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History
The Thurgood Marshall Center is located in the historic
Twelfth Street YMCA building, the former home of the first full service
YMCA for African Americans in the nation. It was designed by one of
the nation's first African-American architects, W. Sidney Pittman, son-in-law
of Booker T. Washington and was built largely by African-American artisans.
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Construction started in 1908 and was completed in 1912. During
this time, President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone.
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For seventy years, this building was a
haven and an inspiration
for young African-American men. These men learned leadership and
responsibility through sports, camping, photography, and many enriching
activities.
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Through the years, youth from the community were engaged in many
constructive activities led by mentors who volunteered their time. |
| In this building, African-American community groups
and social clubs convened when segregation excluded them from
hotels and other public meeting places. The building was a focal
point of the Shaw Community, including the popular U Street Corridor,
as it turned hopes into reality. |
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| The young attorney, Thurgood Marshall, was a frequent
visitor as he designed legal strategies for the civil rights movement.
If the walls could talk, we would also hear memories from the
frequent visits by medical pioneer Dr. Charles Drew, lawyer Charles
Houston, former Georgetown University Coach John Thompson, writer
Langston Hughes and many others who were encouraged by the services
at the Y and who went on to enrich the lives of many others around
the nation. |
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