These highlighted sites are among those researched for DC’s first Asian American Historical Context Statement, a project produced by the 1882 Foundation for the DC Historic Preservation Office and the DC Preservation League through funding from the National Park Service’s Underrepresented Communities Grant Fund. These sites provide only a small glimpse into the range of places where Asian Americans have lived, gathered, and built community in the city for more than a century—against the…

16th Street NW passes near many of Washington, D.C.’s National Historic Landmarks (NHLs). This tour encompasses the route of presidents, protestors, diplomats, and local Washingtonians, as it stretches from Lafayette Square and the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park. Consider how these sites connect to the story of America, and what nationally-significant sites along the way may be missing. This tour can be completed by walking, public transport, or car. It…

This tour explores the rich history of M Street High School, a historic landmark at 128 M Street NW, and how this leading school’s administration, faculty and students shaped DC. M Street High School, which operated between 1891 and 1916, before relocating to the newly constructed Dunbar High School, served as a crucible of knowledge and inspiration for influential figures in African American and American history. On this journey through DC, explore connections to the school's trailblazers:…

With 8,000 contributing buildings, the Capitol Hill Historic District is the largest of DC's historic districts. In fact, it includes 2x as many historic properties as the next largest historic district, Georgetown. The historic district — stretching from the US Capitol Building on the west to Lincoln Park on the east, and from Union Station on the north to Navy Yard on the south — was established in 1973 and has been expanded three times: in 1976, 2003, and 2015. Just northeast of the historic…

Recognized for years as “Chocolate City,” and standing as the first major city in America to hold a majority Black population, the District of Columbia contains a wealth of African American history and culture. From its early days as a slave-trading capital to its transition during the Civil War into a refuge for the formerly enslaved, Washington, D.C. has played a significant role in the African American freedom struggle. As the seat of the federal government, the District has witnessed the…