Mary McLeod Bethune was a Black educator and civil rights leader who worked to improve opportunities for African American women and families. In 1935, she founded the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), an organization that brought different Black women's groups together to fight discrimination. In December 1943, Bethune and the organization purchased the house at 1318 Vermont Avenue NW in Washington, DC, and turned it into their first national headquarters. Bethune also lived in the house from 1943 to 1949. During these years, women met there to discuss problems such as racial segregation, unfair employment practices, poor housing, and unequal education. The house provided a place for African American women to organize and make their voices heard in national decisions.

The Council House remained the NCNW's headquarters until 1966. Members helped support efforts to end segregation in Washington's restaurants and theaters, improve public schools, and create better opportunities for Black workers. The house was also a gathering point for people involved in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. After a fire damaged the building in 1966, the organization moved to another location, but preservation efforts eventually saved the historic property. It reopened as a museum and archive in 1979 and became a National Historic Site in 1982. Today, the original townhouse is preserved by the National Park Service as a place to learn about African American women's contributions to civil rights. The house temporarily closed for restoration work in September 2026 and is expected to reopen in early 2027.