African American
Alexandria's African American history exemplifies the spectrum of black experience in the United States — from slavery to freedom, from freedom to equality, and from equality to integration. The award-winning "A Remarkable & Courageous Journey" tells the story of the tremendous courage and accomplishments of Alexandria's African Americans from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
Learn about Benjamin Banneker, who endured harsh conditions to help establish our nation's capital. Meet the Edmonsons, two enslaved sisters captured while making a daring run for freedom. Read about wounded United States Colored Troops who petitioned the Federal Government to allow black Civil War soldiers to be buried in the Soldier's Cemetery. Discover the five young black men who led a non-violent sit-in protest decades before the famous Greensboro, North Carolina sit-in.
