Throughout the early 1800s, the Wilberforce neighborhood in what is now Glover Park thrived as a multiracial community, including many freed African Americans and German Americans. The neighborhood was created by Reverend Stephen Bloomer Balch, who named the neighborhood after the abolitionist William Wilberforce. While Balch supported the American Colonization Society and the Back-To-Africa movement, the name choice reflects the diverse nature of the neighborhood. Though largely forgotten today, the story of Wilberforce is a powerful testament to the history of diverse communities in Washington DC.
With special thanks to Carlton Fletcher for his extensive research.