A Rich Heritage
The Langston neighborhood is named after the abolitionist, political leader, educator and diplomat John Mercer Langston who is widely known as the first African-American to be elected to public office in the United States.
Langston was also the first dean of the Howard University School of Law as well as the first president of Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute (now Virginia State University). |
The neighborhood includes the historic Langston Golf Course and Driving Range which was opened in 1939. This course was the first public golf course open to African-Americans in Washington, DC. It attracted local residents and celebrities alike including musician Billy Eckstine, golfer Lee Elder and boxer Joe Louis. It is operated by the National Park Service as part of Anacostia Park and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
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