Adams Morgan
Adams Morgan is a neighborhood in Washington, DC, in the northwest quadrant of the city above Dupont Circle, focused at the crossroads of 18th Street and Columbia Road. Much of the neighborhood is composed of 19th and early 20th century row houses and apartment buildings, with many walls covered by colorful murals. It is a culturally diverse area and the heart of Washington's Latino community.
The name "Adams Morgan" derives from the names of two area schools during the civil rights era. The all-black Thomas P. Morgan Elementary School (presently the Marie Reed Community Learning Center, after closing and reopening) integrated with the all-white John Quincy Adams Elementary School in 1955, following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. The principals of the two schools formed the Adams Morgan Community Council in 1958, desiring that their neighborhood reflect respect for racial and cultural diversity. They drew boundaries through four preexisting neighborhoods and named the new one after their schools.
Adams Morgan is a thriving spot for night life, having a city-wide reputation for urban "hipness" for its high density of clubs and lounges and its variety of ethnic restaurants. Highlights include the nationally recognized live music club, Madam's Organ Blues Bar, Tryst Coffeehouse, the Blue Room and the Felix Lounge.
Every September, the neighborhood hosts the Adams Morgan Day Festival, a multicultural street celebration with live music, and food and crafts booths.
