Tour leader: Frank Smith, African American Civil War Memorial and Museum

Founder and executive director Frank Smith will lead a tour of the memorial and museum, situating them in the historic black U Street neighborhood. The neighborhood was once known as DC’s “Black Broadway” and is home of the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl. The memorial and museum are unique in being dedicated to the black men who fought for the Union in the Civil War, whose names are inscribed on the memorial. Exhibits explore the service of black men and their family members in support of the Union cause, in the context of the struggle against slavery as well as of black military service before and after the Civil War. The tour will conclude with reflections on the future of the changing neighborhood in a gentrifying DC and on the future expansion of the museum into the Grimké school next door (named for Archibald Grimké).

Please note: Participants will travel by bus to and from the museum. The museum is ADA compliant.

Limit 50 people. $20 members, $25 nonmembers