Tragedy and Triumph: How Three African-American D.C. Businesses Continue To Overcome Adversity
On April 4th, 1968, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was shot by James Earl Ray as he stood on the outside balcony of Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel, nicknamed the “King-Abernathy Suite.” Other civil rights leaders like the Reverends Jesse Jackson and Ralph Abernathy were present, and later recalled the event in front of a committee in the House of Representatives. The brutal murder of the de facto leader of the Civil Rights Movement and the “Drum Major For Peace and Justice” sent pain through the African-American community and shocked the American public. In the wake of Dr. King’s brutal murder, distraught African-Americans began to riot in some of the most populous cities in the country: New York, Baltimore, Chicago, and even Washington, D.C.
Dr. King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, at his funeral on April 9, 1968
For power-brokers in Washington D.C., April 4th had begun as a relatively pleasing day. Lyndon Johnson, the now unpopular President, was benefiting in the polls from his March 31st announcement that he would not seek reelection. Later referencing the earlier part of the day, LBJ remarked “The world that day seemed to me a pretty good place.” Things soon changed for both he and the country. With the announcement of Dr. King’s death a little after 7pm, the nation erupted. That evening, at around 9:00 p.m, President Johnson made an appeal to the nation. He called for peace and mourning, saying: “We can achieve nothing by lawlessness and divisiveness among the American people. It is only by joining together and only by working together that we can continue to move toward equality and fulfillment for all of our people.” Little did President Johnson know that the next 4 days would become a turning point in the Civil Rights movement, and great turmoil and unrest in the nation's capital.
The D.C. Riots stand as a time of great turbulence and upheaval in the District. For those who remember them, the events were a watershed moment in the history of the nation and its capital city.
On the night of April 4th, Stokely Carmichael, Former head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), gathered crowds at 14th and U Street. As the crowds moved along, they asked businesses to close out of respect. Carmichael soon lost control, however, and many of those gathered began resorting to violence. Rocks and trash cans were thrown through the windows. At one point, a tree was lit on fire. As glass shattered, many resorted to looting businesses and attacking those that stood in their way.
The following day, Friday, April 5th, President Johnson dispatched 11,850 federal troops and 1,750 D.C. Army National Guardsmen to assist the overwhelmed D.C. police force of only 3,000. It was the largest military occupation of an American city since the Civil War. Marines placed machine guns on the steps of the United States Capitol; Troops from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment (the same unit that guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery) guarded the White House. At one point during that tumultuous day, rioters reached within two blocks of the White House before turning back. The violence and uproar continued until April 8th. When the smoke cleared over the nation's capital, some 1,200 buildings, including over 900 stores, were burned or looted. Damages throughout the city amounted to $27 million. By the time the disturbance had been pacified, 13 people had been killed, over 1,000 had been injured, and over 7,600 arrests were made.
Both physically and psychologically, the riots of 1968 left a lasting imprint on Washington, DC. For many of the affected neighborhoods it would take the rest of the century to rebuild both their destroyed buildings and sense of active community. Among the areas most devastated by the tumult of the 1968 D.C. Riots was the greater U-Street Corridor. In the wake of the violence, only three black owned-businesses remained standing. Over 50 years later, they remain so today.
Ben’s Chili Bowl, founded in 1958 by Ben Ali and his then fiancée, Virginia Rollins
The first of these was the world-famous Ben’s Chilli Bowl (1213 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009). Ben’s opened its doors in August of 1958, under the stewardship of Trinadadian-born Ben Ali and his fiancée, Virginia Rollins. The two chose the former site of the Minnehaha, the first silent movie house in Washington. During Jim Crow, D.C. was heavily segregated even though more than half of the city's population was African-American. Despite their oppression, those in the U Street area were able to form a thriving cultural enclave, and the area was nicknamed “Black Broadway.” Prominent performers like Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Nat King Cole, often stopped into Ben’s after a performance. During the ‘68 riots, Ben’s Chili Bowl remained open past curfew to feed both the activists, fire department, and the police. In an attempt to save his business and show solidarity with the activists, Ali wrote the words “Soul Brother” on the front window of his restaurant with a bar of soap. The words “Soul Brother” became a safe word for black-owned businesses during the chaos of the D.C. riots. For its service to the community both before and during the riots, Ben’s was spared the fate that many other businesses faced. Since 1968, Ben’s has proudly served the D.C. community including presidents and popstars. Ben Ali passed away in 2009, but 87-year old Virginia can still be seen frequently working at the restaurant.
The second in this trio of survivors was Lee’s Flower and Card Shop (1026 U St NW, Washington, DC 20001). Opened in 1945 by William Lee, this U Street institution was one of the first black-owned florists in Washington. Lee’s Flowers is still owned and operated by the same family that opened it in 1945. Fortunately during the D.C. Riots, Lee’s was spared because of its service to the African-American community, as it provided the boutineers and corsages for most of the proms at the African-American high schools of the time, as well as creating floral arrangements for weddings. Like the Alis, the proprietors at Lee’s Flowers wrote the word “Soul Brother” on their window to signify that they were a black-owned business. Even still, the owners were prepared with a shotgun, should anyone try to break into the store. Today, Lee’s flowers continue to serve the D.C. area, even decorating the halls of the White House.
The last of these bulwarks of black enterprise was a place familiar to both the Ben’s and Lee’s: Industrial Bank. Virginia Ali, the co-founder of Ben’s, had her first job at Industrial Bank. It was also the place in which Lee’s Flower shop deposited their hard earned revenue. Rick Lee, one of the second generation owners of Lee’s, recalls seeing Ali when he went to make deposits. Industrial Bank was established in 1913 by John Whitelaw Lewis and eventually settled at its now famous U Street locale a few years later. Unfortunately, Industrial Bank closed in 1932 but was reorganized and reopened by Jesse Mitchell in 1934. With its new ownership, Industrial Bank slowly grew, weathering both the Great Depression & WWII. By 1947, the bank had over $6 million dollars in assets from over 14,000 depositors (of which 20% were white). This made it the largest and most prosperous black-owned bank in the United States. This does not mean that Industrial Bank did not face adversity. The bank was frequently understaffed - white bank workers refused to work at a black owned-bank. It was equally difficult to hire black bank workers, considering that D.C.’s only bank training institute had a whites-only policy. With so many African-Americans facing discrimination from financial institutions in Jim Crow D.C., Industrial Bank provided a unique opportunity for African-American individuals and businesses. It was spared destruction during the riots.
In more recent times, Industrial Bank has continued to flourish despite the odds. The Great Recession devastated the African-American banking community. In the wake of the economic downturn, Industrial Bank became the last black-owned bank in Washington D.C. In 2013, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation invested $1 million in certificates of deposit in Industrial bank in order to subsidize lending to African-Americans. Today, Industrial Bank operates 10 locations across D.C, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.
The year 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic presented new challenges for businesses across the country. In many cases, communities of color have felt the deepest impact. Ben’s, Lee’s, and Industrial Bank, continue to weather the storm. This past year, Ben’s Chili Bowl was forced to close all of its locations other than the original D.C. flagship. Ben’s has largely been kept open by the community it has served for over 60 years. People from U Street and all over D.C. have taken advantage of curbside pickup and delivery. Ben’s has even donated food to frontline workers at D.C. area hospitals. In April of 2020, the Ali family received a crucial federal loan enabling them to keep their doors open. The remaining location continues to serve the U Street community 7-days a week.
Lee’s Flower and Card Shop as it is seen today
Lee’s Flowers was also struck hard. Now on the third generation of family ownership, the Lees are doing everything they can to make sure that their business survives. Like so many others, Lee’s was forced to lay off many of its workers at the beginning of the pandemic. They’ve been the recipient of multiple government business grants. By Mother’s Day of 2020, Lee’s began bringing staff back and returned to a semblance of normalcy. The new phenomenon of “micro-weddings,” (a term they’ve coined) has also created business opportunities. Lee’s provided flowers to a recent wedding held at the newly minted Black Lives Matter Plaza. With the rising death toll of Covid-19, Lee’s funeral flower business has picked up - even though many of the funerals are Zoom affairs.
As a veteran of facing difficult situations, the ownership of Lee’s Flowers has served in an advisory capacity to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on the reopening of businesses amid the pandemic. Industrial Bank continues to provide critical support for the African-American community in the DMV. With so many businesses facing financial hardships, Industrial Bank has been using its Covid-19 relief programs to alleviate the burden of the pandemic for its clients and employees.
In order to survive the ongoing pandemic, these businesses and so many other small businesses need the attention and support of their respective communities. If you live in D.C. or happen to be visiting in the days to come, consider supporting these historic businesses!