Washington DC - U Street /Shaw

U Street /Shaw was the first great social gathering place for African American life and culture after the Civil War. An encampment in the area sheltered freedom seekers in the 1860s and the mission churches they founded live on today. Howard University just north of this neighborhood began to attract the nation's black intellectual and artistic leadership in the 1870s. By the early 20th century, the area was the center of the city's black community, home to businesses, places of entertainment, and the major social institutions of African American Washington.

This district has been home to countless figures through history, especially entertainers like Duke Ellington. Currently, there has been a resurgence of nightclubs and the renovation of many of historic buildings. Probably one of the most interesting things to do during the day in the district is to follow the African American Heritage Trail which is self-guided and has an accompanying pamphlet. See where stops along the Underground Railroad were as well as more than 200 different historic sites important to African American history and development.