National Museum of African Art | Washington D.C.

“African art embodies one of humanity’s greatest achievements–fusing visual imagery with spiritual beliefs and social purpose. Its technical achievements and artistic perfection bear witness to the creative ingenuity of its makers. Religious beliefs and cultural ideals find artistic expression not only in masks and figures created primarily for ceremonial purposes, but also in the utilitarian objects of daily life.”

– Smithsonian Institute

Located on the National Mall and part of the Smithsonian Institute, the National Museum of African Art features sub-Saharan African Art and culture, including over 3 million photos, as well as documentary films and videos. The museum also offers educational programs and other interactive programs to engage visitors with African art.

Bust of Benin King, Late Restoration Period, ca. 1700 – 1897

Find out more about Maryland’s black heritage sites and attractions in the Maryland African American Heritage Guide.

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National Museum of African Art
Address: 950 Indepedence Ave SW, Washington, D.C. 20560
Phone: 202-357-1387
Official Website
Map & Driving Directions

Anacostia Community Museum | Washington D.C.

The Anacostia Museum, officially named the Anacostia Community Museum, is the Smithsonian Institution’s museum of African American history and culture, primarily devoted to the identification, documentation and preservation of the African American experience in the Upper South (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Washington, D.C.), as well as nationwide. The museum is located in Southeast Washington, DC and offers exhibitions, educational programs, workshops, lectures, film screenings and other special events that interpret black history from the 1800s to the present. The museum recently expanded its mission beyond a solely ethnic focus to include the impact of social and cultural issues on communities from both a contemporary and historical perspective.

Recent featured exhibitions include:

• “The African Presence in Mexico” (November 8, 2009 – July 4, 2010). A look at the history of African contributions to Mexican culture from 1519 to present day. Organized by the National Museum of Mexican Art, this traveling show highlights the history, artistic expressions and practices of Afro-Mexicans.
• “Jubilee: African American Celebrations” (closed Sept 2009 ) examines nearly 50 African-American holidays, traditions and celebrations such as those around Election Day, Emancipation Day, Kwanzaa and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
• “Separate and Unequaled: Black Baseball in the District of Columbia” looks at the phenomenal popularity and community draw of baseball played by African-Americans on segregated fields in Washington, D.C.

Find out more about Maryland’s black heritage sites and attractions in the Maryland African American Heritage Guide.

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Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture
Address: 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC 20020 USA
Phone: (202) 633-4820
Website: anacostia.si.edu/
Map & Driving Directions

African American Civil War Memorial & Museum | Washington D.C.

Photo Credit: Asiir

The African American Civil War Memorial, at the corner of Vermont Avenue and U Street NW in Washington, D.C., commemorates the service of 209,145 African-American soldiers and sailors who fought for the Union in the American Civil War. The sculpture The Spirit of Freedom, by Ed Hamilton of Louisville, Kentucky, was commissioned by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and completed in 1997. The memorial includes panels with the names of those who served in the war.

The associated museum, located two blocks west of the memorial in the historic and traditionally African-American U Street neighborhood, opened to the public in January 1999. Its mission is to enable visitors, researchers, and descendants of the United States Colored Troops to better understand the story of these troops.[citation needed] To this end, it displays photographs, newspaper articles, and replicas of period clothing, and uniforms and weaponry of the Civil War. The African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation Registry documents the family trees of more than 2,000 descendants of those who have served with USCT and invites descendants to register. Visitors can search for relatives who have registered in the Descendants Registry.

African American Civil War Memorial & Museum
Address: 1200 U Street, NW, Washington, DC. 20009 USA
Phone: 202-667-2667
Official Website
Map & Driving Directions

Frederick Douglass House National Historic Site | Washington D.C.

 

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the most famous 19th century African American. His life was a testament to the courage and persistence that serves as an inspiration to those who struggle in the cause of liberty and justice. Visitors to the site learn about his efforts to abolish slavery and his struggle for rights for all oppressed people.

Administered by the National Park Service, the site preserves the home and estate of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African Americans of the nineteenth century. Douglass lived in this house, which he named Cedar Hill, from 1877 until his death in 1895. The house was the first African-American National Historic Site designated by the U.S. Congress. Perched high on a hilltop, the site also offers a sweeping view of the U.S. Capitol and the Washington D.C. skyline. Take a virtual tour of the home. Perched high on a hilltop, the site also offers a sweeping view of the U.S. Capitol and the Washington D.C. skyline.

Find out more about Maryland’s black heritage sites and attractions in the Maryland African American Heritage Guide.

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Frederick Douglass House National Historic Site
Address: 1411 W Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020
Phone: (202) 426-5961
Official Website
Map & Driving Directions

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