The True Reformer Building is an historic building constructed for the

Grand United Order of True Reformers Grand United Order of True Reformers was an African-American fraternal organization founded in 1873 in Alabama and Kentucky. Originally managed by deputies of the all-white, pro-temperance organization, the Independent Order of Good Templars, t ...

, an African American organization founded by William Washington Browne. The building is at 1200 U Street,

Northwest, Washington, D.C. Northwest (NW or N.W.) is the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located north of the National Mall and west of North Capitol Street. It is the largest of the four quadrants of the city (NW, NE, S ...

in the U Street Corridor (Cardozo/Shaw) neighborhood. It was designed by John Anderson Lankford. The building was commissioned by the Grand United Order of True Reformers in 1902. It was dedicated on July 15, 1903.

Building history

It was designed by John Anderson Lankford, the city’s first African-American registered architect. The building was commissioned by the

in 1902, and was dedicated on July 15, 1903. The Grand United Order of True Reformers started in 1873 as an African American fraternal association and temperance organization; and was re-organized in into the Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers in Richmond, Virginia, as a business venture founded by William Washington Browne, before their dissolution in 1934. At one point, it was the largest black fraternal society and black-owned business in the United States. A .W. Holmes was president of the group in 1911 as retrenchment was sought and board membership included Adolphus Humbles of

Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner and Abolitionism, abolitionist John Lynch (1740–1820), J ...

. During the True Reformer Building's dedication in 1903, the Reverend William Lee Taylor stated that the goal was to "put up a building in Washington that would reflect credit upon the Negro race." It is significant that the building took shape as a result of an African American architect, with African American financing, and built with African American hands. The Reformer Building was the first building in the United States to be designed, financed, built, and owned by the African American community after Reconstruction.

Ownership changes

The

Knights of Pythias The Knights of Pythias is a Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an Act of Co ...

bought the building in 1917. From 1937 to 1959, the Boys Club of the Metropolitan Police of the District of Columbia, leased the building;

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ( ; October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the longest-serving First Lady of the United States, first lady of the United States, during her husband Franklin D ...

rededicated the building. Other tenants have included: Washington Conservancy, the DC Chapter of the

National Negro Business League The National Negro Business League (NNBL) was an American organization founded in Boston in 1900 by Booker T. Washington to promote the interests of African-American businesses. The mission and main goal of the National Negro Business League w ...

, the First Separate Battalion.

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

gave his first performance here. The building was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1989. The Public Welfare Foundation bought it in 1999. It was renovated from the winter of 2000 until February 2001 according to designs by Sorg & Associates.

Public art

G. Byron Peck's mural to Duke Ellington on the side of the building used to overlook the U Street Metro station. It was completed in 1997, and located on the sidewall of Mood Indigo. It was relocated to the True Reformer Building. The mural was removed in 2012 for restoration. Its removal was made permanent in 2013 due to damage. On 3 May 2019 a replica of the mural was returned to the building

References

External links

*http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=12637 *https://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/3607243466/ {{National Register of Historic Places Office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Office buildings completed in 1903 African-American historic places Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Washington, D.C. U Street Corridor, Washington, D.C.