Uncovering Georgetown’s Black History

African Americans have lived, worked, and worshipped in Georgetown since its founding – making up 30% to 40% of the residential population at one time. Discriminatory public housing policies such as The Alley Dwelling Elimination Act and The Old Georgetown Act, as well as gentrification, largely pushed out much of the community from the 1930s to 1950s, but their history remains.

Follow Cultural Tourism DC’s African American Heritage Trail to see points of interest, including a stop on the Underground Railroad (above), a 15-block area that was a home for families migrating to DC after the Civil War, and the Rose Park tennis courts – dedicated to the star Peters sisters. The Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project & Tour website is another great repository of information.

For a lesser-known story, join Dumbarton House (virtually) on Feb. 24 from 7 pm – 8 pm and learn about Grace Duckett. Enslaved by the Whitall and Rittenhouse families, Dumbarton House residents in the mid-1800s, Grace was manumitted in 1862, and is buried in the Female Union Band Society Cemetery adjacent to Dumbarton House.

For those interested in the arts, Georgetown Neighborhood Library is inviting community members to share a favorite poem as part of its February celebration of Black poetry. Submit a video or audio file of yourself reading the poem by Feb. 15 to be included in the project.