Thursday January 29, 2009
Civil Rights Sites
The struggle for civil rights in America has played out in Congress, in the U.S. Supreme Court and in the White House. There are other sites in and around Washington, D.C. that commemorate the efforts of those who worked to ensure that all Americans have equal rights.
| African American Civil War Memorial and Museum (202) 667-2667 1200 U Street, NW, Washiongton, DC 20009 10am-5pm weekdays; 10am-2pm Saturday No admission charged; groups of more than five should call ahead |
|
 |
The "only memorial in the country dedicated to the Colored Troops in the Civil War." The museum contains photographs, newspaper articles, replicas of period clothing, uniforms and weaponry to help understand the role of African Americans throughout the Civil War. |
Alexandria Freedmen’s Cemetery 1000 block of South Washington Street, Alexandria (703) 838-4356 Alexandria Black History Museum |
|
| This cemetery was abandoned by the federal government in 1869 after almost five years of use. It was rediscovered within the last decade through newspaper sources and burial records. Archaeologists have identified that destitute African American “contraband,” or freedmen were buried here by the military authority during the Civil War. Plans are now underway to protect the cemetery as well as construct a memorial part. The Alexandria Black History Museum is coordinating the project. | |
Anacostia Community Museum (Smithsonian) 10am-5pm daily; closed December 25 No admission charged |
|
| This Smithsonian museum, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, is dedicated to African American history and culture. Everyday objects are featured to provide perspective in history and culture. For example, one exhibit includes a handwritten loan agreement dated 1833; the loan, for $155, secured the freedom of a young enslaved woman. | |
Arlington National Cemetery 8am-7pm April 1-September 30; 8am-5pm October 1-March 31 |
|
 |
One section at Arlington National Cemetery features the graves of "Colored Troops." |
| Black Fashion Museum (202) 667-0744 2007 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC |
|
 |
Located off U Street (known as Washington's "Black Broadway" between the 1920s and the 1950s), this museum is an annex to the Harlem Institute of Fashion in New York. It is a repository for antique and recent garments designed, made and worn by African Americans. |
| Ebenezer United Methodist Church 400 D Street, SE, Washington, DC |
|
| The Ebenezer United Methodist Church is Capitol Hill's oldest independent black congregation. It was founded in 1827. The current church was completed in 1897. This church sponsored the first public school for Washington African Americans, and the school's archives are housed at the church. | |
| Emancipation Statue at Lincoln Park East Capitol and 11th Street, NW, Washington, DC No admission charged |
|
 |
Dedicated in 1876, the statue was paid for solely with funds donated by freed slaves. It is located in Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill. Lincoln Park was the first site to bear the name of the martyred President. The statue was unveiled on April 14, 1876, the 11th anniversary of Lincoln's assassination. It depicts Lincoln holding the Emancipation Proclamation before a kneeling black man, who is modeled after Archer Alexander, the last person captured under the Fugitive Slave Act. |
Frederick Douglass Museum and Hall of Fame for Caring Americans (202) 547-4273 Open by appointment only |
|
| Frederick Douglass was the leading black statesman of his time and spent the last 25 years of his life in Washington, DC. He was a newspaper editor in New York and continued that profession when he moved to the nation’s capital. His home is now a museum and serves as the Hall of Fame for Caring Americans. | |
| Freedom Plaza Corner of 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC No admission charged |
|
 |
On January 15, 1988, a time capsule containing objects belonging to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was buried here. It will be opened on January 15, 2008, twenty years after the burial. Objects include Dr. King's robe, his Bible and other memorabilia. |
| Lincoln Memorial (202) 426-6841 West End, National Mall, Washington, DC Open 24 hours a day, year-round; rangers available 9:30am-11:30pm No admission charged |
|
 |
A solemn remembrance of the legacy of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, this is a must for Civil War buffs. It is located at the west end of the National Mall, and resembles a Greek Doric temple. Its 36 columns represent the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. It has been the site of many historic gatherings and speeches, including 1963's "I Have A Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. An exhibit in the basement of the memorial highlights civil rights efforts. |
| Mary McLeod Bethune Council House (202) 673-2402 1318 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday; closed Sundays, January 1, Thanksgiving, December 25 |
|
 |
The home of Bethune, a tireless educator who was the 15th of 17 children of former slaves, is a National Historic Site. An advisor and close friend of President Franklin and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, she was the only woman present at the founding of the United Nations. She was dedicated to educating all about the accomplishments and needs of African Americans. |
Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial at Lincoln Park 5am-12midnight daily |
|
 |
This is the first memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor a black American. The 17-foot-high bronze statue depicts Bethune handing off her legacy to two children, who represent the next generation of African Americans. |
Metropolitan AME Church |
|
| The red-brick Gothic-style church, built in 1886, is the oldest continuously black-owned property in downtown Washington, DC. Notable parshioners have included Frederick Douglass and educator Francis Cardoza. | |
National Air and Space Museum on the Mall (Smithsonian) 6th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC |
|
 |
Among the permanent exhibits at the Air and Space Museum is "Black Wings: The American Black I Aviation" that honors African Americans in aviation. It also has the in-flight suit of astronaut Guion "Guy" Bluford, the first African American in space. Bluford flew on four space shuttle flights between 1983 and 1992 and was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1997. |
| National Archives (202) 357-5000 Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, DC 10am-5:30pm Day after Labor Day (September)-March 14 10am-7pm March 15-Labor Day (September) |
|
 |
Millions of documents are created in the course of government business, but less than three percent are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept forever. It is in the National Archives that you will find some of those documents, including the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution, which are in display in the Exhibit Hall. You can also make arrangements to visit the Research Room to conduct your own research in the textual and microfilm records kept at the National Archives. You can view what documents are available here. The Archives were collected starting in 1926. While no tickets are needed, the lines form early during spring and summer months. |
U.S. Capitol Due to the Inauguration Swearing-In Ceremony scheduled for January 20, 2009, no Capitol tours will be conducted from Saturday, January 17, through Tuesday, January 20, 2009. Capitol Hill, Washington, DC |
|
 |
Construction of the Capitol began in 1793 using mostly skilled and unskilled African American men and women. After completion of the building, many of those workers became domestic servants and professional staff. Philip Reid, who was enslaved, was responsible for the final casting, transportation and assembly of Freedom, the statue by white sculptor Thomas Crawford that tops the dome of the building. The first three African Americans to serve in Congress arrived in 1869 following the Civil War. Hiram Revels was elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi; Joseph Rainey was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina; and Jefferson Long was elected to the House from Georgia. I am happy to provide Idahoans who come to our nation's Capitol with a tour of the building. Staff members are available by reservation for tours starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. The last tour begins at 2:30 p.m. Please make arrangements at least seven days in advance of your visit. The U.S. Capitol Guide Service also offers tours. You must pick up free timed tickets (one per person present) at a kiosk located in the southwest corner of the Capitol Grounds, at 1st and Independence, SW, across from the U.S. Botanic Gardens. Tickets are handed out daily and cannot be reserved. Tours operate Monday through Saturday. |
U.S.
Supreme Court 1 First Street, NE, Washington, DC |
|
 |
It was in this building that a number of legal precedents have been set regarding cicil rights in the United States, decisions in Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857), Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), and Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Thurgood Marshall was the first African American appointed to the Supreme Court and served as an Associate Justice from 1967 until 1991. Clarence Thomas, the second African American appointed to the Court, has served since 1991. The cornerstone was laid in 1932, with the building completed in 1935. It was the first time in our country’s history that the nation’s highest court had its own building, and worth noting that it was done for less than what Congress funded and money was returned to the Treasury. The court is in session October through April. Courtroom seats are available on a first come first served basis (every hour on the half-hour). |
| The
White House 7:30-11:30am Tuesday-Saturday; closed Sundays and Mondays 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC Special restrictions apply regarding a White House tour visit; contact my office about reservations, which can be made up to six months in advance. |
|
|
Every President since John Adams has lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, one of the most famous addresses in the world. It is also the only private residence of a head of state that is open to the public. President George Washington oversaw construction of the building, but never lived in it. The White House survived a fire set by British troops in 1814 and another fire in the West Wing in 1929. There are 132 rooms, 35 bathroom and six levels, with 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, eight staircases and three elevators. While it’s now known as The White House (officially given by Theodore Roosevelt in 1901), it has also been known as the President’s Palace, the President’s House, and the Executive Mansion. Self-guided tours include the East Room and the Blue Room. A visit to the White House Visitors Center, located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets, is also a great stop and will greatly enhance your tour experience. |
