People

Washington, D.C. has been the birthplace, home, and final resting place for many influential Americans. Learn about some of these people and how they shaped the local and national landscape.

Featured People

  • Photo of man sitting.
    Frederick Douglass

    Formerly enslaved man who became America's foremost abolitionist. He was also a suffragist, publisher, and author.

  • Portrait of a woman.
    Nannie Helen Burroughs

    In addition to founding the National Training School for Women & Girls, Burroughs also advocated for greater Black civil rights.

  • Close up photo of a man.
    Charles Hamilton Houston

    Houston has been called “The Man who Killed Jim Crow” for his work in helping to end segregation.

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    Last updated: August 4, 2020