Image from the construction of the Pentagon

Image from the construction of the Pentagon (Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

"Right Out Our Front Door": The Pentagon, East Arlington and Queen City

East Arlington and Queen City were two tight-knit African American communities that forged a strong and independent existence despite the perils of Jim Crow. Yet the rapid expansion of federal government and the pressing demands of World War II endangered all that these Arlington residents had built together and, quite literally, wiped it off the map.

Last Updated: May 18, 2022