The Lynching of Joseph McCoy, April 23, 1897
On the evening of April 22, 1897, 19-year-old Alexandrian Joseph McCoy was arrested without a warrant, dragged from his cell by a mob, and brutally lynched at the southeast corner of Cameron and Lee Streets. 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
In Memoriam
In Memoriam pages commemorate Joseph McCoy on the anniversary of his lynching.
Joseph H. McCoy
April 23, 1897
Lynched on a lamppost at Lee and Cameron Streets
Lynchings in Alexandria
Between 1877 and 1950, 99 Virginians, including at least 11 in Northern Virginia, were lynched. The lynchings were among 6.500 reported nationwide during the same period. Lynching was not a federal offense until March 29, 2022.
In Alexandria, there is documentation of the lynching of two individuals, Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas. See below for narratives of the lynchings. The City of Alexandria wishes to thank the members of the Research Committee for their more than 3,000 hours of work on the narratives.
The City of Alexandria is committed to the accurate dissemination of its history. The lynchings are recognized as a terrible chapter in Alexandria’s past. To fight injustice and keep the memory of Alexandria’s lynching victims alive, you are invited to participate in the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project.
Give to the McCoy & Thomas Memorial Scholarships
ACRP has established two scholarships to recognize and remember this City’s known lynching victims: Joseph McCoy (1897) and Benjamin Thomas (1899). We have partnered with the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria to provide a $3000 scholarship to two Alexandria City High School students in 2024. Make a donation to memorialize McCoy and Thomas for the future generations.