In 1991, Queen Elizabeth II dared to visit a high-crime area -- and got a hug

WASHINGTON (WJLA) — In May 1991, Queen Elizabeth II visited the “hood” in Washington, D.C. She visited Drake Place — one of the deadliest areas of the city when the homicide rate was more than twice what it is today.

It was decided she would walk along the block and stop to say "hello" to a resident: Alice Frazier.

Frazier was a known hugger and so it became a subject of international discussion whether Frazier could hug the queen. She did and it was an image seen around the world.

The queen was escorted through the neighborhood by then-first lady Barbara Bush and DC’s newly elected mayor, Sharon Pratt. They made several stops in Black Washington so the queen could also see a basketball game and a Double Dutch jump rope competition.

After her visit, the council member for that area, HR Crawford, got the council to change the name of the street from Drake Place to Queen's Stroll. Crawford said it described how she walked and her elegance.

Crawford, as well as Frazier, and now the queen are deceased. But it was a special day for the people who lived in that block. WJLA found only one resident of the block today who was there then, Ethel Strothers. She remembers being “in awe.”

If you travel along the street today, there are many new houses. Both Queen’s Stroll and Drake Place signs are up.

Lynn Washington, who now owns the home Queen Elizabeth visited, said she had heard stories the monarch had been there, but she didn’t believe it until she saw a WJLA camera at her place this week.