The neighborhood of LeDroit Park was built as a gated, whites-only idyllic suburb of Washington DC but by the early 1900s, it was the home to the capital’s elite Black society. Where nearby U Street had the jazz singers and 7th Street Corridor had the working class, LeDroit Park had the educators, poets, and policy makers. Some names you may be familiar with – Julia Cooper, whose words are printed in the US Passport, and Mary Church Terrell, the activist, educator, and icon. Others are the wives or mothers of men whose legacies are celebrated but deserve their own story told. Local historian and guide Canden Schwantes leads you through this neighborhood, small in size but large in history, to discover the stories of the people who called LeDroit Park home.

Start: LeDroit Park Arch (Florida Avenue & 6th Street NW)

End: U Street & 5th Street NW

*Must pre-register to attend

MEMBERS: Bring a friend with your discount! Select more than one ticket at check out.