Prominent African-American Women and the White House
Although Michelle Obama was the first African-American first lady of the United States, African Americans have been integrally involved in...
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This article is part of the Slavery in the President’s Neighborhood initiative. Explore the Timeline
This map illustrates the movement of enslaved laborers who were sent to Washington, D.C. to build the White House and the Capitol Building. Because the capital did not have a large population at the onset of the initial construction, the commissioners hired out enslaved people from a variety of slave owners in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. By conducting genealogical research, this map tracks the general location of the slave owners and where the enslaved people would have traveled from to work in the District. Although some locations are exact, most are estimated based on county and church and census records. Read the full article about building the White House here. This research is ongoing. If you have any additional information about anyone on this map, please reach out to SPN@whha.org.
Although Michelle Obama was the first African-American first lady of the United States, African Americans have been integrally involved in...
On April 15, 1848, the Pearl schooner was docked at the wharf located at the foot of Seventh Street in Washington, D....
Often, the accomplishments and contributions of enslaved people are lost to history—undocumented, ignored, or forgotten by successive generations. One of...
Thomas Smallwood detailed the circumstances of his enslavement and life as a free Black man living in Washington City in...
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Most Americans do not associate the first ladies with slave ownership. In fact, it may be surprising to learn that...
January 1, 1863 was a watershed moment in American history. That morning, President Abraham Lincoln hosted the annual New Year’s Day re...
On April 16, 1862, Congress passed the Compensated Emancipation Act, ending slavery in the District of Columbia and delivering long-awaited freedom to...
While there are few written accounts of the enslaved and free African Americans who built, lived, and worked at the...
While there are few written accounts of the enslaved and free African Americans who built, lived, and worked at the...
In the late eighteenth century, the original thirteen colonies dissolved and formed the United States. In 1787, delegates to the Constitutional...
As we consider life in the President’s Neighborhood, the unusual story of the Wormley Hotel and its Black founder, Ja...