DC is filled with hidden histories. Some of the most under-told stories are tucked behind its main streets and historic corridors. This summer, the DC History Center invites listeners to walk through the heritage of Washington’s historic alleyways in a new five-episode podcast, DC Alley Archives. As the host, I unpack the layered history of DC’s alleyways and the people who built communities there.
For the past decade, I have dedicated my work to uncovering Washington’s under-told histories, particularly stories connected to Black communities, cultural landmarks, and neighborhood change. My research led to the publication of Black Broadway in Washington, DC and later evolved into curating public walking tours that guide residents and visitors through the city’s pioneering history. One narrative continually stood out along my tour routes: DC’s historic alleyways.
James Borchert Alley Life photograph collection, BO 027
Once home to a large population of African Americans dating back to the Civil War era, alley communities served as places of resilience, labor, culture, and connection. Yet many of these neighborhoods were later condemned and demolished during the early and mid-20th century in the name of city progress and sanitation reform, displacing generations of residents in the process.
Today, those same alleyways have been rebranded. They’re marketed as charming, hidden gems. They’re trendy hotspots for newcomer residents. They’ve become another piece of DC’s landscape shaped and reshaped by gentrification. Through my conversations with historians, researchers, artists, policymakers, filmmakers, and community leaders, DC Alley Archives explores how these hidden pathways reveal larger stories about freedom, equity, and belonging in Washington.
Over five episodes, this podcast looks back at the past to champion the residents who lived and worked in these alleyways and asks hard questions about racism, displacement, and development. The discussions imagine what preservation and equity could look like for DC spaces in the future. Because alleyways are more than hidden passages—they are living records of DC’s past, present, and future.
DC Alley Archives is sponsored by the National Association of Realtors. Listen to the series on Podbean or wherever you stream podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Briana A. Thomas is a Washington, DC–based historian, journalist, and tour guide specializing in the city’s history and culture. She is the author of Black Broadway in Washington, DC and serves as Arts and Culture Writer for Washingtonian magazine, while also contributing regularly to Smithsonian Magazine. Briana is the creator of the DC Getaway travel series for WTOP News and co-host of the station’s weekly Things to Do radio segment. She is also a DC History Center Fellow whose work highlights the people, places, and stories that shape Washington’s cultural legacy.