Tag: Alexandria Black history

By Olivia Anderson | [email protected] Lauren Crisler launched her new candle business, Bashford & Pitt, in April 2021. Although she had been making candles for...

By Char McCargo Bah Many African Americans in Alexandria in 1940 were gearing up for World War II. The mandatory military draft was in place....

By Char McCargo Bah In the 1940s, Corrine Idella Henry was full of life and dreams of one day marrying her military fiancé when she...

By Char McCargo Bah Many former enslaved people made their way to Alexandria during the Civil War, and some of them decided to make Alexandria...

By Char McCargo Bah Helen Lumpkins Day, an educator at Parker-Gray School and Charles Houston Elementary School between the 1930s and 1970s, was a role...

By Cody Mello-Klein | [email protected] Char McCargo Bah did not learn about Alexandria’s Black history until she was 30. “We were taking this Black history tour,...

By Char McCargo Bah Parker-Gray High School had many dedicated teachers that taught African American children from 1920 to 1965. Those teachers spent their time...

By Char McCargo Bah Lauretta Dorsey Young was the voice heard ’round the world. She became a lyric soprano opera singer, performing for two former...

By Char McCargo Bah Every time Aaron Banks sees the military or hears about it, he thinks about his own family that has served in...

By Char McCargo Bah During the Civil War, contrabands, former enslaved people, entered Union controlled areas for protection, food, shelter and clothing. They also needed...