Nestled in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, does the name Strivers’ Section Historic District spark your curiosity? This area was once home to Washington D.C.’s upper-middle-class African Americans. They were often community leaders.
The name “Strivers’ Section” echoes Strivers’ Row in Harlem. A writer at the turn of the 20th century coined the term. He called it “the Striver’s section a community of Negro aristocracy.”
This historic district is bound by Swann Street. The Dupont Circle Historic District lies to the south. Florida Avenue and the Washington Heights Historic District border the north and west. The Sixteenth Street Historic District sits to the east.
Strivers’ Section Historic District features apartment buildings and rowhouses. You can find Italianate, Queen Anne, and Romanesque Revival architectural styles. Second Empire and Tudor Revival styles also dot the landscape.
Many prominent figures have called Strivers’ Section home. Frederick Douglass, Lewis Henry Douglass, and Calvin Brent are among them. Architects like George S. Cooper and Harry Wardman left their mark here. Real estate developers such as Thomas Franklin Schneider contributed too. Frank Russell White and B. Stanley Simmons also shaped the district.
The Strivers’ Section boasts around 430 contributing properties. The District of Columbia added it to its Inventory of Historic Sites in 1983. Two years later, in 1985, it gained a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Originally, Pierre Charles L’Enfant envisioned this area as part of his 1791 plan for the capital. But for decades, it remained rural. Holmead’s Burying Ground operated on the southwestern border for almost 100 years. Later, the bodies were moved to other cemeteries.
Development took off after the Civil War. The Washington and Georgetown Company’s streetcar line spurred growth. Developers saw potential near the 14th Street line. Henry A. Willard, founder of the Willard Hotel, purchased land. A street in the district bears his name.
In the early 1870s, Alexander “Boss” Shepherd improved the city’s streets. More than 150 houses sprung up between 1873 and 1875. This transformed the rural area into a residential hub. Early residents included both African Americans and whites. The area became known for its African American middle class. They were drawn to public transit and nearby Howard University.
Frederick Douglass invested in real estate here in 1877. He bought three Second Empire-style homes at 17th and U Streets. His son Lewis lived at 2002 17th Street NW for over 30 years. James E. Storum, who founded the Capital Savings Bank, lived next door.
The arrival of electric streetcar service in 1893 fueled further construction. The Old Engine Company No. 9 and Queen Anne-style houses rose. The neighborhood became a mix of African American and white middle-class residents. However, they tended to live on separate streets.
The early 1900s saw larger residential buildings catering to the middle class. James C. Dancy, the city’s Recorder of Deeds, lived here. Howard University’s Joseph Lealand Johnson also resided in Strivers’ Section. Architect Calvin Brent, known for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, designed homes here too.
Apartment buildings also appeared. The Saint Clair, The Wilton, and The Livingston offered diverse housing options. Large apartment buildings like The Albemarle and The Vernon became prominent.
By the 1920s, U Street thrived with African American businesses. Strivers’ Section shifted from mixed-race to mostly African American. The name “Strivers’ Section” originally had a negative connotation. It described African Americans buying homes from whites. But it was reclaimed as a positive term.
Today, the Strivers’ Section Historic District stands as a testament to perseverance. It reflects a rich cultural heritage. It reminds us of a community that strived for progress.