in the late 19th century, U Street first gained notoriety as one of the most accessible places to live in the DC area due to the streetcar lines that ran along its main thoroughfares. During years of segregation (~1910-1964), the neighborhood became a safe haven for African American people and boasted one of the largest African American populations in the nation.
Pictured here is one of U Street’s most famous landmarks is the True Reformer building, which was designed by John Anderson Lankford, DC’s first African American registered architect.
Photo via Library of Congress
Throughout the first half of the 20th century, the neighborhood became an African American business + cultural hub, with hundreds of Black-owned and Black-friendly businesses, churches, theaters, gyms, and community spaces. Some of the greatest musicians performed in U Street’s clubs and theaters, including Duke Ellington (a native of the area), Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and Billie Holiday. As such, the corridor quickly earned the nickname “Black Broadway,” a nomenclature still used to this day.
Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the late 1960s, the neighborhood entered a period of decline. In the early 1990s, revitalization efforts began, most notably including the opening the U Street Metro stop in 1991 — which is also the site of the African American Civil War Memorial. As a result of these efforts, the American Planning Association named U Street a Great Street in America in 2011 + the National Park Service has added it to the National Register of Historic Places.
One might argue that a visit to U Street isn’t complete until you grab a chili dog from Ben’s.
Photo by Carol M. Highsmith via Library of Congress
Our must-dos
Now that you’re up to snuff on U Street’s history, check out these recommendations to make the most of your next visit.
- See the former residence of jazz legend Duke Ellington at 1805 13th Street NW.
- Browse contemporary art galleries like the Hamiltonian.
- Grab dinner from Dukem, a colorful spot putting an upscale twist on rustic Ethiopian cuisine. For a more casual bite, you can’t go wrong with a half-smoke chili dog from Ben’s Chili Bowl.
- Catch a show at the refurbished Lincoln Theatre, originally opened in 1922.
