Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital

Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital features stories of dedicated teachers, school leaders, parents, students, and activists who have worked to protect and strengthen DC’s tradition of Black educational excellence. Class photos and yearbooks along with playful vintage furniture and costumes invite hands-on exploration of what it means to grow up and go to school in the nation’s capital.

Community members built and ran their own schools until the end of slavery, when Congress created DC’s separate Black school system. Over the course of the next century, many African American scholars were prevented by racism from pursuing their chosen careers. Instead, they became teachers in the nation’s capital, helping the city earn a national reputation for its outstanding Black schools.

The exhibit also highlights Black Washingtonians’ fight for their fair share of resources, even after the Supreme Court finally desegregated DC’s “separate but equal” schools. The stories of people who lived this history, along with class photos, yearbooks, and more, are evidence of how local activism created lasting change.

Class Action invites you to explore this inspiring legacy—and to reflect on how schools have shaped you and your community, wherever you’re from.