Engine Company No. 4: DC’s First All-Black Firehouse
Gordon Parks photographed Engine Company No. 4 in 1943: men trusted to run into a fire, and made to eat off separate plates.
Shaw
Shaw was the center of Black Washington for generations, home to the Howard Theatre, the jazz clubs of U Street, and a vibrant community that endured both remarkable prosperity and devastating loss following the 1968 riots.
When Did the Howard Theatre Open?
The Apollo in New York, the Pearl in Philadelphia, the Uptown in Baltimore, and the Howard Theatre in Washington were the preeminent African-American venues for stars like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and the big bands of the 1930s to rock and roll and the Motown sound.
Remembering the Republic Theatre at 13th and U St.
Take a look back at the Republic Theatre on the north side of the 1300 block of U St. Opened in 1921, it was unfortunately demolished in 1976 to make way for the new Metro. See a photo of the theater from 1945-46!
GoDCers, Check Out This Photo from 1942 Showing Two Buildings on 11th St.
GoDCers, check out this amazing photo taken in August of 1942 showing two buildings on 11th St. NW, DC. You can still visit the store on the right today and compare the photos to see how the city has changed over the years!
The Dunbar Hotel at 15th and U: Black Washington’s Premier Address
The Dunbar Hotel at the corner of 15th and U Streets NW was Washington’s premier Black-owned hotel from 1945 to 1974, where Duke Ellington stayed when he came home to play. Before that it was the Portner Flats, a brewer’s luxury apartment house built in 1902.
Exploring U Street in 1960: A Photo Courtesy of the Smithsonian
Take a step back in time with this incredible photo of U Street in Washington, DC in 1960
25 Years Later: A Look at an Old Real Estate Ad From 1988
Take a look back in time to an old classified advertisement from The Washington Post from exactly 25 years ago. See what homes were available and the interest rates that were charged in 1988.
Truxton Circle: DC’s Lost Traffic Circle and Its Naval Hero
Truxton Circle lost its namesake traffic roundabout in 1947, but the story of how it got that name reaches back to the founding of the U.S. Navy and Commodore Thomas Truxtun, one of the most celebrated officers of the early republic.
Check Out These Historic Rows Houses in Blagden Alley
Check out these historic row houses in Blagden Alley from 1923. See the other photo posted earlier this week to get an even better look at this historic site.