Welcome to the 1940s. During the World War II–era, Barry Farm–Hillsdale faced some significant changes. The construction of Barry Farm Dwellings and the Suitland Parkway displaced many residents and divided the neighborhood in two. There were new opportunities for work because of the war, but the community was restless because of segregation.
Explore the map to investigate.
Map of Barry Farm–Hillsdale, 1945
Barry Farm Dwellings
At the start of World War II, the federal government needed additional workers in the nation’s capital to support the war effort. Washington, DC, was overcrowded, and White residents didn’t want African American workers moving into their neighborhoods. The National Capital Housing Authority planned to build a major housing complex for African American workers in Barry Farm–Hillsdale called Barry Farm Dwellings. Its construction would take land that was occupied by existing Barry Farm–Hillsdale residents.
Compare before and after images.
Left: Houses on Sumner Road, ca. 1941
Right: Sumner Road in 1966 The slider below allows user to reveal the image on the left or right.
What changes do you notice?
How do you think these changes impacted the community?
Thirty houses were condemned and demolished through eminent domain to build Barry Farm Dwellings. A total of 23 families were displaced. The National Capital Housing Authority rehoused 11 families, but the other 12 families were deemed ineligible for assistance. Among those displaced were families who had lived in Barry Farm–Hillsdale for generations.
What Is Eminent Domain?
Eminent domain is the power of the government to take private property for public use, such as when building a public highway. The government is required to compensate people for their property, but it does not need their consent.
The Suitland Parkway
During World War II, the U.S. military wanted to build a road to connect two military bases: Bolling Airfield (today Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling) and Camp Springs Airfield (today Andrews Air Force Base). President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote a letter to Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson in 1942 ordering the creation of the road, called the Suitland Parkway. It was to be routed through Barry Farm–Hillsdale.
Compare before and after images.
Left image: Before the construction of the Suitland Parkway and Barry Farm Dwellings.
Right image: An aerial view of Barry Farm–Hillsdale after the construction of the Suitland Parkway (right) and Barry Farm Dwellings (left). The slider below allows user to reveal the image on the left or right.
What changes do you notice?
How do you think these changes impacted the community?
The construction of the Suitland Parkway destroyed nearly 100 houses and displaced more than 600 people. Residents were only given 20 days to vacate their houses. The government reimbursed families for their houses, but the amounts were pitifully small and not enough to pay for houses elsewhere in Washington, DC. Many of those displaced were too old to start the home-buying process again. The construction of the road also displaced or left behind hundreds of human remains buried in the Macedonia Cemetery, attached to the Macedonia Baptist Church.