History Conversations REWIND | Belmont: Recovering the Plan for a Black Chevy Chase
September 21 - September 27
with Kimberly Bender and Neil Flanagan | Pre-recorded virtual event
Why are the western suburbs of DC white and the eastern ones Black Believe it or not, Clues can be found in the parking lot of a strip mall next to Chevy Chase Village. In 1906, when streetcar suburbs were a novel luxury and the ambition of Reconstruction had not been fully extinguished, four Black businessmen secretly acquired land amid DC’s most exclusive developments. They too sought to build an elite suburb—but unlike their neighbors, it would be open to DC’s distinct African American middle class. What followed was one of the most astonishing stories in the history of American cities.
Originally presented at the Fall 2023 History Conference.
Recording available September 21- 27.