Columbia Heights in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Turbulence and Change
The '50s and '60s
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 20, 2017
1. Turbulence and Change Marker
Inscription.
Turbulence and Change. The '50s and '60s. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court made its historic decision in Brown vs. Board of Education to end segregation in public schools. One of the lawsuits that made up this decision involved the DC schools, and the following September, Washington opened its schools to all. The rocky process of adjusting to desegregation continued over the next years, and in many ways continues today. Civil rights struggles continued in the 1960s, just as the nation was sending its young men to fight in Vietnam. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968 provoked devastating riots along 14th Street in Columbia Heights and to a lesser extent along Mount Pleasant Street.
On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court made its historic decision in Brown vs. Board of Education to end segregation in public schools. One of the lawsuits that made up this decision involved the DC schools, and the following September, Washington opened its schools to all. The rocky process of adjusting to desegregation continued over the next years, and in many ways continues today. Civil rights struggles continued in the 1960s, just as the nation was sending its young men to fight in Vietnam. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968 provoked devastating riots along 14th Street in Columbia Heights and to a lesser extent along Mount Pleasant Street.
Erected by Cultural Tourism DC. (Marker Number 7.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Disasters • Education • War, Vietnam. In addition, it is included in the DC, Art on Call series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1954.
Location. 38° 55.723′ N, 77° 2.163′ W. Marker has been reported damaged. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Columbia Heights. Marker is on Irving Street Northwest near 15th Street Northwest, on the right when traveling
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west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4523 15th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20009, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 20, 2017
2. Text on Turbulence and Change Marker
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 22, 2021
3. Turbulence and Change Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 241 times since then and 14 times this year. Last updated on March 8, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos:1, 2. submitted on October 20, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on October 22, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
