Agree, blacks had always lived scattered all around DC and many had jobs with the railroads, trucking, grocery or merchandise distribution, gardening, portering, doormen, domestics, cooks, waiters, drivers, cabbies—lots of kinds of service work, including segregated jobs for the black community like barbering, corner stores, all types of public accommodations. Philadelphia was the same, with "alley streets" in many neighborhoods. There were also black upper class people in DC after the Civil War, particularly educators and lawyers, and several U.S. Representatives.
The postwar "central planning" bug out of FDR's wake started becoming very aggressive after the U.S. government announced at the start of the 50s that blacks could apply for civil service jobs. Hence, block-busting and "white flight" in response to a rapid, large influx of rural, less-educated people into our working-class, yet comparatively urbane environment. Even the middle- and lower middle-class whites, having lived in DC for generations (it's almost unheard of now) had been educated in history and current events, including international events, by the daily DC newspapers and the many free museums and monuments. There was even a Republican newspaper until 1981, The Washington Star. During the same postwar era, the CPUSA and the ACLU (both founded along with the Soviet Revolution in the 20s) gained ascendancy, relishing their chance to organize animosity and resentment. They love a good class war.
I pity the border towns and destination cities of the latest influx thanks to Bide-a-wee.
I’ve always wondered especially about the “Gold Coast” on upper 16th street. In my time, that has always been held up as the iconic early 20th century neighborhood for the black upper class, the professional and business elites. Those folks certainly were very prominent in the history of the area, but I wonder what the dynamics were when those homes were built. The area has always been very nice.