Walking over a rain garden in Alethia Tanner Park.

Alethia Tanner Park is one of the two newer parks in the NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood. I actually consider this park to be in the adjacent Eckington neighborhood, not NoMa. However, this is all within the boundaries of the official NoMa Business Improvement District, so it makes sense. But I digress. Residents of NoMa selected Tanner as the namesake for the park from among several candidates, with Tanner garnering over 60% of votes.

Just a few acres in size, the park is a solid one. Among the amenities thoughtfully arranged in such a small are area: a wide grassy expanse with partial tree cover, an informal pavilion with rigging for events, small picnic table section, enclosed playground area for families, separate dog park and relief area (fenced!), and bike parking with a bike maintenance tower. All this, plus the park accessible directly from the Metropolitan Branch Trail, a pedestrian and bike path running alongside the rails in Northeast DC. I highly recommend a visit!

Back to Alethia Tanner, though. Who was she? Let’s take a look.

Alethia Browning Tanner

Alethia Browning Tanner was born as an enslaved person on the Pratt plantation in Prince George's County, Maryland. Alethia and her sister were allowed a plot of land to grow vegetables for their families. In addition, Rachel Pratt also allowed the sisters to sell those vegetables on the streets of Alexandria City and Washington in the District of Columbia. The Pratt name may be familiar. Thomas Pratt, the son of Rachel Pratt, went on to become the 27th Governor of Maryland.

Alethia sold vegetables at the well known market just north of the White House in Presidents Park (now known as Lafayette Park). It is possible --and probable-- she met Thomas Jefferson there as he was known to frequent the vegetable markets there along with other prominent early Washingtonians. There are also White House records suggesting she worked for Thomas Jefferson in some capacity, likely doing various housework tasks.

Document for medical services for workers in Thomas Jefferson’s White House, including “Lethe,” likely Alethia Tanner. Via White House Historical Society. — Invoice for medical services provided to workers in Thomas Jefferson’s White House, including an entry for “Lethe,” likely Alethia Tanner. (*White House Historical Association*)

Tanner saved enough to purchase her own freedom in 1810. The total amount, thought to have been paid in installments, was $1,400. In 1810, $1,400 was a significant amount; about the equivalent of three years' earnings for an average skilled tradesperson. Self-emancipation was not an option for all enslaved peoples, but both Alethia and her sister Sophia were able to accomplish this, almost entirely though selling vegetables at the market. Alethia Tanner moved to DC and became one of a significant and growing number of free Black people in the District. In 1800 there were 793 free Black people living in DC. By 1810, there were 2,549, and by 1860, 11,131 free Black people lived in DC, more than the number of enslaved peoples.

Starting at about 15 years after securing her own manumission, Alethia Tanner worked to purchase the freedom of more than 20 of her relatives and neighbors; mostly the family of her older sister Laurana including Laurana herself, her children, and her grandchildren. All in all, Tanner would have paid the Pratt family well over $5,000. All of this was done with proceeds from her own vegetable market business. Even after her family and friends were emancipated, Tanner continued to provide services. For example, she paid monthly to keep her nephews enrolled in a newly formed DC school for Black children. One of those nephews, John Cook, became shoemaker's apprentice for the express purpose of repaying Alethia for his emancipation and schooling. An older and more experienced John returned years later to run the school for Black children he earlier attended.

Alethia Tanner also lived near the White House, near what is now the corner of 14th and H Streets NW, not far from where her market was located. She was very much involved in the burgeoning Black culture among free and enslaved peoples in DC and was well known in the community. As one of the founders of what is now known as Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church (M Street NW), she left a lasting mark on Black DC culture from religion to education.

She ran the market through the early 1850s and remained active in DC until her death in 1864, outliving a number of her own relatives from younger generations. Much of what we know about her life came from an official 1870 Congressional Report to the House of Representatives from Henry Barnard, the commissioner of education in Washington, DC. Barnard recounted her philanthropic and organizing efforts to further education for Black children in DC throughout her life and wanted it to be put on record.

Alethia Tanner Park is located at 227 Harry Thomas Way NE, near the corner of Harry Thomas Way and Q Street. It can also be accessed by foot or bike via the Metropolitan Branch Trail, just north of the Florida Ave entrances.

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