[Plaque on the left side of the entrance:]
From the establishment of Alexandria in 1749 to the present time, African Americans have been a vibrant part of this city's history. The City of Alexandria would not exist in its present form were it not for the economic, social, and cultural contributions of African Americans both slave and free. As Alexandria developed in the 19th century, African Americans began to establish enclaves with distinctive names and characteristics. Many of these areas such as: The Berg, The Bottoms, Cross Canal, Hayti, The Hump, Sunnyside, and Uptown survive today and retain historical significance for African Americans currently living in Alexandria. From these original African American neighborhoods a sense of community developed, which let to the creation of churches, schools, civic and social organizations. these memorial sculptures in this park highlight people and institutions important to Alexandria's African American heritage.
The land for this memorial is of special significance. In 1885 this parcel of land was purchased by the Black Baptist Cemetery Association and a number of grave sites remain here. Hooff's Run, which runs through this site provided access to the Potomac River and the town of Alexandria for a variety of traders and retailers. By the middle of the 19th century,
railroads provided a new transportation system. Established about 1851, the first railroad in this vicinity was the Orange and Alexandria which passed through this land on its way from the town center to more western ports of Virginia.
The Norfolk Southern Corporation has set aside this land as a memorial to recognize and celebrate and commemorate African American contributions to the Alexandria community. The Alexandria African American Heritage Park, a gift to the City from the Norfolk Southern Corporation, will contribute to the rich cultural heritage of Alexandria. The history and accomplishments of African American leaders will stimulate young people to develop esteem, hope, determination and pride in themselves. The memorial park coexists with the original landscape of the cemetery and preserves the interesting and varied plant life on this site. The design creates an atmosphere suitable for nature walks or meditation.
[Plaque on the right side of the entrance:]
Truths That Rise From The Roots — Remembered
We bury more than our bodies at rest
Deep within the forgiving soil
We bury as well our struggles and triumphs
Our dreams, our legends, our revelry, our toil
Here is where we enshrine our wisdom
To be joined with that of our yesteryears
And here is where our tomorrows
are planted
As lessons learned against future fears
The artistic works incorporated into this Memorial/Park offer symbolic testament to the efforts and accomplishments of a great many local individuals, institutions and organizations both past and present. The names and images etched upon these forms, as acknowledgment of but some of those who have 'passed this way before', represent the foundation, the builders, the source and substance of this historic and vibrant community. As a context in which history and art are joined this public-art setting serves as a cultural marker — a communal space in which the sons and daughters of the here and now celebrate and honor the heroes of their past.
Jerome B. Meadows
Artist
Zoe Briscoe — Research, Technical Assistant
Park Design — EDAW
[Etching to the right of the plaque:]
Odd Fellows, 1869
Magnus Temple — 3, 1869
Lincoln Lodge — 11, 1875
Universal Lodge — 1, 1895
Aaron McKinney
Rev. Samuel M. Johnson
[Sculpture on the east side of the park:]
African-American Neighborhoods
Hayti
Uptown
The Hump
The Bottoms
The Berg or Fishtown
Across the Canal (Cross Canal)
[Sculpture on the west side of the park:]
Black Baptist
Cemetery Association 1885
From the past they speak,
in varied voice and
familiar faces
Mary Rome
Matilda Gaines
Sarah Hunter
Abraham Hunter
Julia Ann Washington
[Pillar nearest to the sculpture, left side:]
Education
Alexandria Academy
Washington Free School
Mt. Hope Academy 1837-1843
Alfred Perry
Sylvia Morris
Lancasterian School
Society of Friends
American Baptist Free Mission Society
Mary Chase 1861
Saint Robe Institute 1881
Jane A. Crouch
Miss Sarah Gray
First Select Colored School 1862
Rev. and Mrs. Robinson
Rev. G.W. Parker
Amanda Borden
The First Free Colored Mission Day School 1863
Union Town School 1863
Nancy Williams
The Primary School 1863
William K. Harris
Richard H. Lyles
Newtown School 1863
Anna Bell Davis
Leannah Powell
The Sickles Barricks School 1863
The Jacobs Free School 1864
Louisa Jacobs
Harriet Jacobs
Miss S.Y. Lawton
Miss E.M. Lawton<
First National Freedmen's School 1864
Harriet Byron Douglass
1864
Second National Freedmen's School
Rev. M.F. Sluby
Laura Phenix
Miss M.F. Simms
Mary M. Nickens
The Washington St. School
Miss L.V. Lewis
[Pillar nearest to the sculpture, right side:]
Education
Pennsylvania Freedmen's Relief Association 1865
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Gustavus Lumpkins 1867
First Free School Society of Alexandria
George Seaton
George W. Bryant
Anthony L. Perpener
Hannibal King
James Piper
George P. Douglas
John H. Davis
Samuel W. Madden
J. Mck. Ware
Charles Watson
George W. Parker
Rev. Clem Robinson
George W. Sims
Snowden School for Boys
William F. Powell
Carrie Claggett
John Parker
Patrick H. Lumpkins
Hallowell School for Girls
Matilda A. Madden
Parker-Gray School 1920
Henry T. White
Laura Dorsey
Susie P. Madden
Margaret T. Young
Sarah D. Gray
Harriet Thornton
James B. Howard
Rozier D. Lyles
Mamie E. Anderson
Rev. A.W. Adkins
Wesley Elam
William Pitts
Ferris Holland
Louis Johnson
Edward L. Patterson
John T. Butler
Lyles-Crouch
Elementary School
Julia Pritchett
Seminary School
Geraldine Stevenson
St. Joseph's Catholic School
The Oblate Sisters of Providence
Sister Mary John Bearchmann
Sister Mary Eusebius
Charles Houston Elementary School
Helen L. Davis
Martha Millier-Kindergarten
Saretta N. Cope-Kindergarten
[Second pillar from the sculpture, left side:]
Religion
Alfred Street Baptist Church 1801
Jesse Henderson
Evans Williams
Daniel Taylor
Rev. Samuel Madden
Rev. Alexander A. Truatt
Rev. Andrew W. Adkins
"Old Zion" Methodist Church 1832
Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church 1832
James Harper
Francis Hoy
James Evans
Philip Hamilton
Simon Turley
Rev. James Thomas
Rev. Robert H. Robinson
Rev. James Howard
Beulah Baptist Church 1863
Rev. Clem Robinson
Zion Baptist Church 1864
Rev. Robert Woodson, Pastor
Shiloh Baptist Church 1865
Rev. Charles H. Rodgers
Rev. Leland Warring
Second Baptist Church
Third Baptist Church 1865
Rev. Samuel Stewart
Rev. Samuel Ross
Meade Memorial Espiscopal Church 1869
Rev. J.W.M. Powell
Canon John G. Davis
Ebenezer Baptist 1880
Rev. Field Cooke
Rev. L. Henry Bailey
Rev. W. Howard Stanton
Rev. N.B. Hargraves
Rev. Austin A. Booker
Good Shepard Episcopal Chapel 1880
St. Cyprian's Episcopal Mission
[Second pillar from the sculpture, right side:]
Religion
Mt. Jezreel 1890
Rev. Coleman
Rev. O.L. Miles
Oakland Baptist Church 1891
Rev. E.R. Jackson
Clara Adams
William Carpenter
Brook Johnson
William Jerrell
John W. Casey
Maggie Hall
Smith Wahler
Daniel Simms, Jr.
Nancy Shepherd
Harriet Short
Matilda Woods
Mollie Nelson
St. Joseph's Catholic Church 1915
Thomas Blair
Katie Bowman
Carrie Crouch
John Johnson
John Parker
Tabernacle of God and Saints of Christ 1921
St. John's Baptist Church 1926
Rev. and Mrs. J.G. West
Deacon David Askew
Deacon Raymond
Deacon Holmes
Bethel Presbyterian Church
Community Presbyterian Church 1928
Rev. Richard B. Strong
United House of Prayer
Russell Temple C.M.E. 1941
Alleyne AME Zion Church 1949
Rev. Frederick Douglass Williams
Rev. Grayson Kelch
[Third pillar from the sculpture, left side:]
Civic
Thomas Fuller - 1789
Bejamin Banneker - 1791
William Goddard
Dominick Bearcroft
Alexander Bryan - 1833
Mary Savoy - 1839
David Jarbour
H. Dulany - 1850
Mary Cole
John Williams
Moses Hepburn
John Hepburn
Henry Anderson
Charles Watson
George Seaton
John Seaton
Nellie Whiting
Magnus L. Robinson
Norman B. Pinn
Freeman N.M. Murray
The Home News, 1900
Edmund Hill
W. Walter Jackson
Murray Brothers Printers, 1903
Raymond H. Murray
F. Morris Murray
Norman D. Murray
Miss. Susie B. Buckner
Florence Murray
Lewis Smith
Samuel A. Tucker
L.H. Williams
Alexandria Home Bakery
John W. Jackson
Margaret Evans
Washington Jackson
Thomas Arrington
Laura Watson
Harriet Ware
[Third pillar from the sculpture, right side:]
Civic
Professor T.E. Dulany
C. William Gray
W.C. Arnold
Lloyd Lewis
Richard N. Poole
Henry Brooks
Mrs. Mattie Brooks
Mrs. Katie Skinner
Mrs. Lorraine Funn Atkins
Mrs. Annie B. Rose
Mrs. Connie Chissell
George Gaddis
Arthur Bracey
Library Sit-In - 1939
B. Wilbert Tucker
Morris Murray
Edward Gaddis
Clarence "Buck" Strange
Sgt. George Watson
Doctors
Albert Johnson - 1892
J. Milton Hopkins - c. 1894
Frederick P. barrier - c. 1917
Oswald Durant
Henry Ladrey
C. Aubrey Lindo
Abe Penn
Paul Piper
Charles West
Herbert G. Chissell
James Carpenter
Newman C. Taylor
Frederick Perry
W. Lee Harris
Elijah E. Lacey
T. Bernard Blue
William Skinner
Lawyers
James Webster
Thomas Watson
William Macmurray
J. Byron Hopkins
Alfred Collins
Judge Joseph Waddy
James Raby
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