An Examination of State Violence 

Thursday, April 23, 2026
Reception at 6:30 pm, Church Hall
Program from 7- 8:15 pm
Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church
606 South Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

In Remembrance of Joseph McCoy, the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project invites the public to an evening of reflection with Dr. Rodney Sadler at Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church on April 23, 2026, 129 years after McCoy’s lynching in Alexandria.

The widely published Dr. Sadler plans to explore the historic use of violence by those invested with authority and power, with remarks titled, “Governed by Fear and Hate: The Tools of the Supremacist State.”

Rev. Dr. Sadler heads up the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he focuses on the nexus of race, faith, and politics. In addition to his writings, he hosts a national radio program called “Politics of Faith,” a series of discussions called “Dangerous Dialogues,” and he represents his district in the North Carolina State Legislature. He has a number of connections to the District and NOVA, he is a graduate of Howard University and has been a senior fellow at George Mason University’s Center for World Religion, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution.

Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church, one of the most historic Black churches in Alexandria, was the home church for the McCoy family. This will be the second time Roberts Memorial will host the Remembrance event. Parking is permitted at Demaine Funeral Home and as available on nearby streets.

Also view the earlier Memorial pages, from 2020 through 2025.

Dr. Rodney Sadler, Jr. heads up the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a widely published author and editor, his work focuses on the nexus of race, faith and politics. He hosts a weekly national radio program called the “Politics of Faith” for the People Demanding Action Network, co-hosts the “Just Talk/Talk Just” Series and is the host of “Dangerous Dialogues.” In addition to representing his district in the North Carolina Legislature, Dr. Sadler is Co-Chair of the Reimagining America Project and is one of three chairs for the North Carolina Poor People’s Campaign. He serves and has served on the boards of many national, state and community organizations that focus on civil rights and justice issues. He has also been a fellow at the George Mason University’s Center for World Religion, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution. An ordained Baptist minister, he received a BA and MDiv at Howard University, and a PhD from Duke University.

 The full account of this hate crime was methodically researched in 2020 by the 13-member Research Committee of the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project. 

The Lynching of Joseph H. McCoy, April 23, 1897

ACRP is a city-wide initiative dedicated to helping Alexandria understand its history, including incidents of racial injustice and terror, because recognizing the truth is necessary to establish a welcoming and just community for all. ACRP conducts research, education, programs, and events that remember Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas and explores the long-term impacts upon Alexandria’s African American community. 

Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas are the only two documented Alexandria lynchings so far. McCoy was lynched on April 23, 1897; two years later, Thomas was lynched on August 8, 1899.