Southeast (SE or S.E.) is the southeastern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located south of East Capitol Street and east of South Capitol Street. It has a rich cultural history, including the historic Capitol Hill and Anacostia neighborhoods, the Navy Yard, the Marine Barracks, the Anacostia River waterfront, historic Eastern Market, the remains of several Civil War-era forts, historic St. Elizabeths Hospital, RFK Stadium, Nationals Park, and the Congressional Cemetery. The quadrant is bisected by the Anacostia River, with the portion that is west of the river sometimes referred to as "Near Southeast".
The population of Southeast is predominantly African-American, particularly east of the Anacostia River. Despite overall high crime rates for the quadrant, there are Black middle class neighborhoods, such as Hillcrest, Penn Branch, and Fort Dupont. Throughout the Southeast area (except for the gentrified Eastern Market area closest to the United States Capitol), basic shopping, dining, entertainment, and cultural facilities are very minimal and scanty, so that residents must travel either downtown or to the suburbs for such services. Cultural events/activities include the annual Martin Luther King Birthday parade, the free weekly summer jazz concerts in Fort Dupont Park, the Fort Dupont ice-rink, the Anacostia Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, and the tennis and learning center for youth on Mississippi Avenue. The population of the southeast quadrant is roughly 134,800 and is about 97% African American.
Politically, Southeast includes most of Ward 8, as well as much of Wards 6 and 7. Ward 8 is home to former mayor and current DC Council Member Marion Barry.
The quadrant is known to many D.C. area residents as being plagued by a consistently high crime rate relative to the rest of the city. Public transit facilities are frequently targeted for vandalism. The Washington Post reported in 2003 that rock attacks on public buses were so common that bus drivers were instructed to wear safety goggles while traversing the quadrant.[1]
Recently,[when?] some areas of the Southeast quadrant of Washington, D.C. have undergone a reformation. In areas close to the United States Capitol Building housing values have risen dramatically[citation needed] and residents have been forced out of their homes by the increased cost of living. In the Eastern Market, young professionals have created a high demand for restaurants and bars.[citation needed] Nationals Park, the new home of Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals, opened in March 2008.
Southeast Washington is accessible via the Blue, Orange and Green Lines of the Washington Metro. Southeast Washington will also be accessible via the Silver Line when completed. The Anacostia article names several famous people native to Southeast.
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