Exploring Historic Black Communities in the Washington D.C. area

Growing up as a Black girl in the DMV, there are areas that you often hear about as reference points to seasons of past and present Black excellence. U Street in Washington, DC has always been a reference point in the District as proof of an era where Black economic unity created a collective space for life and leisure. Growing up in the 90’s we had PG County, specifically the areas of Bowie, Mitchellville, and Upper Marlboro as modern examples of Black wealth and achievement. 

For more than a century, the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region has been home to vibrant Black communities whose streets pulsed with culture, commerce, and self-determination. Born in the shadow of slavery and segregation, these neighborhoods built their own schools, churches, businesses, and social networks—spaces where Black residents could thrive despite the barriers around them. From the jazz-soaked nights of U Street to the close-knit blocks of Hall’s Hill, these enclaves stood as symbols of resilience and pride. But the same forces that shaped them—migration, politics, and economic change—also chipped away at their foundations. Today, some remain intact, others survive only in memory, yet all carry legacies that continue to shape the DMV’s identity.

1. U Street Corridor (Washington, D.C.)

• Origins & Peak
  Developed after the Civil War, U Street became a magnet for freed people and prospered with streetcar access by the early 20th century. Known as “Black Broadway,” this cultural hub thrived from the 1900s to the early 1960s, packed with Black-owned businesses, theaters, banks like Industrial Bank, and nightlife that hosted legends such as Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Cab Calloway.
  
• Decline
  The 1968 riot following Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination devastated the neighborhood—multiple deaths, burned buildings, and shuttered businesses. Recovery was slow and marked by neglect.
  
• Today
  Gentrification reshaped the area by the 2000s. Once majority-Black, the corridor flipped—by 2010, it was about 60% white and 20% Black. Today, it’s a bustling mix of historic landmarks, such as Ben’s Chili Bowl, Lee’s Flower Shop, and the Lincoln Theater,  nightlife, and new development, have overtaken the area, though efforts continue to preserve its legacy.
  

2. Fairmount Heights, Maryland

• Founded in the early 20th century as one of the first planned Black communities in the D.C. area, Fairmount Heights was built between 1900 and 1960.
  
• It included key institutions: a town hall (1908), the first public school for African Americans (1912), multiple churches, and a community center. These served as hubs for political organization and education during segregation.
  
• Today, the area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, helping protect its architectural and cultural heritage.
  

3. Hall’s Hill / High View Park (Arlington, Virginia)

• In the wake of the Civil War, freed people bought land by former slaveholder Bazil Hall. The area grew alongside the Washington & Old Dominion railroad, becoming a refuge for Black families during Jim Crow segregation.
  
• A wall was even built in the 1930s to keep the Black neighborhood separated from whites.
  
• Today, as Arlington evolved, Hall’s Hill endured gentrification—historical structures gave way to larger and pricier homes, altering the demographic makeup. However, commemorative markers and historic designations preserve its story.
  

4. Freedman’s Village (Arlington, Virginia)

• Established in 1863 on grounds that once belonged to Robert E. Lee’s plantation, Freedman’s Village was a self-contained community for newly freed people: homes, a school, chapel, hospital, and social institutions.
  
• The community grew into a hub of Black political power through Reconstruction, with 170 households, churches, and businesses by 1888.
  
• But by the late 19th century, rising pressure from white developers and declining federal support led to its closure by 1900. Residents dispersed to other Black enclaves like Green Valley and Hall’s Hill, carrying with them civic and cultural institutions.
  
• Today, the site lies within Arlington National Cemetery, acknowledged only through street names, plaques, and a commemorative bridge.
  

5. Barry Farm (Southeast D.C.)

• Created after the Civil War in 1867 by the Freedmen’s Bureau, Barry Farm housed formerly enslaved people in a planned community.
  
• Over the decades, it developed tightly knit social bonds and institutions—but by 2019, urban demolition displaced long-time residents.
  
• Yet, even as the housing complex was torn down, the Goodman League basketball courts remain a lifeline. Since 1977 (and revived in 1996), these courts continue to draw players and community members from the DMV—even seeing rising talents like Kevin Durant—making them a living legacy.
  

6. Lakeland (College Park, Maryland)

• Another early-20th century Black community, Lakeland was largely wiped out in the 1970s by urban renewal. Two-thirds of its homes were lost, replaced by student housing and townhomes few former residents could return to.
  
• Recently, residents have petitioned Prince George’s County to designate remaining homes as historic—an effort to protect what’s left of their community’s heritage.
  

The stories of U Street, Fairmount Heights, Hall’s Hill, Freedman’s Village, Barry Farm, and Lakeland reveal a cycle of creation, prosperity, displacement, and resilience that characterize the Black experience in the DMV. Today, institutions like the Goodman League and historic preservation efforts signal that the roots run deep, and that even in the face of erasure, communities resist.