Shaw in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Like a Village
City Within a City
— Greater U Street Heritage Trail —
Churches have deep roots in the life of this historic African American community. A number of congregations in this immediate area, including Lincoln Temple United Church of Christ on this corner and Vermont Avenue Baptist Church just one block away, date back to the Civil War. At the time, Union Soldiers at Camp Barker at 13th and R Streets and the Wisewell Barracks at 7th and P Streets offered protection and assistance for freedmen fleeing the South.
These Churches are a fraction of the religious institutions to be found everywhere in this neighborhood — in storefronts, in grand buildings with nineteenth-century towers and spires, and in modern structures. In addition to serving as places of worship, they have been and continue to be centers of community activity.
They have been filled with music, not only by church choirs, but by such internationally known artists as Leontyne Price and Roland Hayes. The ministers and members of neighborhood churches have also been in the forefront of the struggle for equal rights. Strategy meetings, lectures, and rallies have most often found a base of operations in church basements and Sunday School rooms.
The families of the neighborhood developed deep ties, sometimes for generations, with other families in these churches , and there was much visiting back and forth between congregations. These relationships were further repeated and deepened in the schools. One old-timer put this way — “It was like a village.”
Erected by Cultural Tourism DC. (Marker Number 7.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Churches & Religion. In addition, it is included in the Greater U Street Heritage Trail series list.
Location. 38° 54.765′ N, 77° 1.619′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Shaw. Marker is at the intersection of 11th Street Northwest and R Street Northwest when traveling north on 11th Street Northwest. The marker is in front of the Lincoln Temple United Church of Christ. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1701 11th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 10th Street Gateway (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); "Contraband" to Community (about 300 feet away); Benjamin Banneker Academic High School (about 500 feet away); Engine Company No. 4 (about 500 feet away); Vermont Avenue Baptist Church (about 500 feet away); Shaw Junior High School (about 500
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 4, 2021
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 742 times since then and 65 times this year. Last updated on February 11, 2020, by Bruce Guthrie of Silver Spring, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on December 22, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 2. submitted on December 4, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on December 22, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.