51 Steps to Freedom  TM
“It isn't where you come from; it's where you're going that counts.”
— Ella Fitzgerald
AA
play-pause sound caption
start-sound
Dupont

Original tobacco slave quarters were located here starting in the 1770s when the British tall ships moved slave and tobacco from Africa and England to America. From 1840 - 1970, this area was majority Black (today Foggy Bottom is 9.6% and Dupont Circle is 6%). The community boasts of the homes of Dr. Charles Drew, Duke Ellington, Dr. Rayford Logan, Mrs. Rosa Parks' home-away-from-home as well as an underground railroad site and more.

▼
Did You Know?

Mrs. Rosa Parks

True Story ▶

Mrs. Rosa Parks, the mother of the Civil and Women’s Rights movements home-away-from home from 1994-2004 was in DC, at O Museum in the Mansion.
Did You Know?

Dovey Johnson Roundtree

True Story ▶

Dovey Johnson Roundtree was a pioneering civil rights attorney who successfully defended the accused killer of Mary Pinchot Meyer, JFK’s mistress, in a landmark case, securing his acquittal. Roundtree played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement, leading the legal battle to end racial segregation on interstate buses.
Support 51 Steps To FreedomTM
I'd like to donate to help tell the story of
Washington, DC — and America's — journey for equality and representation.

51 Steps To Freedom is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Your tax-deductible donation funds their programs. No goods or services were provided for this gift. Please consult your tax advisor regarding specific questions about your deductions.

©2021 - 2026 PIR Marketing | clear cookies
© 2026 All rights reserved. 51 Steps To FreedomTM trail concept, design, layout, route, stories, etc. belong exclusively to 51 Steps To FreedomTM.
No part of this trail or website, may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of 51 Steps To FreedomTM.