Freedom House Museum
Freedom House Museum
1315 Duke Street
The Freedom House Museum is what remains of a large complex dedicated to trafficking thousands of Black men, women, and children from 1828 - 1861. Slavery, race-based laws, and racial terror erased and diminished African American history and contributions from the national narrative. This Museum seeks to reframe white supremacist history.
This Museum honors the lives and experiences of the enslaved and free Black people who lived in and were trafficked through Alexandria. We invite you to visit the museum to learn, reflect, and advocate for change.
The Museum is part of the African American History Division. This division, formed in 2023, will ensure the continued inclusion of Black History in City museums and public programming, as well as advancing the City’s goal of building a welcoming community through equity and inclusion.
Searching for Truth in the Garden
Gonzaga High School's groundbreaking research on slavery, "Searching for Truth in the Garden," finds new life at the Freedom House Museum. This traveling exhibition, on view through April 15, 2024, delves into the life of Gabriel, a teenager enslaved at Washington Seminary (now Gonzaga) in 1829. Gabriel's story offers a poignant lens through which to examine the complexities of slavery and its lasting impact.
Inspired by a visit from Georgetown's Adam Rothman, seven Gonzaga students unearthed this hidden history during summers 2017-18. Their research, originally showcased at Gonzaga and Ford's Theatre, now finds a fitting home at the Freedom House, sparking crucial conversations about race and historical reckoning.
About the Museum
History and Preservation
More Information
Contact the Museum
Freedom House Museum
1315 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703.746.4702
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