Frederick Douglass House

Douglass has often been referred to as the “Sage of Anacostia.” He moved there in 1877 when he was appointed the first black U.S. Marshal of D.C. He wanted to live in Anacostia, but it was segregated, so there were certain areas where he wasn’t allowed to live. If you read our entry about Van Ness/Hanukkah Heights on the Red Line, you’ll remember that this discrimination was made possible by restrictive covenants, a practice where property owners could choose who could or could not live in their neighborhood. Famously, however, Douglass defied the neighborhood’s restrictive covenant and purchased the house. Before he died in the house in 1895, Douglass built upon his legacy of fighting for the rights of both women and African-Americans and served as the U.S. Minister to Haiti.