City First Bank

River Park Friends in Southwest Washington, D.C.

Humanitites Council

Joseph and Lynn Horning CFNCR

Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development

Randle AME Church

Asbury UMC 

Lloyd D. Smith Foundation

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

Eric Gordon 

The Nixon Family

Capitan Maxwell and Vicky Kennedy

ERCPCP

Far NE Weed and Seed

Click Here to Learn More About the Coalition's Founder

"The Pearl" is the name of a sixty-five foot Chesapeake Bay Schooner that played an important role in the transportation of enslaved people to safe harbors from Washington, D.C.

In 1848, the schooner was chartered by free African Americans for $100 to help 77 people escape the shackles of slavery. This heroic journey has been documented and is one of the more harrowing stories of the underground path to freedom right here in Washington, D.C.  The free and enslaved passengers were ultimately captured in the Chesapeake Bay and returned.