OVER 80 YEARS OF INTEGRITY IN WASHINGTON
LITTLE ETHIOPIA'S FIRST FAMILY
Phil Dawit's family have a rich history rooted in the mountains of Ethiopia's northern most regions.
Both his maternal and paternal family lines are part of Ethiopia’s Northern Nobility - which witnessed a decline in prominence due to the rise of the Southern Aristocrats.
Phil's paternal grandfather, Kassa Bezabeh, decided to move his family [south] to Ethiopia's Capital to start a new life amidst the city’s industrialization.
Kassa's multilingual capabilities and continental network caught the attention of the United States, who extended him a job within their embassy in Addis Ababa.
In the 1940s, the United States sent Kassa to Washington, D.C. to take coursework within the School of Public Affairs. It was there that Kassa established his first footprint within the District.
Kassa began to invest his income into real assets in Addis Ababa. While building his portfolio, however, his plans were met with incalculable challenges.
In 1974, a communist military junta led a coup against the sitting emperor, Haile Selassie I. The new government seized all of Kassa's properties, leaving him with nothing.
The communist junta then began a brutal campaign of repression - modeled after the Soviet Red Terror campaigns - targeting the educated, opinionated, minorities, and the religious. The campaign, known as the Ethiopian Red Terror, claimed nearly one million lives.
Recognizing the danger to Kassa's life, the American Embassy relocated him and his family permanently to Washington D.C., making the family one of the first Ethiopian households in Washington.
Starting a new life from scratch, Kassa worked to rebuild his portfolio. His eldest son, Dawit, assisted him with day-to-day portfolio operations while also venturing into his own businesses. Successful ventures include opening the first Ethiopian themed tavern in Northwest D.C. and organizing the city's first Ethiopian concert.
In 1991, the communist government of Ethiopia fell, and a new government promising democracy took power.
As the nation began to stabilize, Kassa decided to liquidate his assets in Washington to acquire a stake in the new Ethiopia. Kassa completed the liquidation of his portfolio in 2005. His final sale was of his most significant holding - 520 Florida Ave NW - which was acquired by Howard University.
Until his death, Kassa developed and acquired various projects and businesses across Ethiopia, including: hotels, commercial floriculture facilities, luxury homes, and condos. However, due to Ethiopia’s continued political and economic instability, several ventures perished.