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Morning Notes

Published July 8, 2021 at 5:00AM

A tour guide tells a story on a hot July day in front of the Carlyle House at 121 N. Fairfax Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria man charged with storming U.S. Capitol on January 6 — “After storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, a Northern Virginia man began forming his own militia-like group in the D.C. suburbs and building up a supply of explosives under the guise of a Bible study group, according to federal prosecutors. Fi Duong, 27, appeared in court Friday and was released to home confinement pending trial, over the objections of prosecutors who sought stricter terms. According to the court record, at the time of his arrest he had several guns, including an AK-47, and the material to make 50 molotov cocktails.” [Washington Post]

Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial dedication on July 24 — “Join Historic Alexandria in honoring Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial’s inclusion in the African American Civil Rights Network (AACRN). The free dedication will include a wreath laying by the 31st Masonic District, a reading by representatives of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), and remarks by Reverend Taft Quincey Heatley. The ceremony will take place rain or shine.” [City of Alexandria]

News

Here’s how Alexandria will spend the first portion of its American Rescue Plan Act funding

By James Cullum

Published July 7, 2021 at 4:45PM

Alexandria City Hall sign (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria will spend millions on emergency financial support programs, stormwater repair, childcare and dozens of other projects as part of its first portion of American Rescue Plan Act funding.

“Now the really hard work begins,” Mayor Justin Wilson said after Council’s unanimous passage of a plan Tuesday night. “I think this is an opportunity to make some transformational investments.”

News

Alexandria wants feedback on recognizing African American gravestones at Fort Ward Park

By James Cullum

Published July 6, 2021 at 9:45AM | Updated July 6, 2021 at 10:01AM

Fort Ward (photo via Visit Alexandria)

Alexandria is looking for community feedback on the recognition and demarcation of Black cemetery areas and burial sites at Fort Ward Park.

The park at 4301 West Braddock Road, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, became an African American community after the Civil War. For more than a decade, the city has worked on identifying graves that were part of “The Fort” neighborhood, and made ground-penetrating Radar Surveys in 2009.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 2, 2021 at 5:00AM

The story behind Alexandria’s hand-me-down graduation gown — “Five outstanding T.C. Williams High School students, five prestigious universities and colleges, two on-stage graduation performances – and one graduation gown. What began as an unplanned sharing of a typically once-worn garment has become has become an Alexandria tradition.” [Alex Times]

Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial recognized by African American Civil Rights Network — “Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial is the oldest and first site in Virginia to be added to the network.” [Zebra]

News

Researchers call out shoddy craftsmanship in buried 18th century Alexandria ship

By Vernon Miles

Published June 24, 2021 at 4:45PM | Updated June 24, 2021 at 8:18PM

The discovery of the Old Town Armada was an unexpected boon to Alexandria archeologists. But impressive as it is that so much of the three ships have remained intact after centuries underground, recent archeological work has uncovered an interesting detail on one of them.

Somebody screwed up.

News

Lee-Fendall House raises over $5,000 to repair collapsed 200-year-old wall

By Vernon Miles

Published June 24, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated June 24, 2021 at 4:08PM

Damage to Lee-Fendall House Museum garden wall, via Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden

The garden wall of the historic Lee-Fendall House (614 Oronoco Street) in Old Town took a beating earlier this week, but support from the local community has helped put the wall on the road to repair.

A few days after announcing that a significant portion of the home’s wall had collapsed, the home has raised $5,005 to help boost repair efforts.

News

Alexandria openings and closures for Juneteenth

By James Cullum

Published June 17, 2021 at 2:30PM

The Contrabands and Freedmens Cemetery Memorial at 1001 S. Washington Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s history with slavery makes Juneteenth a particularly important holiday.

June 19 recognizes the emancipation of slaves in the United States, and the date is expected to soon be a federal holiday, even though Alexandria has recognized it since 2019.

News

Alexandria Black History Museum secures grant to bring city’s civil rights history online

By Vernon Miles

Published June 16, 2021 at 10:45AM

The Alexandria Black History Museum (902 Wythe Street) has just secured a substantial new grant that will help the museum digitize much of its collections.

The museum announced yesterday that it will receive a $243,356 grant from the IMLS Museum Grants for African American History and Culture. The grant will help fund digitization and interpretation for four of the museum’s archival collections.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 16, 2021 at 5:00AM

Alexandria Hospital President Dr. Rina Bansal asks residents to get vaccinated — “A healthy person can get COVID and survive, and if you have already had it, you may still have the antibodies to keep you safe for a period of time. But what about your community? It may not be readily apparent that a family member, friend or neighbor has an underlying health condition that puts them at higher risk for hospitalization or even death from COVID-19. Your choice to not be vaccinated isn’t just putting you at risk, it can impact so many others around you.” [ALXnow]

Historic Building that inspired ‘Mercy Street’ to be private residence, museum offices — “The building was converted into the Mansion House Hotel and served as a Union Hospital during the Civil War. Green and the hospital were depicted in the TV drama series “Mercy Street,” which aired on PBS from 2016-2017. NOVA Parks has owned the property since 1970, using it as office space and leasing the rest of the space to other companies. In 2019, NOVA Parks announced that it was marketing the sale or lease of the building.” [Alexandria Living]

News

Alexandria Black History Museum partners with a cappella group for Juneteenth Celebration

By Vernon Miles

Published June 14, 2021 at 10:45AM

Washington Revels Jubilee Voices (Courtesy Washington Revels Jubilee Voices)

The Alexandria Black History Museum is partnering with Washington Revels Jubilee Voices — a group that preserves local Black traditions through a cappella music, dramatic performances and dance — for a virtual Juneteenth Celebration this weekend.

Juneteenth is a holiday that marks date that slavery was fully abolished in the United States. A virtual program called “Our People: A Juneteenth Story” will premiere on Saturday, June 19, and will include footage of Washington Revels Jubilee Voices at historically significant sites throughout Alexandria presented by the Black History Museum.

News

Virginia Theological Seminary is making reparation payments to slavery descendants

By Vernon Miles

Published June 2, 2021 at 9:30AM

Virginia Theological Seminary (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Virginia Theological Seminary’s (VTS) ongoing effort to pay $1.7 million in reparations to the descendants of those enslaved at the school was highlighted this week in the New York Times.

The reparations program was launched in 2019, but the school started to issue payments to more than a dozen families in February.