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Before Harlem, There
Was U Street
Explore the neighborhood that was shared by African American intellectuals, business leaders, and families of all economic levels. The businesses they owned and the houses they lived in are featured on this walk. U Street was dubbed “Black Broadway” for the numerous movie theaters, nightclubs and ballrooms frequented by jazz musicians like Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Jelly Roll Morton, and the Duke himself. You’ll see a theater and club where these performances took place. The first full service YMCA for African Americans; one of the few hotels that welcomed a black clientele; and the first memorial to African American soldiers who fought in the U.S. Civil War are also part of the walk route. Homes occupied by the Ellington family as Duke grew up are also included, along with the corner where rioting started that extinguished the heyday of the area--but only temporarily. U Street has rebounded to become a must-see corridor for out-of-town visitors and locals alike.(Sponsored by Washington Walks and Cultural Tourism DC)
