Strivers' Section Historic District
Encyclopedia
The Strivers' Section is a historic district
located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Northwest Washington, D.C.
Strivers' Section was historically an enclave of upper-middle-class African American
s, often community leaders, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It takes its name from a turn-of-the-century writer who described the district as "the Striver's section, a community of Negro
aristocracy." The name echoes that of Strivers' Row
in Harlem
, a New York City
historic neighborhood of black professionals.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, the Strivers' Section Historic District is roughly bounded by Swann Street on the south, Florida Avenue
on the north and west, the 16th Street Historic District
on the east, and 19th Street on the west.
.
Today, the Strivers' Section is still largely occupied by the Edwardian residences that have populated the area since its initial development, along with some apartment and condominium buildings, and a few small businesses. The area includes some 430 buildings constructed between 1875 and 1946 that are contributing properties
to the historic district. It is the home of the national headquarters (1930 17th Street, NW) of Jack and Jill of America
, which seeks to help children, especially African American children, obtain cultural opportunities, develop leadership skills, and form social networks.
Among its most notable residents was Frederick Douglass
, runaway slave, abolitionist
, orator, writer, and civil servant. Douglass built the southern three buildings of a five-house, Second Empire-style row located at 2000–2008 17th Street in 1875–76. Douglass' son inherited the houses and lived at 2002 17th Street from 1877 until his death in 1908.
Other notable residents have included:
Prominent figures who lived within a few blocks of the historic district boundaries include:
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Northwest Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Strivers' Section was historically an enclave of upper-middle-class African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s, often community leaders, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It takes its name from a turn-of-the-century writer who described the district as "the Striver's section, a community of Negro
Negro
The word Negro is used in the English-speaking world to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance, whether of African descent or not...
aristocracy." The name echoes that of Strivers' Row
Strivers' Row
Strivers' Row is three rows of townhouses in western Harlem, in the New York City borough of Manhattan on West 138th and West 139th between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Originally called the "King Model Houses" after developer David King, they were designed...
in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
historic neighborhood of black professionals.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, the Strivers' Section Historic District is roughly bounded by Swann Street on the south, Florida Avenue
Florida Avenue (Washington, D.C.)
Florida Avenue is a major street in Washington, D.C. It was originally named Boundary Street, because it formed the northern boundary of Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the Federal City...
on the north and west, the 16th Street Historic District
16th Street Northwest (Washington, D.C.)
16th Street Northwest is a prominent north-south thoroughfare in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C.Part of Pierre L'Enfant's design for the city, 16th Street begins just north of the White House across Lafayette Park at H Street and continues due north in a straight line passing K Street,...
on the east, and 19th Street on the west.
History
The area was envisioned as part of the capital city by Pierre Charles L’Enfant's 1791 plan; by 1852, plans were drawn up for 11 squares subdivided by streets. But the rural landscape remained largely uninhabited until the latter half of the century. Development began in the 1870s, encouraged by a north-south streetcar line along nearby 14th Street, and accelerated from about 1890 to 1910. Early residents including working-class people and professionals, African Americans, and whites. But the area became most strongly identified with the African American elites who were attracted by public transit and the nearby Howard UniversityHoward University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
.
Today, the Strivers' Section is still largely occupied by the Edwardian residences that have populated the area since its initial development, along with some apartment and condominium buildings, and a few small businesses. The area includes some 430 buildings constructed between 1875 and 1946 that are contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
to the historic district. It is the home of the national headquarters (1930 17th Street, NW) of Jack and Jill of America
Jack and Jill (organization)
Jack and Jill of America is an African American organization formed during the Great Depression. It was formed in 1938 by African American mothers with the idea of bringing together children in a social and cultural environment. Since then, it has evolved into one of the most well known women's...
, which seeks to help children, especially African American children, obtain cultural opportunities, develop leadership skills, and form social networks.
Notable residents
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
, runaway slave, abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
, orator, writer, and civil servant. Douglass built the southern three buildings of a five-house, Second Empire-style row located at 2000–2008 17th Street in 1875–76. Douglass' son inherited the houses and lived at 2002 17th Street from 1877 until his death in 1908.
Other notable residents have included:
- Calvin Brent, the late-19th-century architect lived on V Street.
- James C. Dacy, editor, realtor and D.C. Recorder of Deeds in 1904-10, also lived in the area.
- James E. Storum, the educator and entrepreneur who founded the Capital Savings Bank, the first African American-owned banking institution in the nation's capital, lived at 2004 17th Street.
Prominent figures who lived within a few blocks of the historic district boundaries include:
- Langston HughesLangston HughesJames Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance...
(1902–1967), Harlem RenaissanceHarlem RenaissanceThe Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the "New Negro Movement", named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke...
poet, novelist, essayist, and playwright, lived at 1749 S Street, NW. - Charles Hamilton HoustonCharles Hamilton HoustonCharles Hamilton Houston was an African American lawyer, Dean of Howard University Law School and NAACP Litigation Director who played a significant role in dismantling the Jim Crow laws and trained future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.Houston was born in Washington, D.C. His father...
(1895–1950), dean of Howard University's Law School, lived at 1744 S Street, NW. - Georgia Douglas JohnsonGeorgia Douglas JohnsonGeorgia Blanche Douglas Camp Johnson better known as Georgia Douglas Johnson was an American poet and a member of the Harlem Renaissance.-Early life and education:...
(1880–1966), author and poet of the Harlem Renaissance, lived at 1461 S Street, NW.
See also
- African American neighborhoodAfrican American neighborhoodAfrican-American neighborhoods or black neighborhoods are types of ethnic enclaves found in many cities in the United States. Generally, an African American neighborhood is one where the majority of the people who live there are African American. Some of the earliest African American...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in the District of Columbia