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62-568: The Memorial is at the corner of Vermont Avenue, 10th Street, and U Street NW in Washington, D.C. It holds a 9-foot bronze statue, The Spirit of Freedom , by Ed Hamilton of Louisville, Kentucky , commissioned by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1993 and completed in 1997. The memorial includes a walking area with curved panel short walls inscribed with the names of the men who served in

124-474: A "danger point." In June 1967, the national unemployment rate was 4% for white Americans and 8.4% for non-white Americans. In D.C., non-white unemployment was over 30% for much of the 1960s, many times higher than national rates. On the evening of Thursday, April 4, as word of King's assassination in Memphis, Tennessee spread, crowds began to gather at the intersection of 14th and U Streets. Stokely Carmichael ,

186-593: A black regiment during the war. Additionally many earned a brevet promotion which was a warrant giving a commissioned officer a higher rank title as a reward for gallantry or meritorious conduct, but without conferring the authority, precedence, or pay of real rank. U Street (Washington, D.C.) The U Street Corridor or Greater U Street , sometimes known as Cardozo/Shaw , is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C. , located in Northwest D.C. Centered along U Street,

248-569: A feedback loop of low property taxes and low funding for public schools in D.C., with many white parents sending children to private schools. Two-thirds of D.C.'s population was black, while 92% of public school children were black. Striking statistics such as one out of three ninth grade public school students ending up graduating gave way to rising frustration from the black majority towards the white-dominated government and only gave way to louder and louder calls for their demands to be met. The federal government granted $ 5.5 million under Title 1 of

310-513: A large enough force could be brought together. They then used tear gas instead of bullets to disrupt the rioting. On Friday, April 5, President Johnson invoked the Insurrection Act of 1807 and dispatched 11,850 federal troops along with 1,750 D.C. Army National Guardsmen to assist the overwhelmed D.C. police force. Marines mounted machine guns on the steps of the Capitol and Army soldiers from

372-485: A local project in a D.C. neighborhood. As part of their returning to the community, participants would be required to return 50% of the cash value of the bonuses they received through the program. Fauntroy estimated an increase of $ 500 million in revenue for the city government. The property loss caused by the riots was extensive and included damage to 1,199 buildings, including 283 residential and 1,590 commercial units. Losses to at least partially insured properties in

434-538: A new facility, with a weekend of speakers and events devoted to racial reconciliation. It planned four years of activities to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the war and African-American contributions. The museum opened in January 1999 in a building two blocks west of the memorial in the historic U Street Corridor , a neighborhood traditionally the heart of African-American entertainment and theater in Washington. The museum enables visitors, researchers, and descendants of

496-552: A popular one for African Americans to settle. After the war, horse-drawn streetcar lines opened, running north from downtown Washington along 7th, 9th and 14th streets, making the area an easily accessible place to live. The lines were later turned into cable cars . Both blacks and whites lived here, gradually shifting to a predominantly African American population between 1900 and 1920. The area's oldest buildings are Italianate , Second Empire and Queen Anne -style row houses built rapidly by speculative developers in response to

558-499: A window was broken at the People's Drug Store at the intersection of 14th and U Streets, NW. An hour and half later, by 11 pm, window-smashing and looting spread throughout the area. Looting occurred generally where there was little police protection. The local police department could not handle the disturbance, as one officer said, "This situation is out of control, we need help it's too much for us to handle." The civil disturbance unit

620-537: Is known as the Great Migration . As a result, middle-class African American neighborhoods prospered, but the lower class was plagued by poor living conditions and fell deeper into poverty. Despite the end of legally mandated racial segregation after the 1954 decision of Brown v. Board of Education , the neighborhoods of Shaw , the Atlas District Northeast corridor, and Columbia Heights remained

682-478: The 3rd Infantry Regiment guarded the White House. The 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina and 6th Cavalry Regiment from Fort Meade, Maryland were among the principal federal forces sent to the city. At one point, on April 5, rioting reached within two blocks of the White House before rioters retreated. The occupation of Washington was the largest of any American city since

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744-604: The Black Cat , DC9, U Street Music Hall , and the Velvet Lounge musical venues are located on the corridor. U Street also hosts the annual Funk Parade , a festival and celebration of funk music, community arts, and creativity. Public art, street art or graffiti and murals can be found on almost every corner along U Street. The Corridor is served by the U Street station of the Washington Metro (subway), with service on

806-630: The Civil Rights Act of 1968 , which included the Fair Housing Act section that prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, or gender. While a bill had been in question for some time, Johnson sped up the process following the assassination of Dr. King. The Act helped desegregate D.C. and reduced the amount of blacks living in ghettos, separated from wealthier whites-only areas. Walter Fauntroy, City Council vice chairman and

868-636: The Civil War . Federal troops and National Guardsmen imposed a strict curfew, worked riot control, patrolled the streets, guarded looted stores, and provided aid to those who were displaced by the rioting. They continued to remain after the rioting had officially ceased to protect against a second riot and further damage. By Sunday, April 7, when the city was considered pacified, 13 people had been killed in fires, by police officers, or by rioters. An additional 1,097 people were injured and over 7,600 people were arrested. On April 11, 1968, Johnson signed

930-562: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act , but none of that money went to majority black schools. With 80% of the D.C. police force being white and 67% of the city being black, tension between police and the community rose along with tension between whites and blacks before 1968. Harsh police tactics, which started in the South in the 1960s to put a buffer on civil rights protests, left inner-city nationwide blacks more scared of police than ever. In

992-617: The Green Line . WMATA buses run along both U and 14th streets, and the DC Circulator Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-McPherson Square line stops at 14th and U. Capital Bikeshare and various scooter-sharing systems have stations/vehicles in the area. 38°55′1.2″N 77°1′46.5″W  /  38.917000°N 77.029583°W  / 38.917000; -77.029583 1968 Washington, D.C. riots U.S. government D.C. government Following

1054-542: The National Guard to the city on April 5, 1968, to assist the police department in quelling the unrest. Ultimately, 13 people were killed, with approximately 1,000 people injured and over 6,100 arrested. Starting in the late 19th century through the 1960s, the ready availability of jobs in the United States government attracted many people to Washington, D.C., including African American men, women, and children. This era

1116-610: The U Street Corridor did not begin to recover economically until the opening of metro (subway) stations at U Street in 1991 and Columbia Heights stations in 1999, which in turn assisted the areas' gentrification in the 2010s. A 2024 study found that destruction during the riots "caused lots to remain vacant for the next thirty years and only recently converge in terms of structure value. The city acted to preclude for-profit land owners from leaving land vacant until demand conditions improved by purchasing nearly half of all properties in damaged neighborhoods. Despite this and other steps,

1178-586: The United States Colored Troops to better understand their stories. It displays photographs, newspaper articles, and replicas of period clothing, and uniforms and weaponry of the Civil War . The African American Civil War Memorial Registry at the museum documents the family trees of more than 2,000 descendants of those men who served with the USCT. Other descendants may register. Visitors can easily search

1240-614: The assassination of Martin Luther King ;Jr. , a leading African-American civil rights activist, on April 4, 1968, Washington, D.C. , experienced a four-day period of violent civil unrest and rioting . Part of the broader riots that affected at least 110 U.S. cities, those in Washington, D.C.—along with those in Chicago and in Baltimore —were among those with the greatest numbers of participants. President Lyndon B. Johnson called in

1302-432: The "Black Broadway", the heart of African-American culture in Washington. The area declined for a period following the 1968 Washington riots , but recovered following the 1991 opening of the U Street station of the Washington Metro . Since the 2000s, the area has been subject to significant urban redevelopment and gentrification . U Street is a largely Victorian-era neighborhood, developed between 1862 and 1900,

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1364-449: The 1990s, revitalization of Adams Morgan and later Logan Circle began. More than 2,000 luxury condominiums and apartments were constructed between 1997 and 2007. As the area improved and became more attractive Washingtonians of all races and ethnicities, and of higher incomes and wealth, to live there, the ethnic mix of the neighborhood changed dramatically: in 2000 it was roughly 20% white and 60% black; while by 2010 that had reversed and

1426-443: The 2020 census. NH = non-Hispanic, NHPI = does not include Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders Census tract 44 was bounded by 14th, S, and 7th streets and Florida Av. NW, thus including the entire U Street Corridor plus four blocks east of 9th St. NW. As of 2020, it was divided into tracts 44.01 and 44.02 along U Street. This area counted a population of 5,385 in the more than double the 1990 population. The official census count

1488-522: The D.C. average of $ 77,649. The neighborhood's landmark buildings are nearly all the works of prominent early 20th century African American architects, including: Other landmarks include: U Street has long been a center of Washington's music scene , with the Lincoln Theatre (1922), Howard Theatre , Bohemian Caverns (1926), and other clubs like on 9th Street at Harrington's, and Chez Maurice Restaurants and historic jazz venues. The 9:30 Club ,

1550-584: The Sunday of that week to be Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day of mourning, and ordered that all American flags be flown at half staff. He also made the final decision to bring in the military to stop the rioting. Walter Washington made nightly appearances during the riots, and these appearances were credited by many in the city with helping dampen the violence during the time. In addition, he refused FBI director J. Edgar Hoover 's commands to shoot at rioters on

1612-567: The area included jazz musician Duke Ellington , opera singer Lillian Evanti , surgeon Charles R. Drew , and law professor Charles Hamilton Houston . In its cultural heyday – roughly consisting of the years between 1900 and the early 1960s – the U Street Corridor was known as "Black Broadway", a phrase coined by singer Pearl Bailey . Performers who played the local clubs of the era included Cab Calloway , Louis Armstrong , Miles Davis , Sarah Vaughan , Billie Holiday , and Jelly Roll Morton , among many others. During Prohibition , U Street

1674-467: The area's residents were children in 2010, sharply down from 27% in 1990. Seniors also showed a decline at 4.8% in 2010, down from 8.6% in 1990. The foreign-born population was 18% in 2011–15, up from only 2.3% in 1980. The per capita income in 2017 was est. $ 110,175 ±$ 10,961, more than double the average in D.C. ($ 50,832 ±$ 645); the Median household income was est. $ 166,071, more than$ 166,071, more than double

1736-406: The book "Black Broadway" by DC author and journalist Briana A. Thomas was published by The History Press Thomas narrates U Street's rich and unique history, from the early triumph of emancipation to the days of civil rights pioneer Mary Church Terrell and music giant Duke Ellington, through the recent struggles of gentrification. The U Street Corridor is bounded by: In addition to U Street itself,

1798-555: The cancellation of the National Cherry Blossom Festival . The riots devastated Washington's inner city economy. With the destruction or closing of businesses, thousands of jobs were lost, and insurance rates soared. Made uneasy by the violence, white flight from the city accelerated, depressing property values. Crime in the burned out neighborhoods rose sharply, further discouraging investment. On some blocks, only rubble remained for decades. Columbia Heights and

1860-412: The centers of African-American commercial life in the city. Housing in D.C. was deeply segregated. Most of the slums in the city were in the southern quarter of the city, and most of the inhabitants of these slums were black. The United States Commission on Civil Rights said in a 1962 report that housing was much harder to attain for blacks than for whites, and that the housing blacks could find within

1922-408: The city throwing rocks and, in some cases, firecrackers. These small, disorderly protests would happen multiple times before the end of 1965. There were three programs put in place after a long string of controversial arrests of black people by white police officers: In 1968, before the riots began, a popular black D.C. reverend said that relations between black residents and white cops had reached

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1984-691: The city's border was in a severely worse condition than the housing of their white counterparts. The Commission also stated that it was the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development 's (HUD) segregationist zoning plot for the city that was to blame for housing inequality. HUD also came under fire from a group called ACCESS (Action Coordinating Committee to End Segregation in Suburbs) when they protested HUD for giving federal money to buildings that restricted blacks from living in them. Ghettoization resulting from housing discrimination led into

2046-516: The city's high demand for housing with the post-Civil War growth of the federal government . Until the 1920s, when it was overtaken by Harlem , the U Street Corridor was home to the nation's largest urban African American community . The area was home to the Industrial Bank , the city's oldest African American-owned bank, and to hundreds of black-owned and black-friendly businesses, churches, theaters, gyms, and other community spaces. Natives of

2108-415: The concentrated area of looting and destruction were estimated at $ 25 million. Insurance covered only 29% of the total loss suffered by these businesses. As a result of the riot damage, an estimated 2,900 insurance policies were cancelled and 500 businesses suffered inflated insurance rates. The Board of Trade estimated a loss of $ 40 million in tourist trade during April and May including those due to

2170-424: The crowds using tear gas . In a radio address after the announcement of King's death, President Lyndon B. Johnson asked all citizens not to resort to violence. The following morning, he held a meeting at the White House with black civil rights leaders and government officials. He made a statement saying to "deny violence its victory," pleading that all citizens come together to keep King's dream alive. He declared

2232-524: The database to find ancestors and relatives registered in the Descendants Registry. A number of men have had their service and lives noted. Among the nearly 220,000 names here are some whose service and lives have been documented. Many earned a Medal of Honor , the highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who distinguished themselves by acts of valor, during their service in

2294-560: The first hours of rioting. He also acted as the Pentagon's special representative from Friday night and on. He was called upon by Mayor Washington on Friday afternoon to coordinate the National Guard, the Army, and the police. He was the leading force in a shift in the military emphasis which focused on the overwhelming use of men, the use of tear gas, and an early, strictly enforced curfew. Before

2356-430: The grounds that it would be needless slaughter and to avoid nearby harm to civilians. In 1974, Washington became the city's first elected mayor and its first black mayor, but only served one term after being overwhelmed with managing the city. Cyrus Vance was the former Deputy Secretary of Defense and special Pentagon representative in D.C. 1968 Riots. Mayor Washington acted with Vance's guidance during Thursday night,

2418-404: The intersecting 14th Street is a major retail, dining, and entertainment corridor. Retailers located on 14th near U include Room and Board , West Elm, and Lululemon . The area is often referred to as the U Street Corridor, and has been known by other names: Figures are for Census tract 44 through 2017, which was split into tracts 44.01 (north of U Street) and 44.02 (south of U street) as of

2480-421: The it was roughly 60% white and 20% black. Redevelopment continued further into the 2000s and 2010s, along with rising concerns about gentrification . Since 2013 numerous large mixed use residential buildings with retail on the ground floor have been built into the corridor. This represents a significant population increase versus the population of 4,572 registered in the 2010 census. In 2011, U Street NW

2542-540: The leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference , played a key role in the rebuilding of D.C. after the 1968 riots. When the riots first broke out, Fauntroy expressed his connection with Dr. King, stating that "There is no one in the city whose heart is more crushed and broken than [his]" after King's assassination. He challenged people to "Handle your grief the way Dr. King would have wanted it," and those who acted otherwise "do dishonor to

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2604-406: The life and mission of Dr. King." Following the riots, Fauntroy proposed a program that would allow property owners the right to build bigger and more profitable buildings, as long as they spent money on community projects such as housing, apartment renovations, or retail centers. If someone wanted to go forward with a commercial project, they would need to first make a firm commitment to undertake

2666-506: The majority of which has been designated as the Greater U Street historic district . At the time of the Civil War, the area was woods and open fields. The Union command chose this area for military encampments including Camp Barker near 13th and R streets and others in what is now the Shaw neighborhood proper. The encampments were safe havens for freed slaves fleeing the South, and thus the area became

2728-595: The militant civil and political rights activist who had parted with King in 1966 and had been removed as head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1967, led members of the SNCC to stores in the neighborhood demanding that they close out of respect. Although polite at first, the crowd fell out of control and began breaking windows. Carmichael, who supported the riots, told rioters to "go home and get your guns." The disturbances began when

2790-565: The necessary force to set right the outrages which have been made against Negroes in the United States." Rioters walking down 7th Street NW and in the Atlas District came into violent confrontations with police. Around midday, arsonists set buildings ablaze while firefighters were attacked with bottles and rocks and unable to address the fires. By 1 pm, the riot was once again in full effect. Police unsuccessfully attempted to control

2852-435: The neighborhood is one of Washington's most popular nightlife and entertainment districts , as well as one of the most significant African American heritage districts in the country. The area was largely built after the U.S. Civil War and with the arrival of the Washington streetcar system in the 1880s, the neighborhood development boomed. By 1920, the neighborhood was predominantly African-American and flourished as

2914-402: The riots, John Layton, the police chief of Washington, emphasized that if there ever was a riot in Washington, he would use a large number of policemen with no guns, rather than fewer policemen with guns. During the riots, Layton put those words into action. Rather than acting immediately to the reports of rioting, looting, and window-breakings with a smaller force, he played the waiting game until

2976-521: The war. The Museum is across the street from the Memorial, at 1925 Vermont Ave. NW. Plans are in place for it to move into the former Grimké School , at 1923 Vermont Ave. NW. As of 2018 the Museum is housed in the former gymnasium of the school, which was converted into an office building in the 1980s. Both are served by the U Street station on the Washington Metro , served by the Green Line . The memorial

3038-407: The white non-Hispanic population was 63% in 2020, 61% in 2010, 22% in 2000, 8.7% in 1990. The Asian/Pacific Islander population was 8.3%, a continued increase from 6.8% in 2010, and much higher than 1.7% in 2000 and 1.6% in 1990. The Hispanic population was 9.2% in 2020, relatively stable vs. 9.1% in 2010, but down from 17% in 2000 and 12% in 1990. The 2017 American Community Survey showed 6.8% of

3100-548: The years leading up to 1968, there were many incidents in which D.C.'s black community held protests and turned angry against white police officers. In 1965, the same time and place as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. worked with white lawmakers to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965 , two white D.C. police officers arrested a group of black boys with ages ranging from 12 to 16 for playing basketball in an alley. This prompted majority black crowds to gather around police stations around

3162-455: Was 4,572 in 2010, an 87% increase from only 2,450 in 2000, thus reversing the trend of a decreasing population from 2,951 in 1990 and 3,598 in 1980. The racial change in the tract's population has been dramatic; non-Hispanic Black residents who were once the dominant group in the area, were only 13% of the population in 2020, down from 22% in 2010, and sharply down from 58% in 2000 and 77% in 1990; corresponding to an increase in whites and Asians:

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3224-543: Was also home to many of the capital's 2,000-3,000 speakeasies , which some historians credit for helping integrate a city long divided between black and white. From 1911 to 1963, the west end of the U Street neighborhood was anchored by Griffith Stadium , home of the District's baseball team, the Washington Senators . The Lincoln Theatre opened in 1921, and Howard Theatre in 1926. Duke Ellington 's childhood home

3286-581: Was an area of drug trafficking in Washington, D.C. Following the economic downturn the area faced following the 1968 riots, the community and DC government launched numerous redevelopment efforts, such as the construction of the Reeves Center in 1986, the opening of the U Street station in 1991, and the 1998 Department of Housing and Urban Development grants funding "Remembering U Street" signage marking 15 historic properties and as façade improvements to 150 dilapidated storefronts on U and 14th streets In

3348-445: Was bounded by H Street NW in the north, F Street NW in the south, 15th Street NW in the west, and 7th Street NW in the east. The second area hit was along 7th Street NW from K to P Streets, which was where much of the fires took place and drained much police manpower. The third area hit was an over 2-mile long strip along 14th Street from downtown F Street NW to Park Rd, halfway to the border with Maryland. Another area of looting and arson

3410-626: Was designated a Great Street among Great Places in America by the American Planning Association . It is said to have been selected for in recognition of the street return to its grandeur after several decades of difficulties. Once again, the street hosts the arts, food, and businesses. The community works to embrace its historical significance for the African American community of Washington, D.C. during segregation. On January 4, 2021,

3472-619: Was developed by the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation and Museum. It was transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) on October 27, 2004. The National Mall and Memorial Parks office of the NPS now manages the site. The African American Civil War Museum is located directly across from the memorial at 1925 Vermont Avenue. From July 16–18, 2011, it celebrated its grand opening in

3534-452: Was later activated, but by the time order was restored around 3 am, 200 stores had their windows broken and 150 stores were looted, most of them emptied. Black store owners wrote "Soul Brother" on their storefronts so that rioters would spare their stores. The looting and arson spread throughout DC by April 5 with 4 major areas containing much of the violence, the first being the downtown area where many department stores were looted which

3596-494: Was located on 13th street between T and S Streets. The Green Book , a travel guide for black travelers (1933–1963) listed many sites along U Street NW by Green Book Travelers. While the area remained a cultural center for the African American community through the 1960s, the neighborhood began to decline following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on 4 April 1968. The intersection of 14th Street and U Street

3658-756: Was still evident, and was exacerbated when Carmichael addressed a rally, saying "white America has declared war on black America", there is "no alternative to retribution" and "Black people have to survive, and the only way they will survive is by getting guns". "White America killed Dr. King last night. She made a whole lot easier for a whole lot of black people today. There no longer needs to be intellectual discussions, black people know that they have to get guns. White America will live to cry that she killed Dr. King last night. It would have been better if she had killed Rap Brown and/or Stokely Carmichael, but when she killed Dr. King, she lost." "I think white America made its biggest mistake when they killed Dr. King last night... He

3720-515: Was the area across the Anacostia River in Southeast DC, where 2 deaths took place. The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department reported 1,180 fires between March 30 and April 14, 1968, as arsonists set buildings ablaze. The next morning, Mayor-Commissioner Walter Washington ordered the damage cleaned up immediately. However, at 10 am, anger and discontent

3782-405: Was the epicenter of violence, 13 deaths and damage to 1,200 homes and businesses during the 1968 Washington, D.C. riots , which rampaged for four days after King's murder. Following the riots, and the subsequent flight of affluent residents and businesses from the area, the corridor became blighted. Drug trafficking rose dramatically in the mid-1970s, when the intersection of 14th and U Streets

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3844-429: Was the one man in our race who was trying to preach mercy and forgiveness for what the white man has done." He said "Execution of this retaliation will not be in the courts but in the streets,...We're going to die on our feet-we're tired of living on our stomachs." During a Havana broadcast, he told blacks to stay away from their jobs to protest the slaying and "make the white racist Americans understand that Negroes have

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