“Shaw” it is. Ever wondered about a place that rose from freed slave encampments? Shaw in Washington D.C. is such a neighborhood.
Shaw emerged from these encampments on the rural outskirts. Back then, it was simply called “Uptown”. The city’s boundary ended at what is now Florida Avenue. That thoroughfare was once known as Boundary Street.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Shaw thrived. It became the pre-Harlem, national center of U.S. black intellectual and cultural life. President Andrew Johnson even signed Howard University’s founding charter here.
In 1925, Alain LeRoy Locke promoted “The New Negro” idea. Langston Hughes came to Shaw to listen to the “sad songs” of 7th Street. Duke Ellington, a Shaw native, rose to fame during this Harlem Renaissance period. Carter G. Woodson, the noted African American historian, also lived here.
After Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968, riots devastated Shaw. The riots marked the beginning of an era of economic decline. Electricity was cut off. Buildings burned. Crime soared.
But Shaw’s leaders stepped up. Walter Fauntroy and Watha T. Daniel initiated community renewal projects. They formed the Model Inner City Community Organization known as MICCO. MICCO used federal grants. They employed African American architects and urban planners.
Shaw features Victorian row houses that dominate the residential areas. Its architecture and central location fueled gentrification.
In the 1990s, neighborhoods around Shaw began to diversify. Areas to the north, west, and east became known by specific names. These included the U Street Corridor, Logan Circle, and Truxton Circle. The name “Shaw” remained for the 7th and 9th street corridor.
Upscale retail transformed Shaw in the 2010s. This mix of new businesses and long-time residents sometimes led to clashes. Different tastes and values emerged. Gentrification also introduced a wider range of political views.
Today, Shaw is a major entertainment and retail hub. Much of it is a designated historic district. Shaw and the U Street Corridor hold deep historical importance. They were the city’s hub for African-American social, cultural, and economic life.
Among Shaw’s cultural landmarks, the Howard Theatre stands out. Once called the “largest color theater in the World”, it continues to host artists. The Shiloh Baptist Church actively supports the community. President Barack Obama even attended Easter Sunday mass there in 2011. The Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Neighborhood Library received awards for its design. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center hosts major events.
You’ll find Little Ethiopia around 9th and U Street Northwest. Ethiopian businesses have thrived here since the 1980s. Ethiopian restaurants attract locals and tourists alike.
So, as you wander through Shaw, remember its rich history. It’s a neighborhood that has risen from ashes. Shaw is a testament to resilience and change.