As part of an ongoing oral history project, the Office of Historic Alexandria is looking for people to help document the history of Black-Jewish relations in the city.
The project, a collaboration with Beth El Hebrew Congregation, will examine the social relations between the Black and Jewish communities in Alexandria during the Civil Rights era.
“Did you or someone you know experience Alexandria during the 1950s-60s as a Black and/or Jewish community member?” the Office of Historic Alexandria said in a release. “The Office of Historic Alexandria is conducting an oral history project in July 2024 surrounding Black-Jewish relations in and around the Civil Rights era (1950s-60s) in Alexandria, Virginia. Researchers are looking to interview Black and Jewish Alexandrians on their perceptions, experiences, and perspectives.”
The Office of Historic Alexandria said the relationship is under-documented, with very little recorded about the interactions and relationships between the two communities in a Southern city adjacent to Washington D.C.
According to the release:
Interested in:
- Oral history interviews about a general experience in the Alexandrian Jewish/African American community in the mid-twentieth century;
- Information, accounts, records, letters, or any other primary resources willing to share that may concern the African American community’s perception of the Jewish community or the Jewish community’s perception of the African American community;
- Perspective from African American community members who had interactions with Jewish Americans in the era, including in education, work, friendship, relationships, or otherwise;
- Perspective from Jewish community members who had interactions with African Americans in the era, including in education, work, friendship, relationships, or otherwise;
- Perspective from community members surrounding school desegregation, ADL, AJC, or ACLU activity in Alexandria/Northern Virginia
- General perspective from an African American and/or Jewish American community member who lived in Alexandria in and/or around the 1950s-60s.
Note that you do not still have to live in Alexandria to be eligible! If you believe you or someone you know may be a good candidate for an interview, please reach out!
Email Yahney-Marie Sangaré (Historic Office Intern) at oralhistorycenter@
alexandriava.gov to express interest and/or for more information. For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Nicole Quinn at historicalexandria@
alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711. If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available to you, please email LanguageAccess@
alexandriava.gov or call 703-746-3960.
