The history of DC’s secret park

Historians debate whether Crispus Attucks was a free man or an escaped slave, but they generally agree upon his role in American history on March 5, 1770.

During the Boston Massacre, Attucks was the first American to be killed, and later became an icon of the anti-slavery movement of the 19th century.

Now immortalized in MLK’s writing and Stevie Wonder’s lyrics, the American hero is also commemorated in Crispus Attucks Parks, tucked behind a row of houses at 1st and V St NW. A hidden oasis of flowers and trees, the park beckons picnickers seeking a historical, secluded getaway.

– Chris Butsch