Get to Know Shaw 08/10/2009
 Nestled along the U street corridor, south of Howard University and bordered roughly by N Street NW to the south and New Jersey Ave NW to the east, the Shaw neighborhood has a vibrant past and a bright future. From the late eighteenth century through the 1960s, Shaw was the center of African-American culture here in DC, and for a time, in the country as a whole. During this period the neighborhood hosted a thriving scene, including poet Langston Hughes, labor activist A. Phillip Randolph and the Lincoln and Howard Theaters, which featured distinguished artists including Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday and Shaw native Duke Ellington. The neighboring Howard University further enriched the area, with many professors and students calling Shaw home. In large part this vital community existed due to laws enforcing segregation, which banned African-Americans from living in many parts of the city, leading to the concentration of black professionals, artists and entrepreneurs in this and surrounding neighborhoods. When these laws were finally overturned with the passage of civil rights legislation many businesses and residents left for commercial districts and neighborhoods where they’d previously been unwelcome, and Shaw began its decline. In 1968, this general downturn gave way to disaster. With the riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., much of the neighborhood was damaged or destroyed. One of the few locations spared was the already well-known Ben’s Chili Bowl, an iconic institution still known for its half smokes and old-fashioned chili. Following the riots, the neighborhood entered a decades long period of relative neglect, with many vital institutions closing their doors or moving elsewhere. Over the last 15 years the interest in Shaw has grown, and while there are still vacant lots, new investment has skyrocketed. Many of the old icons have been restored, including the Lincoln Theater, which was reopened in 1994. New stores, restaurants and residents continue to move into the neighborhood, reversing Shaw’s decline, while Howard University, churches and community organizations are also playing an essential role in this neighborhood’s renewal. By helping several homeowners increase the energy efficiency and sustainability of their classic 19th century homes, CarbonfreeDC hopes to contribute not only to the revitalization of the buildings, but also to restoring the vitality of this historic neighborhood which still has so much to offer. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaw,_Washington,_D.C . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022202508.html http://www.shawmainstreets.com/shawhistory.htm http://www.shawmainstreets.com/Shaw%20Heritage%20Trail%20Guide%20English.pdf http://www.shawmainstreets.com/Shaw%20Historic%20Bike%20Tour%20Brochure.pdf http://www.shawmainstreets.com/shaweastsurvey.pdf CommentsBloomie 08/10/2009 07:51
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