Statement of Significance (as of designation - May 15, 1975):
Built in 1907, this three-story duplex, the other half of which has been demolished, was the home of civil rights leader Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954), who achieved national prominence as the first president of the National Association of Colored Women (1896) and the first Black woman to serve on an American school board (1895).

Condition:
The Mary Church Terrell home was the target of a major clean-up effort in the fall of 2003, when all interior debris and hazardous materials were removed from the site. Limited remedial stabilization has taken place along with new exterior drainage work, concrete paving, and side and rear fence replacement. The University has engaged staff of the Historic Preservation Review Office to determine parameters for the restoration of the building’s exterior prior to the submission of building permits. The University is in the process of applying for funding from multiple sources to undertake the weatherproofing and restoration of the exterior of the building and the stabilization of the building’s interior. Howard University also is facilitating and participating in the establishment of the Robert and Mary Church Terrell House and LeDroit Park Museum and Cultural Center, a legal entity that is being created to receive the property once it has been completely restored.

A Historic Structures Report, funded in part by a grant from the DC SHPO's HPF funding, allows the Howard University Community Association to move foreward on stabilization and repairs with funds secured through a Save America's Treasure's Grant.

Recommendation/Change since last report:
Beyond the SAT funding, another $700,000 will be needed for rehabilitation and restoration of the structure.