Heritage, culture, and community are some themes in "111 Places in Black Culture in Washington, DC That You Must Not Miss.” The guidebook offers new and unique ways to explore the US capital city.

 “My aim was to shine a light on important people and stories in Black history,” says guidebook author and DC Tours and Events owner Lauri Williamson. The guidebook comes with wonderful pictures by photographer David Wardrick. “I thought I had seen everything in Washington, but this project took me to many places I had no idea even existed,” he says. 

Here are the 11 of the 111 places Williamson says are often missed.

1) Anacostia Art Gallery and Boutique
119 Raleigh Street SE, Washington, DC 20032, +1 (202) 550-7060. The Anacostia Art Gallery and Boutique is your go-to place for unique gifts with African and African American themes.

2) The Anacostia Community Museum
Vibrant exhibits that chronicle DC’s community history and issues facing today's residents.  1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC 20020, +1 (202) 633-4820.

3)  Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, VA 22211, +1 (877) 907-8585. With over 400,000 graves, the cemetery tells the history of America. Blacks have fought in every major war since the  American Revolution and many of their stories are waiting to be remembered.

4) Blanche Kelso Bruce Home 
909 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. Now a private residence, former home to  the first Black person to serve a full term in the United States Senate. He also broke new ground as registrar of the Treasury in 1881, thereby being the first Black person with his signature on US currency.

5) Canimals! at Eastern Market 
225 7th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003, Visit for weekend dining and shopping, and look for the tent in the center of the outdoor vendors selling colorful giraffes which are handmade out of recycled cans by talented artist, Shumba Masani.

6) Provost
2129 Rhode Island Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20018, +1 (202) 200-9852. Head there on weekends for delicious organic cuisine.

7) The Emancipation Memorial at Lincoln Park.
Lincoln Park Drive NE, Washington, DC 20002. Somewhat controversial, this tribute to Abraham Lincoln was paid for by the earnings of the formerly enslaved to honor the slain president. Learn the story and stand where Frederick Douglass stood giving the keynote address at the dedication of this statue on April 14, 1876.

8) National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005, +1 (202) 783-5000, the first major museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women through the arts. It reopened in October 2023 after a two-year, 70-million-dollar renovation and features the works of several African American artists.

9) Mansion on O & O Museum
2020 O Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. One of the most fun, quirky and eclectic places in the U.S., You will never be bored at a visit to this popular venue, where Rosa Parks visited and ended up staying for 10 years. Check out the numerous events on their website and be sure to stop in the Rosa Parks room, still furnished with the bed she slept in.

10) Marianne’s by DCCK
901 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, +1 (202) 727-0321. A stop at a library may not be on the top of a visitor's list. However, don't miss a chance to go pop into the Martin Luther King Library, the main branch of DC/s library system, and have a snack at Marianne's. This cafe has delicious bites with reasonable prices.

And you are supporting the legacy of a woman who inspired many in food service careers as an advocate for people facing high barriers to employment. The friendly and conscientious staff at Marianne’s has participated in DCCK’s renowned training program, which has created opportunities for program graduates to work across Washington, DC’s thriving culinary industry, including top restaurants, large hotels, corporate cafeterias, hospitals, schools, and other locations.

11) Freedom House Museum
1315 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. If you are a history lover, then not to be missed is a visit to this venue. The building housing the Freedom House Museum is what remains of one of the largest slave trading firms in the country. Tens of thousands of men, women, and children were trafficked here during the years 1828-1861. The exhibits tell the local stories of the slave trade, the military, and families.

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Note:
While at Canimals! at Eastern Market, you may also want to stop by jewelry designer Anthony Driver's booth next to the Market's first door.

If you visit the Freedom House Museum, they will probably suggest you visit its sister sites, including the Alexandria Black History Museum. In their gift shop, they offer Gambia River Soap, which is made by a group supported by the Port of Harlem Gambian Education Partnership, this magazine's non-profit.