Located in the Logan Circle-Shaw neighborhood, the The George M. Barker Company Warehouse was constructed in 1906 as a distribution warehouse. The company's founder, a New Hampshire-born carpenter, opened his first millwork establishment in the downtown D.C. area after the end of the Civil War. Following his death, ownership of the business transferred to his wife and children. His daughter, Flora Welch, commissioned the construction of a new building. It was designed by a construction superintendent for the D.C. Inspector of Buildings, A.M. Poynton. Washington, D.C. was never a particularly industrial city. Goods largely had to be imported. Industrial buildings, such as the George M. Barker Company Warehouse, were scattered throughout the city's streets and alleys in an era before zoning. Originally, the building stood in close proximity to stores, rowhouses, and a theater. The warehouse was primarily used to distribute much needed lumber, coal, and wood. It is a two-story brick structure featuring heavy timber framing and a brick and terracotta facade, with the central entry and loft door once serving as a loading area for delivery trucks and wagons. Today, the building is occupied by Bread for the City, a local organization dedicated to providing underprivileged D.C. residents with a variety of social services in a respectful environment. Above the door is written their slogan: "Dignity, Respect, Service."1 The warehouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 26, 2008.

George M. Barker Company Warehouse, image by Smallbones - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15960336

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The George M. Barker Company Warehouse is a historic structure, located in the Logan Circle-Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Designed by A.M. Poynton and built in 1906, it once served a a lumber, coal, and wood distribution warehouse. It is notable as one of the few examples of such buildings in a city that was never heavily industrial. Today, the structure is used by Bread for the City, a local organization which provides vulnerable D.C. residents with various social services.

George M. Barker Company Warehouse

This tour begins at the former home of Carter G. Woodson, the most influential historian of the 20th century. The tour includes a variety of buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and landmarks throughout the Shaw and LeDroit neighborhoods related to African American history.

The Carter G. Woodson Home was the site of some of the most productivity ever seen for the spread of African American History. Woodson’s home provided education, held meetings, and was even used to publish his own historical works. The Woodson Home was even home to Woodson’s own company for publishing books, entitled Associated Publishers. From its founding up until Woodson’s death in 1950, and for some years afterward, this building spread information on African American History to the world (The Carter G. Woodson Home).Today, the Carter G. Woodson home is a National Historical Landmark and is still used to hold events. Ever year, the ASALH celebrates Woodson’s birthday with an event at the Woodson Home. It became a landmark in 1976, and is part of the National Park System. With the help of the upkeep and importance of his home, Dr. Woodson will be remembered for years to come (The Carter G. Woodson Home).The Woodson home is in the Shaw neighborhood of DC, which is often called the “Heart of the African American Community in Washington” (The Carter G. Woodson Home). The Shaw neighborhood is also home to places such as the Shiloh Baptist Church, the African American Civil War Memorial, and more. It is also known as being the home of Howard University. The ASALH still considers Woodson to be a very important figure, and has continued to celebrate him by having his home made a National Historical Landmark (The Carter G. Woodson Home).

Dr. Carter G. Woodson is often called the Father of Black History. He is best known for being the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. At the start of the ASALH, he led meetings and gatherings for the organization at his home at 1538 9th Street NW in Washington DC. In 1970, the ASALH moved from Woodson's house to its headquarters on 525 Bryant Street. The Carter G. Woodson Home is now a National Historical Landmark (The Carter G. Woodson Home).

Carter G. Woodson Home

Completed in February 2015, this memorial park is dedicated to Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who is widely regarded as "The Father of Black History." The park is located near his Washington DC home, which is a National Historic Site, as well as the Black community's YMCA where often dined. Woodson was the second African American to graduate with a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He established the leading academic journal related to African American history. He also founded the organization now known as the Association for the Study of African American History and Life (ASALH). Finally, Woodson created "Negro History Week" as an annual celebration of Black history and culture that has now been expanded to Black History Month and is commemorated each February .

Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park

The Thurgood Marshall Center was often used by the attorney Thurgood Marshall himself during its days as the Twelfth Street YMCA. This is where many of his legal strategies were created. One of the most famous of these strategies was the one used in the Brown v. Board of Education trials. Brown v. Board of Education is one of the most famous known legal proceedings of the Civil Rights Movement. Thanks to the strategy of Marshall and the other attorneys working on these cases, segregation was banned within public schools (TMCT). Founded in 1853, the Twelfth Street YMCA was the first African-American YMCA established in the country. It occupied several sites before raising $100,000 to build this Italian-Renaissance style structure, constructed between 1907 and 1912. The building's architect, Sidney W. Pittman, was one of the first African-American architect. This building was a home and a community sanctuary for African-Americans in segregated Washington. Some prominent Americans associated with the YMCA include poet Langston Hughes, Dr. Charles Drew, basketball coach John Thompson, and world heavyweight champion Joe Lewis. In 1972, the institution renamed itself after Anthony Bowen, a freedman and civic leader who was one of its founders. The Twelfth Street YMCA building was reopened as the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage in the year 2000. It is now home to many groups and organizations for enrichment and heritage of African Americans. Some of these groups include the Washington Literacy Center, the Washington Chapter of Concerned Black Men, and the Project Re-Direct Passport Club. The Thurgood Marshall Center also hosts organizations such as the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the Financial Freedom Center of the NAACP, and IKG Cultural Resources. These groups and many more contribute to the enrichment of this community center (TMCT). The building is a National Historic Landmark and part of the U Street Heritage Trail.

The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage is a community center named to honor the well-known civil rights attorney Thurgood Marshall. It is located in what used to be the Twelfth Street YMCA, the first-African American YMCA. The building that now houses the Thurgood Marshall Center has a long history of enriching the lives of African Americans who likely would not have had the opportunity for this experience otherwise. During its days as the Twelfth Street YMCA and Anthony Bowen YMCA, this building welcomed African Americans who often had nowhere else to go for enrichment because of segregation.  Now, years later, this building is being put back to use for many of the same purposes. The building of the Thurgood Marshall Center has been named a National Historic Landmark.

Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage

The Evans-Tibbs house was built in 1894 by a man named Richard E. Crump. Little is known about the inhabitants of the house shortly after it was finished, but in 1904, Lillian Evans-Tibbs moved into the house with her family when she was fourteen. Lillian’s family was quite prominent among the Black intellectuals of Washington, DC, and as a result, the house was often used as a gathering place. Being in such a prominent position, Lillian had many educational opportunities to pursue, and she worked to gain her Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Howard University in 1913 and began teaching music. She married Roy Tibbs, a music teacher, in 1918, but soon after the marriage, she decided to focus on her operatic skills in the early 1920s. Though she was a skilled opera singer, there were not many opportunities for opera singers in the United States during the early 1920s. As a result, she traveled to Europe to pursue her opera studies, and she continued her studies fervently in Paris, France. While in France, she took on the stage name Evanti and debuted at the star of the 1925 opera Lakme. Because of Lakme’s success, Evanti toured Europe with the Paris Opera Company.

When she returned to the United States, opportunities for opera singers were still scarce, and as a result, Evanti was unable to be hired on by a professional company. Still, she continued to perform, eventually performing for Eleanor Roosevelt in 1934. Her career boomed, despite not having a sponsor. As her career continued, Evanti continued to live in the Evans-Tibbs house with her son and husband up until her death in 1967. After her death, her grandson, Thurlow Tibbs, Jr., used the home as an art gallery, but upon his death, the home no longer continued to hold the artwork. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 8th, 1987.

The Evans-Tibbs House is a historic home in Washington, DC’s Shaw neighborhood. Built in 1894, the house is particularly notable for being the residence of the first African American opera singer of international fame, Lillian Evans Tibbs. For some time after her death, her grandson housed an art gallery in the home. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in September of 1987.

Evans-Tibbs House

The museum was founded by Frank Smith who hoped to contextualize the history of Black military service and the Emancipation Proclamation. The museum offers exhibits that preserve and share the history of over 208,000 soldiers and sailors who fought for the Union in the Civil War. The museum includes a memorial that depicts Black soldiers and sailors and is located directly across from the museum. Among the many services offered at the museum, descendants of members of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) may trace their family lineage using the museum's official registry. The African American Civil War Memorial was unveiled in 1998 and is known as "The Spirit of Freedom." The bronze sculpture was designed by Louisville sculptor Ed Hamilton, and stands ten feet tall. Next to the sculpture is the Wall of Honor which lists names of African Americans who fought for the Union. The memorial was transferred to the National Park Service on October 27, 2004 and is now maintained by the National Mall and Memorial Parks office.  The museum offers historic context that demonstrates the significance of African American military service in the war. President Lincoln believed that Black soldiers could turn the tide of the war, not only by serving the Union, but depriving the South of labor and causing disruption to the system of slavery that provided much of the wealth that fueled the Confederacy.

The African American Civil War Museum opened to the public in January 1999 to honor the heroic struggle for freedom and civil rights of the Americans of African descent. The museum both highlights and commemorates the role of African Americans in the United States Civil War, particularly those that served in United States Colored Troops (USCT) regiments. The museum collection comprises a wide assortment of photographs, newspaper articles, replicas of period clothing, weaponry, and uniforms. Using photographs, documents, and state of the art audio and visual equipment, the museum helps visitors understand the African American's heroic and largely unknown struggle for freedom. 

African American Civil War Memorial and Museum

Dorsch's White Cross Bakery (also known as the Wonder Bread Factory) is a complex of structures, with the oldest sections dating back to 1913 and 1922. Their history can be traced back to 1904, with Peter M. Dorsch's establishment of the White Cross Bakery. Born in Washington D.C. in 1878, Dorsch was the son of a Bavarian immigrant and restaurateur who sold imported German foods. He and his brothers worked in a number of D.C. bakeries before establishing their own neighborhood business. White Cross soon expanded to become one of D.C. area's largest bakeries, producing 100,000 loaves of bread daily (in addition to 40 varieties of cakes) by the end of the 1920s. In 1913, Dorsch built what was to be the first of several expansions to White Cross in Wiltberger Alley. His complex would eventually grow to include not only the factory, but also retail space, a baking plant, and stables and garages for delivery wagons. Dorsch's largest competitor was the Corby Baking Company, located at 2301 Georgia Avenue NW. In 1925, The Continental Baking Company acquired the Corby bakery. Dorsch sold his company to Continental in 1936, which used the plant for the production of Wonder Bread (originally a product of the Corby Baking Company) and Hostess cakes. When Wonder Bread moved its production out of D.C. in the 1980s, the facilities were shut down and abandoned. Douglas Development purchased the property in 1997. Plans in 2010 to turn the structures into condos never materialized, and the property sat vacant for two decades. In 2012, the buildings were renovated and transformed into office, retail, and event spaces. The brick façades were maintained, retaining the structure's original character. The S Street side of The Event Space was excavated and floor-to-ceiling windows added in order to improve lighting. Additional upgrades included the addition of a parking garage, an additional story at the rear of the three-story building, and a third floor roof terrace. The Wonder Bread Factory was added to the Washington, D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites in 2011, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. Architecturally, the complex is known as one of the most notable examples industrial and commercial buildings in D.C. The shorter 1913 building was designed by architectural firm Simmons &amp; Cooper, the 1922 structure by Frederick W. Mullet of A.B. Mullett &amp; Co. The two S. Street buildings feature craftsman-style elements and are adorned with white glazed tile crosses. The crosses, emulating those of the American Red Cross, were intended to alleviate food safety fears following the publication of Upton Sinclair's 1906 novel, The Jungle. The crosses, as well as the "Wonder Bread" and "Hostess Cake" lettering, are visible to this day.

Dorsch's White Cross Bakery, located in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C., is a building complex that provides office, retail, and event space. Formerly a bakery complex, the buildings represent the Districts's once prominent baking industry. Featuring craftsman-style elements, the S Street structures are amongst the most notable examples of industrial and commercial architecture in the city.

Dorsch's White Cross Bakery (Wonder Bread Factory)

After its opening in 1910, The Howard Theatre shortly became the largest Black theatre in the world. It hosted acts and speakers of all kinds. In its earlier days, The Howard Theatre catered events from speakers like Booker T. Washington to road shows, vaudeville acts, and musicals. It was a place where dignified people such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt gathered with the common people to see performances. The Washington Bee declared it to be the "Theatre for The People." The Howard Theatre was so popular among Black residents because segregation kept them rom attending the white-only theatres throughout the city. The theatre was created even before the Apollo Theatre in New York. It held amateur nights which introduced local talents such as Marvin Gaye to the public. Unfortunately, the D.C. riots of 1968 destroyed the theatre. However, the theatre was declared a National Landmark in 1974, and later became in possession of the D.C. government after not being sustainable. In 2006 Ellis Development Group was awarded the contract to redevelop the building. A non-profit organization called Howard Theatre Restoration was later formed and began the financing process which included seeking government grants and private donations. In 2010, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the theatre site.&nbsp;Finally in 2012, The Howard Theatre reopened.&nbsp;

When Howard Theatre opened its doors in 1910, it was the first major Black-owned theater in the United States. Legendary performers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Smokey Robinson, Cab Calloway, and the Supremes all played to sell-out crowds at this venue. White and Black political leaders, including Franklin Deleano Roosevelt, also addressed crowds at this theater. In the era of segregation, this venue was more than simply a theater, it was a place where Black artists and musicians could perform with dignity and Black crowds could enjoy first-class accommodation. For the residents of Washington, the Howard Theatre was not simply a venue, it was an institution, a place where Black families could feel at home and Black performers could start their career. 

The theater became a national landmark in 1974, but a decline of employment opportunity in the area, combined with public housing and urban renewal programs, changed the nature of the surrounding neighborhood. As crime gripped the area in the 1970s, the theater was forced to close. As the neighborhood experienced progress, local residents began a preservation effort. From 2006 to 2012, the building was restored and re-opened. Much of the interior is different from how the theater looked in the early 1900s, but thanks to a $29-million restoration effort, the facade of the theater matches its original appearance. 

The Howard Theatre

&nbsp; As the home of the Washington Nationals, Griffith Stadium was infamous for being the site of the fewest home runs. There were only three years where Griffith Stadium was not first in fewest home runs for either the home or visiting teams. Between 1933 and 1953, the ballpark had the fewest home runs of any of stadium in the Majors. Of all the batters to ever hit at the park, there are only two players that hit a fair ball out of the park, Mickey Mantle of the Yankees and Josh Gibson of the Grays.

While the Nationals only won one World Series in their time at the ballpark, the Homestead Grays won three Colored World Series in 1943, 1944, and 1948. In addition, the Grays won the Negro National League pennant nine times in twelve seasons. Consequently, the Grays are often revered as one of the best Negro League teams in history. When the Negro National League and the Negro American League merged following the 1948 season, the Homestead Grays chose to become an independent team and disbanded two years later in 1950.After the Baltimore Orioles began to steal many of the Washington National’s fans, the owner decided to move the team to Minneapolis and change the name to the Twins. Once this occurred, an expansion team was given to D.C. The expansion team moved to a new ballpark after playing only one season at Griffith Stadium.&nbsp;

Griffith Stadium was a baseball park that opened in 1911 and served as home to the Washington Nationals until 1961. Although it best known for being the home of the Washington Nationals, the stadium was also host to many other sporting events and teams. The World Heavyweight Boxing Match was held here in 1941, and the stadium also served as the home of the Homestead Grays, one of the most successful teams in the history of the Negro League. The field is also remembered for being one of the hardest to hit a home run in. After the Washington Senators left in 1960 to become the Minnesota Twins, the ballpark was used for one season by the D.C. expansion team, also called the Washington Senators. In 1965, the ballpark was torn down. Howard University Hospital was built on this site in 1975. 

Griffith Stadium, 1911-1965

Originally founded in 1873 by Amzi Barber, one of the founders of Howard University, LeDroit Park began as a gated luxury community for white government clerks and merchants. A gated fence restricted access into the area and soon became a focal point for racial unrest. In July 1988, African American protestors tore the fence down, signaling the movement toward integration of the area. A barber named Octavious Williams and his family became the first Black residents of the neighborhood in 1892. Despite initial tensions, the area's close proximity to Howard University attracted new African American residents, such as suffragist March Church Terrell and her husband, Judge Robert H. Terrell. &nbsp; LeDriot Park is known largely for its architecture, being the home of many examples of Victorian Mansions, houses, and row-houses designed by renowned architect James McGill. The McGill houses emulated the style of Italian villas, Gothic cottages, and other designs largely inspired by A. J. Downing's Country Houses. Mostly constructed between 1873 and 1877, each home is unique; LeDroits protected housing stock includes 12 different home styles. Fifty of the sixty-four original McGill homes are still extant. The remaining brick and frame row-houses date to the late 1880s and 1890s. &nbsp; In addition to its architecture, LeDroit is recognized for its racial and sociocultural diversity. Historically, the area has been the residence of many Black visionaries, intellectuals, and civil rights leaders. Some of the most famous include such figures as poet Paul Laurence Dunbar; Army Gen. Oliver Otis Howard, founder of Howard University; Howard professor and co-drafter of the United Nations Charter Ralph Bunche; and the internationally-known genetic researcher Ernest E. Just. &nbsp; Since 1974, LeDroit Park has been an officially recognized historic district. The district includes the home of Civil Rights leader Mary Church (a U.S. National Historic Landmark). Visitors to the area can explore the historic buildings and relax at The Park at LeDriot, which opened in 2011 following the closure of the Gage-Eckington Elementary School. Within the park is a community garden; His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Wales himself toured the Common Good City Farm in 2011. Public art in the form of numerous murals are located throughout the neighborhood and park. Additionally, in 2015, a 90-minute walking tour called the LeDroit Park Heritage Trail was established. The Trail begins at the “gateway” to LeDroit Park, where Florida Avenue, 6th and T Streets, Northwest meet.

LeDroit Park is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C., located to the southeast of Howard University and west of Bloomingdate. The neighborhood was founded in 1873 by businessman Amzi Barber, who originally developed and marketed it as a "romantic" (and exclusively white) neighborhood. In the 1940s, the area gained prominence as a haven for African-American intellectuals and professionals. Today, LeDroit Park is notable for its socioeconomic and cultural diversity, as well as many fine examples of 19th Century architecture.

LeDroit Park

It is estimated that the Mary Church Terrell House was constructed in 1899. The exact architect of the home is unknown. However, the Mary Church Terrell House has a traditional, Victorian design. It rests on Washington's LeDroit Park and is close to Howard University. The house is a 2 1/2 story, brick home with a polygonal window that allows the house to stand out from other homes in the area. The D.C. house was the home to civil rights activist, Mary Church Terrell. Terrell was a graduate of Oberlin College in Ohio. There she obtained both her bachelor's and her master's, making her the first African American woman to earn a college degree. She spent two years teaching at Wilburforce College before settling into Washington D.C. Terrell's activism started in the 1890's after her friend was lynched due to the fact this his business competed with white-owned businesses. This lynching occurred in Memphis but inspired Terrell to join forces with Ida B. Wells-Barnett. The two began anti-lynching campaigns. Terrell then began to focus on the advancement of African American people through education, work, and community activism. In 1909, she became active in the NAACP. Terrell expanded her activism to the Women's Suffrage Movement. After the passing of the 19th amendment, Terrell advocated for Black women's rights. Se became the first Black member of the American Association of University Women after she won an anti-discrimination lawsuit. This lawsuit helped pave the way for integration, especially in Washington D.C. The Mary Church Terrell House remains standing. It became a National Historical Landmark in 1975. However, the house is privately owned and is not open to the public.

The Mary Church Terrell House was built in the late 1890's. It became the home of Ms. Terrell who was a key figure in the fight of integration in Washington D.C. The original building witnessed the unraveling of D.C.'s integration laws that occurred throughout the 1890's. However, the house became a key icon in the Civil Rights movement due to its role in Mary Church Terrell's life. 

Mary Church Terrell House

The founder of the ASALH, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, is often called the father of Black history. His efforts in creating the ASALH were some of the most effective in the world in spreading the knowledge and teaching of African American history. To this day, the organization continues to do the work that Dr. Woodson set out to do. This organization believes that it is not only for the African American community but for all humanity to learn and appreciate African American history (Association for the Study). Today, ASALH is the home of many research and interpretation endeavors of African American history. Along with this, it also hosts many celebrations and informational events. Among many events, the ASALH hosts an essay contest for students, sets the theme each year for Black History Month, and holds luncheons and speaker events. For the ASALH, the most important thing is to spread history internationally to all people (Association for the Study). The ASALH was founded on 525 Bryant Street in Washington DC and ASALH was housed at Howard University in recent years. The organization is in flux following the decision to abandon self-publication of the Journal of African American History and the organizational website lists an office building on Rhode Island as their physical address while the mailing address remains on the Howard Campus.&nbsp;

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1915. Woodson and ASALH are the originators of what is now known as Black History Month. The goal of this organization was and still is to research and provide information about the history and accomplishments of the African American community. It is headquartered in Washington DC but has branches all over the world. ASALH remains one of the most important organizations for the preservation and study of African American history.

Association for the Study of African American Life and History

In the late 1800s, Washington, DC was the center of an initiative to create schools to bolster the education of African-American children in the area. Numerous schools, such as the William Syphax and Thaddeus Stevens schools were devised with the purpose of giving African-American children educational opportunities that they might not have had otherwise, and the Armstrong Manual Training School was among this gathering of schools. Booker T. Washington was a prominent supporter of the movement, and he specifically called for the presence of vocational training for African Americans. As a result of this, the concept for the Armstrong Manual Training School was born, and in 1899, funds were allocated by Congress for the school to be constructed. Construction began in 1900, and in 1902, the school was completed and ready for use, though it was originally known as Manual Training School #2. In 1903, it was named the Armstrong Manual Training School in order to honor General Samuel Chapman Armstrong.

In the decades that followed the school’s establishment, the Armstrong Manual Training School underwent numerous renovations, including additions of annexes and additional facilities, and consistently worked to improve the opportunities afforded to its students. Even after desegregation was passed in the Washington, DC school system in 1954, the Armstrong Manual Training School continued to be of service to its community, becoming the Veterans High School from 1958 until 1964. In 1964, the school was converted into the Armstrong Adult Education Center, which has continued to fulfill the educational needs of those in its community. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 16th, 1996.

The Armstrong Manual Training School was a school in the Washington, DC area for African American children. Built in 1902 and dedicated by Booker T. Washington, the Armstrong Manual Training School was one of many schools in Washington, DC dedicated to giving African American children access to quality education. Since 1964, the school has continued its educational function, but instead serves as the home of the Armstrong Adult Education Center, and continues to do so today. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in August of 1966.

Armstrong Manual Training School

When it was founded as the nation's first high school for Blacks in 1870, Dunbar High School was located at the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C. and was known as the Preparatory High School For Colored Youth.&nbsp; The aggressive academic program at the school was well known, and many Black families moved to Washington D.C. simply to send their children to the school.&nbsp; Within a few years of its establishment, many of the faculty members were African American, and were well paid for the time. The goal of school leaders was to prepare the students for higher education at colleges and universities. During the era of school segregation, leadership was very successful in achieving these goals, with about two thirds of each class that graduated from Dunbar going on to a college or university like Howard, Harvard or Yale. In 1916 the school moved from its second location on M Street, where it was know as the M Street School, to its present location on New Jersey Avenue. It was at this time that the name changed for the third time to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, named after the African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar.&nbsp; Dunbar High School produced several notable graduates over the years, such as the first Black man to graduate from Harvard, Richard T. Greener. The first Black presidential cabinet member was also a graduate of the school, as well as Carter G. Woodson, who lived for a time in Huntington, W.V. and is often called the Father of Black History.Being a&nbsp;Black high school during the&nbsp;era of segregation,&nbsp; Dunbar struggled constantly with funding. School facilities, especially&nbsp;the athletic facilities, were inadequate. Teachers were in short supply, and classrooms were crowded and/or poorly maintained.&nbsp; In the 1960s, D.C. schools, along with Paul Laurence Dunbar High School were desegregated.&nbsp; It was after this time the school began to face its rapid decline. As of 2010, Dunbar High School&nbsp;was still predominantly African American, however less than 30% of its students met the standards for reading, and even less than that met the area standards for math.

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., holds the title for the first public high school for African American students in the United States.  It was established in 1870, with 45 students in attendance, and only one teacher.  From 1870 until 1891, the school resided in many different locations, before finding a semi-permanent home on M Street. Finally in 1916, the high school moved to its present location at 1301 New Jersey Ave NW, where it is still open today.

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School 

Blanche K. Bruce was born into slavery in Farmville Virginia in 1841. Historians believe that Bruce was the son of Pettus Perkinson, a white man who owned and impregnated Bruce's mother Polly, whose last name came from her previous owner Lemuel Bruce. Although Perkinson does not acknowledge his paternity in any written documents, the fact that young Blanche Bruce was both sent away and&nbsp;provided with a private tutor demonstrates the likelihood that Perkinson covertly acknowledged that he was Bruce's father. &nbsp;&nbsp; Despite a very different set of circumstances than most slaves endured in antebellum South, Blanche Bruce was not free. Pettus Perkinson sent Bruce away from his own house (a common way for slave masters to create distance between their enslaved children) and was forced to labor without pay for Pettus's half-brother William Perkinson.&nbsp; Bruce was able to escape from slavery and&nbsp;chose the Free State stronghold of Lawrence Kansas as his home during the Civil War.&nbsp;He taught school in Lawrence in 1867-a publicly-funded but racially segregated school in a rented church. After teaching, he returned to the South and became active in the local&nbsp;Republican Party of Mississippi. At that time, the Republican Party in&nbsp;featured a fusion of progressive whites and former slaves who worked together to challenge the rule of planters and provide better schools and economic opportunities for white and Black residents. &nbsp; Bruce rose quickly in the Mississippi Republican Party, being selected as the&nbsp;sergeant at arms in the State Senate before wining election as Sheriff and Tax Collector in Bolivar County. He also served as Superintendent in Bolivar County and soon acquired&nbsp;a farm that grew to 640 acres. In 1875,&nbsp;Bruce became the first African American to be elected and permitted to serve a full term in the United States Senate. While in office Bruce could only occasionally speak out&nbsp;on behalf of civil rights for African Americans (as well as recent immigrants) for fear of facing the same fate of Black leaders who exposed the Republican Party's limited support for civil rights. Biographer Lawrence Otis Graham declared that Bruce had "an almost single-minded obsession for maintaining favor with powerful whites" while serving in the Senate.&nbsp; While he rarely challenged white Republicans, Bruce did speak out often in support of the&nbsp;Freedman's Bureau and its attempts to ameliorate the economic exploitation of sharecroppers. Despite the end of Reconstruction, the 1880s and 1890s still saw some cooperation between white Republican leaders and African Americans. In the North and West, as well as pockets of the South where African Americans had not been completely disfranchised by the threat of white vigilantes and white supremacist&nbsp;state legislatures, African Americans turned&nbsp;out in each election and cast nearly all of their votes for the Republican Party. In recognition of Black support, white politicians often reserved a few appointments for Black leaders like B. K. Bruce. In return, political appointees such as Bruce were expected to labor on behalf of the Republican Party, get Black voters to turn out to the polls, and accept political compromises rather than advocate fully for equal rights.&nbsp;For this reason, Bruce found himself isolated from both the Black community and white leaders of the Republican Party. At the same time, he was appointed by Presidents James Garfield and William McKinley as the Register of the Treasury. Bruce was serving as Register of the Treasury in 1898 when he passed away. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

This historic property in the Mount Vernon neighborhood was the home of Blanche K. Bruce while he represented Mississippi as a Senator from 1875 to 1881. Bruce was born in slavery, likely the son of his own master, and escaped the South to become a teacher in Lawrence at the end of the Civil War. He returned to the South and quickly became an influential member of the uneasy biracial coalition between white and Black voters. He became the first African American to fill a complete term in the Senate and remained in Washington where he later served as Registrar of the Treasury within the James Garfield and William McKinley administrations. 

Blanche Bruce married Josephine Beall Wilson, the first African American schoolteacher in Cleveland. Together, they were leading figures among the elite African American community of Washington. At the same time, their ability to remain in politics after the end of Reconstruction depended on their ability to accommodate white leaders of the Republican Party whose commitment to racial egalitarianism was tenuous at best. While the Bruces both worked to promote reforms that would benefit African Americans throughout the nation, the end of Reconstruction led to disfranchisement of African Americans in the South. Without a political base that could win elections on their own, African American political leaders were forced to help white officeholders in the Republican Party in return for the chance that they might be rewarded with political appointments-a circumstances that led Bruce and many other Black leaders to accept many compromises and occasionally accommodate white leaders rather than challenge them to do more for the welfare of nine million African American citizens. At the same time, Black community leaders were often able to secure a measure of patronage that often led to employment for a small number of African Americans within the government. Black leaders working within the Republican Party were also able to secure support for important measures and occasional victories in the long struggle for civil rights between the late 19th and early 20th century that served as harbingers for more substantive measure in the decades to come. 

African American History in Washington DC: Tour of the Shaw and LeDroit Park Neighborhoods

George M. Barker Company Warehouse

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information