U Street Corridor in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Riots to Renaissance
City Within a City
— Greater U Street Heritage Trail —
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 20, 2022
The corner of 14th and U Streets has been a city crossroads, a neighborhood gathering place, and a stage set for events that have shaken the city and the nation.
For city residents, it was the transfer place for crosstown streetcars and buses. For the African American community, it was the heart of a business and professional downtown.
It has also been the fault line in the struggle for equal rights for black Americans in the 20th century. Some of the nation's first picket lines walked this corner in the 1930s when the New Negro Alliance protested discrimination in hiring by local businesses. Among the protesters was Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of the National Council of Negro Women, educator, and advisor to four U.S. presidents. The 1938 United States Supreme Court decision that followed affirmed the constitutional rights that supported the sit-ins of the modern civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
In April 1968, this corner was the flashpoint for the riots that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The violent protest destroyed businesses along 14th Street, 7th Street, and in other parts of the city. In 1986, the Frank G. Reeves Municipal Center rose where the riots had begun, and became both a symbol and a sparkplug for a neighborhood renaissance. New restaurants, shops, and nightclubs, a new subway stop, and the restoration of historic buildings followed, and U Street is once again becoming a lively urban community.
Erected by Cultural Tourism DC. (Marker Number 14.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Disasters • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Greater U Street Heritage Trail, and the Mary McLeod Bethune series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1968.
Location. 38° 55.032′ N, 77° 1.94′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in U Street Corridor. Marker is at the intersection of U Street Northwest and 14th Street Northwest, on the right when traveling west on U Street Northwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2000 14th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20009, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dedicated in Honor of Claven Wood (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); "Wade in the Water" (about 300 feet away); "Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho" (about 300 feet away); "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" (about 300 feet away); "No More Auction Block For Me" (about 400 feet away); "Old Man River"
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 20, 2022
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 20, 2022
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 8, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 227 times since then and 24 times this year. Last updated on March 7, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 20, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
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