Dear ACRP Advocates,
Happy Holidays from the Steering Committee of the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project. This past year marks the fifth since more than 400 Alexandrians showed up at the Charles Houston Recreation Center to answer the Equal Justice Initiative’s call to learn the truth about the lynchings of Joseph McCoy (1897) and Benjamin Thomas (1899). EJI challenged us to see how these two racialized extrajudicial murders were part of a historic pattern of injustice that continues to this day.
Over these past five years, we have sought the truth about Alexandria’s past with a monthly newsletter, speakers, and meaningful and courageous conversations. We have recognized the role of Alexandria in the deaths of Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas with ceremonies, proclamations, and attempts to correct the historic record with markers, writings and a documentary film. We invested in bringing the city’s youth with us on this journey and have been repaid many times over as they shared their reflections, experiences and hope with us. And yet, we are only at the beginning of this effort to make Alexandria a place of belonging for all.
We hope that you will continue with us as we dig into our past to inform the present and future over this next year. We have plans for some important new projects, but also want to keep producing new takes on our history in the newsletter, remembering Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas with scholarships in their names for two of Alexandria’s graduating seniors, exploring ways to make Alexandria more just and inclusive, and providing opportunities for personal change. Your participation is what makes this journey worthwhile.
If you and your family practice end-of-year giving, we hope you will consider a financial contribution to ACRP to support our work, or to the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria as we try to build an endowment to perpetuate scholarships in Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas’ names. Please keep an eye out for our December newsletter which will take a deep dive into an aspect of Alexandria’s past. We look forward to seeing each of you in 2025!
Sincerely,
Gretchen Bulova & Audrey Davis
Co-Chairs of ACRP
Save the Dates
January 15, 2025, 52nd Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Program at the George Washington Masonic Memorial. Reception 5:30 to 6:20 p.m. Program 6:30 to 8 p.m.
January 18, 2025, Tables of Conscience Dinner to raise money for this year’s McCoy and Thomas Scholarships.
Wednesday, April 23, Robert P. Jones will speak in Remembrance of Joseph McCoy at Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church.
Alexandria Community Remembrance Project
The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) is a city-wide initiative dedicated to helping Alexandria understand its history of racial terror hate crimes and to work toward creating a welcoming community bound by equity and inclusion.
In Memoriam
Write "ACRP" in Comments on the donation form.
Office of Historic Alexandria
City of Alexandria, Virginia
ACRP@alexandriava.gov