Any golfer who loves the game will tell you that there is nothing worse than having no place to play. But it’s even worse if you’re surrounded by golf courses and aren’t allowed on any of them. This was the situation for every black golfer in the 1920s and 1930s in Washington, D.C., where one-third of the population was black and much of the country was black.
Golf’s universal appeal
Golf has such a universal appeal that it cuts across all racial, religious, cultural or other demographics in the world. Golfers are perhaps the most motivated players in any sport, jumping at the chance to hit the ball on manicured greens or burned-rock fairways and in any weather condition. This is a universal desire triggered by the uniqueness and appeal of the game.
Golf’s Golden Age and the Struggle of Black Golfers
During the “golden age” of golf in the 1920s, courses were built across the United States as demand grew exponentially. By the mid-1930s, there were approximately 5,200 courses in the United States, but only 20 allowed blacks to play. Blacks were as enamored with the game as whites, but there were few places to hit the ball properly. In the 1920s, after years of struggle, a small and completely unsuitable course for black golfers was built near the Lincoln Memorial, but within a few years the course was destroyed to make way for other development, leaving a gaping hole for black golfers as other public courses in Washington, D.C., were officially “whites only.”
The battle of black golfers
By the mid-1930s, despite having no place to play, black golfers in Washington, D.C., organized the men’s organization Royal Golf Club and the similar women’s organization the Wake Robin Golf Club. In 1937, they fought for a new public course accessible to blacks from the Department of the Interior, where Harold Ickes was secretary, and the National Park Service, which controlled all public lands in the nation’s capital. Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly became involved as an advocate for the new curriculum and brought it to her husband’s attention.
Secretary Ickes, well ahead of the racism that existed in the country, approved the project and in 1939, with support from the National Park Service, a nine-hole course was opened along the banks of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., named for John Mercer Langston (1829-1897), the first dean of Howard University School of Law and the first black man to represent Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The program became extremely popular among Washington’s black and white communities and became one of the first fully desegregated athletic institutions in the country. In 1941, members of the Royal Golf Club, proud of Langston’s success and seeking to expand playing opportunities for black golfers, tried playing at the East Potomac Golf Course, another public course in the capital. Until then, the course was open only to whites. Police were called and Ickes was asked to intervene. “I see no reason why black people should not be allowed to play on golf courses. They are taxpayers, they are citizens, and they have the same right to play golf on public courses as white people,” he said. The next day, Ickes issued a further order desegregating all public ball fields in the city. In 1955, Langston added a second nine holes, designed by William Gordon and David Gordon, making the course a full 18-hole par-72 layout, as it is today.
A Rich History of Golf Legends
Since its opening in 1939, the course has attracted the best black golfers in the country and regularly hosted tournaments on the Black Professional Tour. The PGA’s “whites only” provision prevented many prominent black golfers from participating in PGA events until it was repealed in 1961. Lee Elder, the first black golfer to compete in the Masters, was Langston’s manager and later in his career served as a professional coach. Charlie Sifford, Calvin Peete and Jim Thorpe spent time at Lansdowne, as well as many other black golfers who were eventually able to compete in PGA events. Many black sports stars and entertainers, such as Joe Louis, Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Dionne Warwick and Bill Russell, came to Lansdowne to play ball.
So am I. I’ve played at least one round in all 50 states, but never in Washington, D.C., so Langston, with its rich history and tradition, was the obvious choice. My wife and I arrived early, so we could experience the breakfast that is highly recommended by Melva’s Kitchen in the club. We were welcomed warmly by Ben Foster, the duty manager who enthusiastically explained the history of the course. The Clubhouse is a community center for anyone who wants to meet friends for a round, a meal or a game of cards, or all three. There were a lot of kids around, from youngsters participating in Langston’s excellent First Tee program to teenagers learning how to play and caddy. Langston also hosts a summer youth program that teaches kids how to get into the golf industry. Because it was the first day of the massive government shutdown that began on October 2, 2025, the tee box was packed with unemployed federal employees, including our playing partners, Carl Ashley and Matt Wasniewski. Carl is a historian for the U.S. Department of State and Matt is a historian for the House of Representatives. These guys know everything that’s going on in America, including Langston’s history, which makes this round an interesting and informative one.
The course itself, now managed by The National Links Trust and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1991, is a well-designed track but is in dire need of funding to improve almost every aspect, especially the carriage and carriage paths. The original front nine is quite different from the more rustic back nine, but both offer all the challenge any golfer needs for a fun and entertaining round. General Manager Randall Thompson and PGA Professional Tim Krebs work hard to provide the best experience for everyone preparing to play at Langston.
