Exploring Civil Rights History in D.C. & Maryland's Capital Region

Spend a few days exploring the fascinating history of civil rights in Maryland on a themed getaway that begins with iconic sites in our nation’s capital and takes you through Prince George’s, Montgomery and Frederick Counties, with stops for shopping, gallery-hopping, local food and wine, history and culture. Suggestions for unique places to stay along the way make planning your trip a breeze.

Day 1: From Washington D.C. to Prince George’s County
Day 2: Prince George’s County
Day 3: Prince George’s County to Montgomery and Frederick Counties

Day 1: From Washington D.C. to Prince George’s County

Understand the U.S. Civil Rights Movement with a day touring sites in Washington D.C.  followed by fine dining, sparkling nightlife and a luxurious stay at National Harbor in Maryland.

• Begin your exploration of this vital period in American history with an overview of the US Civil Rights Movement at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) through the exhibits, “Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation 1876 - 1968” and “A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond." (Note: Consider setting aside another day to explore the many powerful exhibits in this incredible museum.)
• Have a down-home lunch of North Carolina pulled pork, meatless baked beans with molasses and brown sugar, or a freshly made salad at the NMAAHC’s restaurant, Sweet Home Cafe, which showcases African American food traditions.
• After lunch, take a 5-minute walk down the National Mall to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of American History to see the Greensboro Lunch Counter where, in 1960, four Black college students sat down at the “whites only” lunch counter at the Woolworth's in Greensboro, N.C., and were refused service. When asked to leave, the students remained in their seats. Their peaceful sit-down was a watershed event in the struggle for civil rights and helped ignite a youth-led movement to challenge racial inequality throughout the South.
• Continue down the mall to see the Lincoln Memorial  where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. The march was one of the largest rallies for human rights in the history of the United States, with approximately 250,000 in attendance. Stand at the top of the steps where King gave his speech and reflect on the life and work of this American hero.
• Finish today’s journey at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, an 8-minute walk from the Lincoln Memorial.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the first African American to be honored with a memorial on the National Mall. The monument captures the unwavering faith, strength and leadership of our nation’s greatest civil rights leader through two massive granite structures – the “Stone of Hope” hewn from the “Mountain of Despair.” Rangers are on site to answer questions and interpretive programs are available upon request.
• Head back to your car and travel to National Harbor and for dinner at  Succotash, which offers a deliciously progressive perspective on classic Southern favorites and soul food.   After dinner check into The Gaylord National Resort for a luxurious waterfront getaway in the heart of National Harbor. Save time to ride the Capital Wheel for Instagrammable views, catch the action at Bobby McKey's Dueling Piano Bar or roll the dice at MGM Casino before turning in for the night.

Day 2: Prince George’s County

Discover civil rights history in Prince George’s County and  enjoy local art, food, culture, shopping and a relaxing stay in beautiful rural Maryland.

Have breakfast at National Harbor at the Silver Diner, modeled after the classic American diner. After breakfast shop for locally-made gifts at Arts'tination then head out to explore the fascinating history of civil rights activism in Prince George’s County.

• Begin your sojourn at the site of Doswell E. Brookes Elementary School to reflect on the life of Doswell E. Brooks, the supervisor of Colored Schools in Prince George’s County, the first African American appointed to the Board of Education and a tireless advocate for the education of Black children.
• Make time to admire local artist and community leader Jay Coleman’s mural of Link Wray at 3706 Otis Street in Mount Rainier.  (Visit Jay Coleman's Website to learn more and discover Coleman’s amazing body of work which you can see throughout the Capital region.)
• Your third stop is Sis's Tavern, a North Brentwood community fixture that boasted acts like Duke Ellington and Pearl Bailey, who performed at Sis’s after gigs in Washington D.C. and continues to be an important community hub today.
• Next, make your way to see the powerful sculpture at Windom Road Barrier Park. The steel sculpture shows two hands coming together to lift the highway barrier erected to separate Brentwood, which was historically white, and North Brentwood, the county’s first incorporated African American town.
• Take a pause from your exploration of civil rights in Prince George’s County to relax with a sweet treat at Sugar Vault Desserts.
• After you get your sugar fix, head to the Clarence Mitchell, Jr. Marker on the campus of the University of Maryland to gain insight into the life of this iconic civil rights leader.
• Your next stop is St. Mark's Methodist Episcopal Church and the nearby Laurel Pool in the “Heart of the Grove.” St. Mark’s Church organized buses to the March on Washington in 1963 and in 1967 the KKK attempted to set it on fire. Grove residents took to the streets. Laurel police arrested five men for the arson attempt. The Laurel Pool, which opened in 1958, was originally private and for whites only. Demand for change grew after the Black Grove community became the target of hate crimes led by local KKK members. The City of Laurel purchased the pool and desegregated it in 1968.

• Continue your journey at Bowie State to reflect on the important activism of the students at Maryland’s oldest Historically Black College/University who, in 1968, organized a “study-in” at the Maryland State Capital to protest the injustice of chronic underfunding at their institution.
• Your last stop before lunch is The National Capital Radio & Television Museum where exhibits and tours present the history of broadcasting, a medium that has shaped the lives of all Americans from the 1920s to today.
• Enjoy an African Fusion lunch at Green Chili's. Check into Wellspring Manor & Spa or Hennessey Creek Bed and Breakfast to freshen up before you head out for the evening
• On your way to dinner, stop at The Prince George's County Courthouse,  the site of an important Civil Rights-era protest against racism in the judiciary. Make a second stop at the site where "Black Like Me" was filmed, just a few blocks away.
• Have a classic American dinner at Copper Canyon Grill and catch a show at the Center for Performing Arts.
• Head back to Wellspring Manor & Spa or  Hennessey Creek Bed and Breakfast for a quiet night of relaxation
• Note: Many of the sites included here are on the The Prince George's County Civil Rights Trail, which was funded by the National Park Service and the Maryland Historical Trust. The project is managed by Anacostia Trails Heritage Area/Maryland Milestones with support from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission's Black History Program and the Prince George's County History Consortium. To learn more visit:  https://www.pgccivilrights.org/ "

Day 3: Prince George’s County to Montgomery and Frederick Counties

Explore the struggle for equal educational opportunities and access to recreation in Montgomery County; take a deeper dive into Black history with sites and tours and enjoy shopping, walking tours, restaurants and more.

• Rejuvenate with a Spa treatment at Wellspring Manor or enjoy a hot country breakfast and a morning horse and carriage ride at Hennessey Creek. 
• Continue your morning with a short drive to see critical civil rights sites in nearby Montgomery County. Begin your visit in the county in Glen Echo Park where protests in the summer of 1960 by Howard University students, organized as the Nonviolent Action Group, led to the integration of the Glen Echo Amusement Park in 1961. Legal battles over the carousel sit-in continued until 1964.
• Take a break during your visit to Glen Echo with a stop for coffee and some delicious baked goods at the cafe inside the park, The Praline.
• Your next stop is the Norbeck Rosenwald School, a school built by the progressive era program funded by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald and in partnership with Booker T. Washington. After meeting in 1912, the two men built thousands of schools for Black students in 15 states. The Rosenwald Schools were often the first schools in a Black community and helped improve education for Black children across the South.
• Make your way to the Courthouse in Rockville where in 1931 William Gibbs, the principal at Rockville Colored Elementary School, represented by Thurgood Marshall and Charles Houston,  petitioned the Board of Education for equal pay for Black educators. His petition was denied, and Gibbs filed suit.
• Stop at Bluffajo Cosmetics to shop in a Black woman-owned cosmetics boutique that’s holistic, family-owned, and believes in the power of self-acceptance and self-expression. Housed in the Maryland Women's Business Center Shop Local Incubator in Rockville. Bluffajo is just one of many unique shops in the incubator so leave time for browsing.

• Take a lunch break at Matchbox for some garlic chicken pizza, an herb crusted salmon salad, or a Bistro burger.
• After lunch, reflect on the life of Elijiah Cummings  who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996-2019 and a man who fought for civil rights and improved opportunities for Black Americans. A marker on the grounds of the Sandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art Gallery tells the story of Cummings’ life. After viewing the marker, step inside the museum to learn more about the area’s history and culture. (The museum is open for group tours by appointment with a self-guided option on the weekends.)
• Your next stop takes you back in time at Button Farm Living History Center, Maryland’s only living history center depicting 19th-century plantation life. Situated on 40 acres, inside Seneca Creek State Park in Germantown, Maryland, Button Farm provides a safe and affirming space for people to gather, commune, and explore, using the story of slavery and the Underground Railroad as a spark for human potential. The roots of the American Civil Rights Movement are found in early struggles for freedom by enslaved people.
• Travel a short distance to visit Boyds Negro School, a one-room wooden schoolhouse that served as the only public school for African Americans in Boyds from 1895 - 1936 and served grades 1 - 8. (The school is open for tours by appointment and on the third Sunday of the month from April to November from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.)
• Head back to Silver Spring for an early dinner at The Farmhouse Bistro at Crossvines for seasonal locally sourced cuisine coupled with wine produced in the Crossvines winery.