U Street Corridor
Known as 'The Black Mecca', these contiguous communities are known as one of America's most historic Black locations. This area boasts more historic churches, homes, venues, events, and personalities per capita than any Black community in the Nation.
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Did You Know?
Pearl Bailey
Pearl Bailey was raised in DC and got her start on U Street. She coined the phrase “America’s Black Broadway†for the area. She returned to DC in her late 60’s and earned a BA in theology from Georgetown University.
A GRAMMY and Tony Award winner she was appointed special ambassador to the UN by President Ford and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Reagan.
Did You Know?
Benjamin Banneker
While Pierre Charles L’Enfant was hired to design Washington by President George Washington, he destroyed his plans, and it was Benjamin Banneker, whose mother was enslaved, who is responsible for recreating his plans.
Our nation’s capital would not be the same if it wasn’t for Thomas Jefferson who recommended that Banneker be hired because of his friendship with L’Enfant.
