Shaw in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Dunbar Theater / Southern Aid Society
1901-1903 Seventh Street, NW
— African American Heritage Trail, Washington DC —
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
1. Dunbar Theater/Southern Aid Society Marker
Inscription.
Dunbar Theater, also, Southern Aid Society. 1901-1903 Seventh Street, NW. The Southern Aid Society, one of the nation's oldest black insurance companies, opened this building as its headquarters in 1921. At the street level it housed the Dunbar Theatre, a popular movie house owned by the Murray family. Offices occupied the second floor, and apartments the third. The building's architect, Isaiah T. Hatton, graduated from M Street High School in 1905, then studied steam engineering and worked as a draftsman in the office of architect William Sidney Pittman. Hatton also designed the Whitelaw Hotel (1839 13th Street, NW), the Industrial Savings Bank (12th and U streets), the Murray Palace Casino (918 U Street), and a number of churches and private residences.
The Southern Aid Society, one of the nation's oldest black insurance companies, opened this building as its headquarters in 1921. At the street level it housed the Dunbar Theatre, a popular movie house owned by the Murray family. Offices occupied the second floor, and apartments the third. The building's architect, Isaiah T. Hatton, graduated from M Street High School in 1905, then studied steam engineering and worked as a draftsman in the office of architect William Sidney Pittman. Hatton also designed the Whitelaw Hotel (1839 13th Street, NW), the Industrial Savings Bank (12th and U streets), the Murray Palace Casino (918 U Street), and a number of churches and private residences.
Location. 38° 54.944′ N, 77° 1.31′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Shaw. Marker is at the intersection of 7th Street Northwest and T Street Northwest, on the right when traveling north on 7th Street Northwest. Touch for map. Marker
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is at or near this postal address: 1903 7th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. [Caption:] Marshall Murray, in front of his Dunbar Theatre Scurlock Studio Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
2. Dunbar Theater/Southern Aid Society Marker
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
3. 1893 - Southern Aid Society of Virginia - 1920
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
4. Dunbar Theater Sign
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
5. Dunbar Theater Marquee
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
6. Dunbar Theater/Southern Aid Society Building
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
7. Dunbar Theater/Southern Aid Society Building
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
8. Doorway
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 21, 2015
9. Southern Aid Building
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2015, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 548 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on June 27, 2015, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.