The True Reformers Building

The True Reformers Building. City Within a City. , The daily lives of residents of this historic african american community were woven together through hundreds of social and civic organizations, fraternal organizations, clubs, school alumni associations, civic associations and the like. The grand, five-story Italianate building at the southwest corner of 12th and U Streets, known as the True Reformers' Hall and later the Pythian Temple, was the setting for many of their activities. Completed in 1903, the building was among the grandest in the nation to have been designed, built, and financed by African Americans., The United Order of True Reformers, based in Richmond, Virginia, provided insurance and other benefits to its members. The organization built this building in a prominent place in the nation's capital to symbolize the achievements of African Americans. The $100,000 hall was designed by Lankford, the city's first registered African American architect, who went on to national prominence as the architect for African Methodist Episcopal churches across the country. In 1906 Lankford said of this building, "being in Washington, it stands out to the civilized world as an example of what the Negro can do and has cone with his brain, skill, and money.", Duke Ellington played one of his first paid performances with his own band here. The lofty, second-floor auditorium provided the setting for debutante balls, sorority and fraternity dances, plays, and, from 1938, basketball and other activities of the Police Boys Club #2. The First Separate Battalion, an African American reserve unit that served with distinction in World War I, drilled on the ground floor., Today it is home to the Public Welfare Foundation, which shares the original mission of the True Reformers in dedicating itself to the well-being of people and communities in need.