Eckington in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Alethia "Lethe" Tanner
(1781 - 1864)
Alethia Tanner, or "Lethe" as she was known, was born into slavery in 1781 on a plantation in Prince George's County, Maryland, where she lived and worked with her sisters, Laurana and Sophia, before coming to Washington in the early 1800s.
Alethia's resourcefulness and resilience as an entrepreneur enabled her to not only buy her own freedom, but to free 23 family members and friends as well. She uplifted her community despite the obstacles to Black advancement. She and her family established schools and churches in early Washington that have helped generations of African Americans to the present day.
Alethia Tanner died in 1864 after a long life in which she witnessed the creation of the nation's capital, gathered the means to help herself and others break free from slavery, and became a founding member of Black institutions that still exist today.
Erected 2020 by DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Industry & Commerce • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1781.
Location. 38° 54.701′ N, 77° 0.113′ W.
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Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Meadow (within shouting distance of this marker); The Plantation / The City (within shouting distance of this marker); Religious Organizations / Education (within shouting distance of this marker); Kolker Poultry Company (approx. 0.3 miles away); Winds of Evolution, 2022 (approx. 0.3 miles away); Untitled (Brainwash) (approx. 0.3 miles away); Provisions for the City
Other markers no longer nearby. Yoko Ono (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been permanently removed); Black Girl Ventures x Nike: Entrepreneurship is a Boxing Match (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been permanently removed).
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 23, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 264 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 23, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
