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Mary McLeod Bethune Council House Tour
February 18, 2023 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Join DCPL for an in-person home tour of the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House. Listed as a National Historic Landmark, the row house is notable for its significance as the headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and as the DC residence of Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955), educator and civil rights leader.
The row house transitioned from a single-family home for the upper-middle class in the late-nineteenth century to a boarding house and shop in the early twentieth century. The house was the headquarters of the NCNW from the 1940s to the 1960s. Comprised of fifteen rooms, one kitchen, and two bathrooms, the Council House served as the headquarters for NCNW, Mary McLeod Bethune’s residence until 1949, and guest accommodations for out-of-town visitors.
The home tour will last approximately 30 minutes, and then the group will continue on an optional walk to the Carter G. Woodson Home. While the home is closed for restoration, DCPL staff members will provide a brief overview of the National Historic Site’s architecture and significance. Information about transportation will be sent directly to registrants for their convenience.
Please note that the site is not handicap accessible. The second floor of the home can only be reached by climbing the stairs.
