Charles Sumner School

Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives traces the history of Washington, DC’s public schools inside a former school for Black children, built in 1872. Its four floors hold photographs, artifacts, artwork, antique furniture and trophies connected to local education and its leading figures. Begin on the ground floor with the introductory rooms, then take the elevator upstairs to explore the exhibits. The preserved red-brick building is part of the visit, and the museum is a useful stop for anyone interested in African-American education and the city’s history.

A school built for Black children

The building opened in 1872 as an elementary school for Black children, at a time when segregation shaped education in Washington. It was built on the site of the Humble Schoolhouse and designed by Adolf Cluss. The school’s first class graduated in 1877. It closed in 1978 as the surrounding population declined.

Today, the building houses a museum, a research room, art exhibits and the archives of the District of Columbia Public Schools. Its story connects the history of the structure with the people and institutions that shaped public education in the city.

Exhibits across four floors

The museum begins on the ground floor, where two rooms introduce the history of the DC public school system. A Noire Portraits exhibit has been shown there, depicting African-American women alongside words they chose to describe themselves.

After the ground-floor rooms, take the elevator to the next three floors. Each has several small rooms devoted to people and events in the school system’s history. Photographs and historical objects appear alongside artwork, antique furniture and trophies. On the top floor, a large room retains the feel of a former auditorium.