Ethnicity in Washington, DC's NightLife ( R ).

The U Street corridor.

At the turn of the century, the U Street district was in the 19th century groove with its upscale silent movie theatres, prominent clubs, fine restaurants, jewelers, watchmakers, pharmacies and clothiers. As a hot music scene, U Street brought the best in the business—such famed musicians as Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and others performed swinging jazz tunes in smoky clubs.

Today, U Street is just as hip and vibrant as it was then—with twice the history. For visitors and locals alike, there are unique restaurants and cafés such as Ben's Chili Bowl. Opened in 1958, it was not uncommon for diners to see such luminaries as Miles Davis, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nat King Cole or Bill Cosby—who held a 1985 national press conference at the restaurant to celebrate his popular television sitcom. Bohemian Caverns is another noteworthy U Street attraction. Touting a list of past performers that include Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Dizzy Gillespie and Wynton Marsalis, the 80-year-old jazz club is a shining testament to Washington, DC's rich jazz history.

History buffs will enjoy the City Within a City: Greater U Street Heritage Trail and newly-renovated historic buildings while shoppers will take to the unique shops and boutiques that line the streets. For more information on Washington's “Black Broadway,” visit culturaltourismdc.org, the African-American Ethnic Destinations of Interest page on this website or contact WCTC's Media Relations Department. Click here to download WCTC's U Street Guide. Metro: U Street/African Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo

Crew, Spencer R. “Melding the Old and the New: The Modern African-American Community, 1930-1960. Washington Odyssey: A Multicultural History of the Nation's Capital. Washington, DC : Smithsonian Books, 1996

The Latin-American Washington, DC

The intersection of Eighteenth Street, NW and Columbia Road, NW mark the center of the most ethnically diverse neighborhood in the nation's capital. Boasting a fascinating display of expressive art, the DC community of Adams Morgan is the heart of the city's Latino community. Colorful, larger-than-life murals line the faces of buildings and provide an eclectic atmosphere for the urban adventurer to enjoy. Once a suburb for Washington's elite (it wasn't associated with its present name until 1958), Adams Morgan exploded with cultural diversity in the 1950s and '60s when Latin Americans of all nationalities began to populate the community.

Today, Adams Morgan is a hub of activity that attracts a hip, vibrant crowd of twenty and thirty-somethings to its unique shops, boutiques, nightclubs and restaurants. Both travelers and residents alike will delight in the quaint, late 19th and early 20th-century row houses and apartment buildings that line the streets. The fine food connoisseur will enjoy the various eating establishments the area offers.

For more information, visit the Hispanic Ethnic Destinations of Interests page on this website or contact WCTC's Media Relations Department.

Cadaval, Olivia. “The Latino Community: Creating an Identity in the Nation's Capital”

Washington Odyssey: A Multicultural History of the Nation's Capital. Washington, DC : Smithsonian Books, 1996

 Washington, DC's Chinatown

The small, individually-owned Asian restaurants, the ornate carvings of the Friendship Arch and the unique nightlife of the Seventh Street quarter—it's hard for District residents to imagine Washington, DC's Chinatown any other way, though the thriving Asian community got its start nearly 150 years ago in an entirely different location.

Chinese immigrants have been coming to the nation's capital since the 1800s, when they originally gathered in a community on Pennsylvania Avenue between Third and Sixth Streets, NW. By 1936, Washington's Asian population had relocated and settled in its current location—H Street, NW between Sixth and Seventh Streets with a population of more than 800 individuals and 32 families.

Today, Chinatown bustles with activity. With plenty of business in the immediate surrounding area and the close proximity to the heart of downtown Washington, the Seventh Street corridor swarms with workers during the weekday and comes alive with nightlife in the evening. The recent addition of the MCI Center at the corner of F and G Streets at Seventh Street, NW has brought unprecedented growth to the neighborhood. The state-of-the-art 20,000 seat arena is home to the NBA's Washington Wizards, the NHL's Capitals and the WNBA's Mystics as well as a venue for 200 additional sporting events and concerts each year. Bars, restaurants and clubs abound in this area, making it a popular place to grab dinner and drinks before a game at the MCI Center or a performance at the Shakespeare Theatre.

For more information, visit the Asian Ethnic Destinations of Interest page on this website or contact WCTC's Media Relations Department.

Hathaway, David, and Ho, Stephanie. “Small but Resilient: Washington's Chinatown Over the Years.” Washington History 15 (Spring/Summer 2003): 43-60.

Hackett, Beatrice Nied. “We Must Become Part of the Larger American Family:'
Washington's Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians.” Washington Odyssey: A Multicultural History of the Nation's Capital. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books, 1996

 Native American Historic Presence in Washington, DC

Early in the 17th century, the majority of Native Americans residing in what is now the Greater Washington area were known as the Piscataway, a native class of tribes that likely spoke an Algonquian language. While the majority of Native American settlers were driven west from all parts of the Eastern seaboard, some ethnohistorians and scholars believe that some Piscataway remained in the Washington area. Today, it is estimated that more than 7,000 probable Piscataway descendants now live in scattered but definite concentrations in Prince Georges, Prince Charles and St. Mary's counties in Maryland.

The Washington, DC metropolitan area is rich in Native American culture. Numerous museums, including the Renwick Gallery, the Smithsonian and others have special exhibitions dedicated to preserving American Indian art and culture. In September 2004, the Smithsonian Institute opened the doors to its newest project, the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information, visit the Native American Ethnic Destinations of Interest page on this website or contact WCTC's Media Relations Department.

Gardner, William M. “Native Americans: Early Encounters.” Washington Odyssey: A Multicultural History of the Nation's Capital. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books, 1996.