On Friday, February 26, Cultural Tourism DC offered DC residents and visitors a new way to rediscover the historic U Street corridor with the grand opening of the Greater U Street Neighborhood Visitor Center, 1211 U Street NW. The visitor center will serve as a front door to the U Street area, a historic African American neighborhood in Washington, DC. To accompany this new venture, Cultural Tourism DC will introduce an audio tour, City Within a City: Greater U Street Heritage Trail, along with an updated version of the Heritage Trail guidebook.
The Greater U Street Neighborhood Visitor Center features maps, shopping and dining information, and other helpful information about the Greater U Street area. On the walls are historic photographs, quotations, and a timeline that highlights the major developments in the neighborhood and in the city. The center is located above Ben's Next Door and next to the nationally renowned Ben's Chili Bowl. “We are thrilled to offer U Street visitors an accessible and entertaining way to explore the community,” says Linda Harper, Cultural Tourism DC executive director. “The visitor center and audio tour are excellent ways to learn and appreciate the historic U Street neighborhood.” The City Within a City: Greater U Street Heritage Trail audio tour and the updated guidebook will provide visitors and residents an audio and visual journey through the historic U Street neighborhood.
The audio tour features Korva Coleman of National Public Radio as the narrator/guide along with community leaders, business persons, and others who live and work in the neighborhood. More than 20 guest narrators give their perspective as they describe the past and present. Among those featured are Kamal Ben Ali, co-owner, Ben's Chili Bowl; Warren Brown, founder and owner, CakeLove and Love Café; Father Patrick Smith, pastor, Saint Augustine Church; and Frank Smith of the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum.
For the first half of the 20th century, the neighborhood surrounding U Street, NW was the center of the rich social, civic, and cultural life of Washington's African American community. In addition to shaping the lives of thousands of black Washingtonians—from Duke Ellington to civil rights theorist Charles Hamilton Houston—the neighborhood also played a major role in the intellectual and cultural life of African Americans throughout the nation.
On Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 7 pm, the U Street Neighborhood Association will hold its regular meeting at Source, 1835 14th Street, NW in the 2nd floor classroom.