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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 1h

Learn more about pioneers like Charles Hamilton Houston and DC’s history of Black educational excellence by visiting our exhibit, “Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital,” open Thursday through Sunday from 12 - 6 pm.

dchistory.org/class-action/

Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital

This exhibit features old-fashioned chalkboards, a library nook, and playful vintage furniture. A family friendly exhibition that will invite you to explore how DC’s Black communities advocated…

dchistory.org

DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 1h

Though he died in 1950, before these victories were realized, Houston’s vision and legal strategy changed the course of American history—earning him the title “The Man Who Killed Jim Crow.”

His legacy lives on in the ongoing fight for equal education and justice.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 1h

Houston & NAACP lawyers fought for equal pay for Black teachers and access to graduate education for Black students, strategic victories that ultimately led to the Supreme Court’s rulings in “Brown v. Board of Education” and “Bolling v. Sharpe,” declaring school segregation unconstitutional.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 1h

A graduate of the M Street School (now Dunbar) and later Harvard Law, Houston transformed Howard University’s Law School in the 1930s into a powerhouse for civil rights advocacy. As dean, he trained a generation of attorneys, including Thurgood Marshall, to use the courts as tools for justice.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 1h

Charles Hamilton Houston: “The Man Who Killed Jim Crow”

Born and raised in Washington, DC, Charles Hamilton Houston (1895–1950) was a brilliant legal mind whose work laid the foundation for the end of segregation in America.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 15h

💛 All proceeds support the DC History Center Resilience Fund—helping preserve inclusive histories and educational programs across the District.

DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 15h

From the vibrant energy of U Street and Columbia Heights to the historic landscapes of Rock Creek Park, Georgetown, and Walter Reed, each walk reveals a new side of the city you thought you knew.

🎟️ Tickets: $35 per person | Tours last ~2 hours | Sign-up: dchistory.org/events/

dchistory.org

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 15h

📣 This Weekend: Walks That Give Back! From October 10 to 13, during Indigenous People’s Weekend take a walk through history—and give back while you do it. Join Washington Walks for a special weekend of guided tours that bring DC’s neighborhoods and stories to life. 🌆

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

The booklets are designed not only to guide walking tours but also to invite neighbors and visitors alike to see these overlooked communities with new eyes.

Let’s keep DC’s stories alive, one neighborhood at a time. ❤️

📸 Photos by Cindy Centeno

DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

The DC History Center, in partnership with the DC Public Library and the DC Public Library Foundation, set out to create resources that would bring neighborhood stories out of the archives and into the hands of residents.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

The Hillcrest x Woodridge Neighborhood History Project was born from a commitment to make local history accessible and meaningful.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

The People’s Archive of the DC Publoc library provided access to images and historical documentation. Branch library staff generously offered ideas, feedback, and community connections throughout. Local DC designer Carlos Carmonamedina transformed archival detail into engaging, navigable guides.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

Seasoned walking tour guide and expert Briana Thomas of Black Broadway Travel supported both Byers and Montague in their efforts to create the narrative and route for their tours.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

Relying on expertise rooted in the neighborhoods:
🗺️ In Hillcrest, community historian Jim Byers shaped the narrative of the “Silver Coast.”
🗺️ In Woodridge, historian Jeremiah Montague, Jr. with the Woodridge Civic Association provided essential knowledge of the community’s civic life and culture.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

Pick up your copies at:
📍 Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library (Hillcrest)
📍 Woodridge Neighborhood Library
🔗 Or dive in online. Download the Hillcrest and Woodridge booklets: dchistory.org/news-and-ins...

Discover Hillcrest and Woodridge with New Walking Tour Booklets

Explore DC’s Hillcrest and Woodridge neighborhoods with new walking tour booklets featuring local stories, maps, and community-driven history.

dchistory.org

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

Behind these pages is a collaborative process that brought together community leaders, local historians, librarians, and designers to ensure that the history of these neighborhoods is shared with both accuracy and heart.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

We’re thrilled to unveil two brand-new neighborhood history booklets: Hillcrest and Woodridge! 🏙️ The newly released booklets are more than just simple guides—they’re compact maps with striking illustrations and carefully selected stories.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 2d

Just a few spots left for the DC Archives Crawl! Go behind the stacks with us next Wednesday!

DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 7d

Celebrate #ArchivesMonth with a DC Archives Crawl! 📜✨ On October 15 from 5:15 - 7:45pm we’ll take you through two local archives where you’ll meet staff, go behind the scenes, and demystify what these spaces hold and how you can use them:
✨ The DC Archives
✨ DC History Center

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 4d

FREE | Register: dchistory.org/events/book-...

Thank you to the National Building Museum for their support of this program !

📸 Interior view of lower levels in Dunbar High School. District of Columbia Public School Records, Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives, Washington, DC.

Class Action Reads! Model Schools in the Model City

Join the DC History Center for a book talk about the history of Black public education and school architecture in the nation’s capital.

dchistory.org

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 4d

The conversation will happen in our new exhibit “Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital” which features stories of dedicated teachers, school leaders, parents, students, and activists who have worked to protect and strengthen DC’s tradition of Black educational excellence.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 4d

The conversation will be moderated by Kimberly Springle, Executive Director of the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 4d

In “Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation’s Capital,” author Amber N. Wiley explains how DC school buildings became a physical realization of Black liberation, agency, and their right to exist as citizens of the United States.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 4d

Education is essential for social equality, and Black Washingtonians recognize that for the American Dream to apply to them, their children need a quality education.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 4d

📚 “Class Actions Reads! Model Schools in the Model City” on Thursday, October 23 from 6-8pm at the DC History Center.

Join the DC History Center & Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives for a book talk about the history of Black public education and school architecture in the nation’s capital.

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DC History Center @dchistorycenter.bsky.social · 7d

🎨 Hands-On Crafts (best for ages 4-10)
Design your own yearbook page or bookmark
Create a family crest
Make a backpack button
Dive into paper collage
Enjoy themed coloring pages
Create a friendship bracelet
and more!