Fort Mahan

Historical marker location:

4000 Benning Road Northeast, Mahaning Heights, District of Columbia

( Marker is at the intersection of Benning Road Northeast and 41st Street Northeast, on the right when traveling west on Benning Road Northeast.)

Civil War Defenses of Washington

The District was the site of the first U.S. public school for black students: The M Street School (later known as Dunbar High School) was founded in 1870 and was the first public school in the United States for black students. The school became known for its high academic standards and produced many notable alumni, including civil rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune.