Torch of Freedom

Historical marker location:

200 Maryland Avenue Northeast, Capitol Hill, District of Columbia

( Memorial is at the intersection of Maryland Avenue Northeast and 2nd Street Northeast, on the right when traveling west on Maryland Avenue Northeast.)

1776 - 1996

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.