It was an all-white gated suburb of Washington, DC known for it’s well-spaced houses and country appeal. Now it’s a predominantly black urban neighborhood in the heart of the city. LeDroit Park has changed significantly since its founding in 1873. Since 1968, during the peak years of the Civil Rights Movement, when the neighborhood experienced drastic events that left permanent marks on it, change has sped up. LeDroit Park changes everyday, but there are specific historical events that stand out as significant to the neighborhood and the city. It has been, and is a microcosm for transformations in the rest of the District of Columbia. LeDroit’s early integration, the race-fueled riots, and the gentrification of LeDroit Park illustrate how this…show more content… and the immediate aftermath in 1968 is perhaps the most important period in DC history. Six days of riots erupted in DC following the assassination of King on April 4, 1968. Shortly after the news of Dr. King’s death, the riots began. 200 stores had their windows broken, 150 had been looted, most swept empty. The craziness and confusion helped arsonists set buildings ablaze. The property loss caused by the riot was extensive. Over one thousand buildings were badly damaged or destroyed. The board of trade estimated a loss of $40 million in tourist trade during the months of April and May due to the riots. By the time the city was considered pacified on Sunday, April 8, 12 had been killed, 1,097 injured, and over 6,100 arrested. The riots utterly devastated Washington's inner city economy. With the destruction or closing of businesses, thousands of jobs were lost, and insurance rates soared. Scared because of the violence and crime, a mass exodus of residents of all races occurred to the suburbs, causing property values to plummet. Crime in the city rose sharply, further discouraging investment. Only rubble remained for decades on some blocks. Columbia Heights and the U Street corridor did not begin to recover economically until the 1990’s, while the H Street area remained depressed for several more years. Walter Washington, who reportedly refused the FBI’s suggestion to shoot the rioters, went on to become the city's first elected mayor and its first black mayor. This flight from the city and plummet of property prices deeply affected LeDroit Park by significantly cutting its population and hurting it’s
