Lincoln Theatre

The Lincoln Theatre features a cream-colored terra cotta facade topped by a distinct, oversized marquee that stretches across the sidewalk. When it opened in nineteen twenty-two, it served as the cultural heartbeat for Washington’s Black community during segregation. Duke Ellington played here, and Ella Fitzgerald performed on this stage. The theater closed its doors in nineteen sixty-eight following citywide riots, sitting boarded up for decades until community activists pushed for its restoration. It reopened in nineteen ninety-four to host jazz and comedy acts.