The tenth anniversary of the dedication of the Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial, 1001 S. Washington St. will be celebrated Sept. 6 and 7, 2024. This year’s remembrance will honor the late Lillie Finklea and her work with her friend Louise Massoud to create the Friends of Freedmen’s Cemetery.

The memorial honors the hundreds of African Americans who died in Alexandria during the Civil War. Many were refugees from bondage in Maryland and Virginia, who were seeking protection under Union soldiers. In the early years of the Civil War, those who escaped to freedom in areas under Union control were called contrabands. Originating from the term “contraband of war,” this protected their refugee status and prevented their return to the Confederacy.

The site of the memorial, Freedmen’s Cemetery, was established by Union military authorities in 1864 in response to a health and humanitarian crisis in Alexandria. More than 1,700 freed and formerly enslaved African Americans were buried in the cemetery during and just after the war. The cemetery fell into disrepair and nearly faded from memory before being restored and rededicated in 2007. 

The Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial opened in 2014 on the site of the cemetery, to honor the memory of the Freedmen, the hardships they faced, and their contributions to Alexandria. 

Saturday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m. Candlelight vigil and wreath laying at Freedmen’s Cemetery, Free and open to the public
Shuttle service from Lee Center starting at 7:30 pm.

Friday, Sept. 6, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Bus Tour of Pre-Civil Era Historic African American Churches and Sites of Alexandria
Visit historic African American churches in downtown Alexandria that grew and flourished before and during the Civil War, learning their stories from the congregations. This tour which begins and ends at the Alexandria Black History Museum will also drive by other important African American sites. Box lunch will be provided. Cost is $50 per person. Tickets online. https://shop.alexandriava.gov/Events.aspx

Saturday, September 7 
•    12 p.m.: 10th Anniversary Luncheon
Celebrate and commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial over an outstanding lunch with speakers honoring the preservation of African American history. The keynote speaker for the luncheon is Pastor Michelle Thomas, a leading figure in Loudoun County for her work with the NAACP, uncovering her area’s lynching history and her preservation of historic Black Cemeteries. Held at the award-winning Hotel AKA. Cost is $75 per person. Tickets online https://shop.alexandriava.gov/Events.aspx

•    3-5 p.m.: Bus Tour to Arlington House
Over the 60 years leading up to the Civil War, Arlington House was home to at least 100 enslaved African Americans who lived and labored on the estate. Enslaved people at Arlington House lived difficult lives of forced labor. However, they found small ways to resist, in addition to building families and close connections with each other. The National Park Service interprets the history of the Lee and Custis families and the stories of those enslaved by them, including the Syphax, Burke, Parks, Branham, and Gray families, to present a more complete story of life at Arlington House. 

Presentation and discussion will be led by Steve Hammond, Genealogist, Family Historian, and Syphax descendant and National Park Service guides. This event begins and ends at the Hotel AKA. Cost is $50 per person. https://shop.alexandriava.gov/Events.aspx

This event requires some walking. Hour tour will be self-guided.