Logan Circle in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Advancing the Race
A Fitting Tribute
— Logan Circle Heritage Trail —
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 2, 2017
Across the street is St. Luke's Episcopal Church, completed in 1880 by DC's first black Episcopalian congregation. Founding pastor Alexander Crummell was a prominent African American intellectual. After 20 years as a missionary in Liberia, Crummell was appointed in 1873 to head St. Mary's a small mission church in Foggy Bottom. In 1875 his growing congregation purchased this site to construct St. Luke's and commissioned Calvin T.S. Brent to design it. Brent was the city's first African American professional architect.
Crummell's belief that progress for African Americans required intellectual leadership heavily influenced the early thinking of W.E.B. Du Bois. In 1897 Crummell co-founded the American Negro Academy to advance black unity and achievement and develop intellectual arguments against racism. Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and Howard University mathematician/sociologist Kelly Miller also helped found the ANA. Du Bois succeeded Crummell as president upon Crummell's death in 1898.
The ANA organized nearby at John Wesley Cromwell's 1439 Swann Street home. Cromwell was a lawyer and newspaper publisher whose The People's Advocate promoted racial uplift and the Republican Party of Abraham Lincoln. Cromwell clerked at the Treasury Department, then went on to serve as a teacher and principal in DC's Colored Schools, writing and lecturing on black history. Cromwell's daughter, educator Otelia Cromwell, was the first known African American to graduate from Smith College. As an adult she lived nearby on 13th Street.
The internationally acclaimed artist Alma Thomas, known for her abstract oil paintings, lived just north of here at 1530 15th Street. Thomas was the first graduate of Howard University's Art Department (1924) and earned a M.A. from Columbia University. She taught art at Shaw Junior High School for 35 years.
Erected 2012 by Cultural Tourism DC. (Marker Number 2.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Churches & Religion • Education. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the Logan Circle Heritage Trail series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1873.
Location. 38° 54.621′ N, 77° 2.063′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Logan Circle. Marker is at the intersection of Church Street Northwest and 15th Street Northwest, on the left when traveling west on Church Street Northwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1519 15th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20005, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 2, 2017
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 2, 2017
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 2, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 278 times since then and 18 times this year. Last updated on March 8, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 2, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.