The U Street area used to be the home to the largest urban African American Community in America.
It was call "Black Broadway" by the American singer Pearl Bailey and Duke Ellington's childhood home was here.
After the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 the neighborhood declined.
It was the epicenter of violence and destruction and in the mid 70's a lot of drug trafficking took place here.
In the 90's a revitalization started and by 2011 U Street NW was designated a Great Street among Great Places in America by the American Planning Board.