August 17–23, 2026
What's New
FEATURED EVENTS
Learning from a 1939 Library Protest
New Efforts Highlight an American Story Illuminating the Fight for Civil Rights and Access to Education
Join us this Friday, August 21, at noon ET, for a free online webinar exploring the story of the Alexandria, Virginia, library sit-in of 1939, the first recorded sit-in to demand racial integration. Hear from Audrey Davis, Director of the African American History Division of the Office of Historic Alexandria; Rose Dawson, Executive Director of the Alexandria Library; Washington Post columnist Ted Johnson; and others as they discuss the lasting legacy of this event and how digital storytelling can bring overlooked stories to life.
Thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, Historic Alexandria, New America, and Alexandria Library are partnering on a new immersive digital exhibit that will bring this important story to audiences around the world.
Want to learn more? Register for a free online webinar on Friday, August 21, at noon ET, to hear historians and museum leaders discuss the lasting legacy of this event and how digital storytelling can bring overlooked stories to life.
Alexandria Forum: Nothing But Independence
Save the Date: Friday, September 18
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Purchase Tickets in advance
The American Revolution in Virginia was more than a war – it was a Revolution of Ideas that continues today. From the creation of the Fairfax Resolves to the hometown of George Washington, Alexandria and this region played a unique role in the birth of the new nation. The Alexandria Forum, in partnership with Emerging Revolutionary War, will share the history of Alexandria and Northern Virginia during this critical time in history, showcasing how these moments in time reverberate through today. Lectures include “A Tory in Old Town, The Revolutionary War Journal of Nicholas Cresswell” by public historian Ken Bancroft, “The 25 Who Signed: Researching the Fairfax Resolves Signers” by Kerry Mitchell, Historic Site Specialist at Carlyle House Historic Park, “Prelude to Yorktown: Lafayette and the 1781 Virginia Campaign” by Dr. John Maass, Education Specialist at the National Museum of the United States Army, and "Alexandria City Hall, Market Square, and Slavery” by Greg Beaman. The Forum will end with a reception at the museum.
Upcoming Events
View the Historic Alexandria Calendar
French Book Club
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
Friday, August 21
7 p.m.
Reserve your free ticket here!
Join the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee and Old Town Books in celebrating French authors and literature! This event is designed to encourage the exploration of non-Anglophone authors and books, especially those in the French diaspora. While buying the book at Old Town Books is not required to attend, doing so helps keep their free literary programming sustainable! By attending an Old Town Books event, you are agreeing to their code of conduct.
This month's book is The Most Secret Memory of Men holds the distinction of being the 2021 winner of the Prix Goncourt, France’s top literary award. It is written by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, the Goncourt’s first Sub-Saharan African winner, and translated by Lara Vergnaud.
Pop Culture Trivia Night: Sitcom Edition
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Friday, August 21
7 p.m.
$12 / person
Tickets here
The third and final Pop Culture Trivia night at the Lee-Fendall Garden, Sitcom Trivia will tap into television of all decades and generations. Hosted by local community member, Wayne Kehoe; all are welcome. Play by yourself or put together a team, and of course, expect lots of laughs.
Each ticket includes snacks and two drink vouchers, redeemable for alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages. Outside food and non-alcoholic drinks are welcome; however, outside alcohol is not permitted. Additional beverages will be available for cash purchase only.
Trivia Night at Historic Sites
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Friday, August 21
7 p.m.
$15 per person
Purchase Tickets
Staff members at Carlyle House Historic Park combine their knowledge to create bi-weekly trivia nights throughout the summer in the beautiful gardens of the Carlyle House. The evening theme is 1970s music.
Advance registration required. Ticket includes snacks and mocktails. Teams are limited to 6 people. No outside alcohol is allowed. Limited capacity so register early!
Alexandria Pipes and Drums Summer Concert
Waterfront Park, 1A Prince Street
Friday, August 21
7:45 - 8:30 p.m.
Free
Don’t miss the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums Summer Concert ! Combining precision marching with powerful and stirring musical arrangements rooted in Scottish heritage, the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums has been captivating audiences for over 50 years. Come enjoy the unforgettable sound of bagpipes and drums echoing through Old Town Alexandria. After each performance, meet the band members, take photos, and learn what it takes to join the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums. This event is free and open to all ages. Bring your friends, family, and your love for live music in the heart of the city!
Specialty Tours: Preservation of Carlyle
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Saturday, August 22
1:30 - 3 p.m.
$8 per person
Purchase Tickets
In the 19th century, James Green made renovations to John Carlyle’s stone mansion to bring it up-to-date. When NOVA Parks purchased Carlyle House in 1970, the decision was made to bring it back to Carlyle’s 18th century mansion. Join our experts in an in depth exploration of the changes the architects made using photographs and artifacts.
Having trouble registering? Please call 703-549-2997 or email carlyle@nvrpa.org
The American Revolution and the Fate of the World Book Talk with Dr. Richard Bell
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, August 22
2 p.m.
$15 / person
Purchase Tickets
In this program, Bell traces the far-flung reverberations of the American Revolution through the lives of the people it displaced, empowered, or destroyed. Participants will encounter a Native matriarch struggling to preserve a transatlantic military alliance, a Prussian officer reinventing himself in a foreign army, and a Boston schoolteacher shipwrecked thousands of miles from home. The program offers a bold new framework for understanding the Revolutionary War not as a tidy founding moment but as a sprawling, high-stakes struggle fought on land and sea, shaped by commerce, diplomacy, propaganda, and contingency. This is the American Revolution as you’ve never seen it before: complex, global, and astonishingly relevant to the modern world.
Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland. His new book, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, published by Penguin, recently won the Journal of the American Revolution Book of the Year Award. He maintains a list of upcoming events at Richard-Bell.com.
Grown-Up Field Trip: Black History Museum
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
Sunday, August 23
1 - 2:30 p.m.
$15
Purchase Tickets (6 tickets left!)
Our popular grown-up field trip series continues with a trip to the Alexandria Black History Museum for Moss Kendrix: Reframing the Black Image.
How can stereotypes cause harm? Learn about pioneering public relations expert Moss Kendrix and how he changed the way media portrayed Black Americans. Join other adults as you explore objects and primary sources, dive into conversations, and get hands-on as you learn more about Alexandria's history.
This is part of an ongoing monthly series. After August, you can still join us for:
- Black History in Archives, Archives and Records Center, 801 S. Payne Street, Friday, September 25, 6:30 p.m.
- Sugar Trade, Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N. Union Street, Unit 327, Friday, October 9, 6:30 p.m.
Family Day with Jr. Docents
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Sundays, August 23–September 6
2-5 p.m.
Included in regular admission
Experience Gadsby's Tavern Museum through the eyes of Junior Docents--students 4th grade and older who are trained guides stationed throughout the building. These Sunday afternoons also opportunities to dive deeper into history through trivia, hands-on object stations, and a chocolate-making demonstration. Great for all ages, you'll leave inspired by this next generation of historians!
An Evening in Remembrance of Benjamin Thomas
Friday, August 28
Shiloh Baptist Church, 1401 Jaimeson Avenue
Doors open 6:30 p.m.
Program 7-8 p.m.
Free
Who’s history? Our history. Who’s rights? Our rights. When factual history is buried, people are polarized, hate groups menace commuters on the metro, and all aspects of life become uncertain, even constitutional rights. The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project invites the public to Shiloh Baptist Church for an Evening in Remembrance of Benjamin Thomas featuring a conversation with NAACP’s Myesha Braden.
The hour-long event is being held on the same day in 1899 that more than 600 people gathered at the historic Shiloh Baptist Church on Duke Street to memorialize Thomas and protest his and all lynchings. The program will also feature music by Charles E. Miller and remarks by Mayor Gaskins.
Before the program, Shiloh Baptist’s Historic sanctuary (1400 Duke Street) will be open for tours from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The Freedom House Museum, a historic site that shares the story of Alexandria’s role in the domestic slave trade at 1315 Duke Street, will also be open 5-6:30 p.m. with free admission.
Please visit Benjamin Thomas’ In Memoriam page on the ACRP website to learn more about the upcoming Aug. 28, 2026 Benjamin Thomas Remembrance Event, learn more about what happened to Thomas and see how Alexandria has remembered and memorialized him in past years.
Corks & Corridors
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
August 29, 5:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
$40 / person
Tickets Here
Begin the evening with a special guided tour of the historic house, offering a unique opportunity to explore its beautifully preserved rooms after hours in an intimate setting.
Following the tour, enjoy a guided tasting of carefully selected Prince Michel wines, led by Prince Michel staff, who will share insights into the craft behind each pour. Sip, swirl, and unwind as you discover the stories behind both the museum and the wines—making for the perfect summer evening.
Historic Happy Hours
Thursday, September 3
Ramparts Tavern & Grill, 1700 Fern Street
5-7 p.m.
Free
Join us for Historic Happy Hours as we deep dive into history in a fun setting throughout the city! Learn about tavern entertainment in the late 18th and early 19th centuries presented by Jim Holloway, Interpretive Program Coordinator. A percent of proceeds will be donated to the Office of Historic Alexandria.
Historic Alexandria Announces City Hall, Market Square, and Slavery Documentary Study
In recognition of Alexandria’s dedication and drive to saving, sharing, and studying history in Virginia, Historic Alexandria received a Commonwealth History Fund grant from the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) in February 2025 to produce an in-depth history of Alexandria’s Market Square. Dr. Greg A. Beaman conducted this major research project to better understand the history of this important and well-known space. For more than 275 years, Market Square has served as the seat of local government and a key economic hub while functioning as a space of enslavement and racial oppression. The project’s findings will inform future efforts to interpret and share the complex history of this early urban center.
The report can be found online at alexandriava.gov/go/7216. The report is accompanied by a collection of StoryMaps that tell the stories of enslaved and free Black people whose lives intersected with the square using maps and images.
If you want to learn more, or hear the author present the paper, consider attending the Alexandria Forum on Sept. 18, “Nothing But Independence”: Alexandria and the Revolutionary War at the Lyceum. Tickets are $60 per person, $40 for OHA members and students.
2026-2027 StoryKit Cohort
The Office of Historic Alexandria’s (OHA) StoryKit Program is a training program that introduces oral history methods and provides resources to a cohort of
city residents to complete oral history projects. Interested in applying to this program and want to learn more? Attend the virtual information session on Thursday, September 3, 2026 from 7-8 p.m. RSVP below to receive the link. Please note that the application portal will only be open to participants who attend the informational session. If you cannot attend this session, please contact the Alexandria Oral History Center at oralhistorycenter@alexandriava.gov.
RSVP: https://alexandriava.zoom.us/meeting/register/dCco4BbxS7KMx_ua_l_gjQ
The 2026-2027 application will open on September 7, 2026. The StoryKit program will run from November 2026 to June 30, 2027. The five-week, training program will take place every Tuesday evening from 7-9 p.m. November 10, through December 15, 2026. Following the completion of this training, participants will complete their own oral history project by June 2027. Each cohort member will receive a stipend of $1,000. Current residents of the City of Alexandria and all levels of skills and experiences are encouraged to apply.
Become a Volunteer Tour Guide at Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is about to kick-off its next Volunteer Tour Guide training. If you’re comfortable with public speaking, meeting new people, and learning the history of Alexandria and medicine, then this is for you! Training includes a required onsite orientation on Saturday, August 29, 9-11 a.m. and final onsite workshop either Saturday, October 10 or 17, 9-11 a.m. Additional information is provided via zoom training sessions Wednesday evenings in September. The training process walks volunteers through everything that’s needed to be able to lead a sample tour before the end of the year. To join this upcoming class, first complete an online application.
Volunteers lead the museum’s guided tours, offered starting at 1:15 every afternoon the museum is open. Tours require the ability to stand for 45 minutes and ascend/descend one flight of stairs. Depending on the shift, the day can include three or four tours with 15-minute breaks in between. Once volunteers pass their tour review, they commit to covering a minimum of one shift per month. Signing up for shifts is handled online, with both weekday and weekend opportunities available.
Support Historic Alexandria
Your gift fuels preservation, education, and programs that bring Alexandria’s past to life. Donations, special revenue, and grants make it possible to expand educational programs, conserve treasured collections, and support our dedicated staff. Your gift today helps preserve Alexandria’s history for generations to come.
Historic Alexandria Museum Hours
Alexandria Archaeology Museum
Tuesdays–Fridays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 –5 p.m.
Alexandria Black History Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1– 5 p.m.
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 – 5 p.m.
Fort Ward Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 – 5 p.m.
Freedom House
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 – 5 p.m.
Friendship Firehouse Museum
Saturday, September 26, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sundays through Tuesdays, 1– 5 p.m.
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
Wednesdays–Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sundays & Mondays 1 - 5 p.m.
Virginia 250 Passport
Historic Alexandria is proud to join 70 premier historic destinations across Virginia in the launch of the Virginia 250 Passport, a first-of-its-kind statewide tourism journey celebrating America’s 250th. Featured Alexandria museums include Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, and the Alexandria Black History Museum. The passport offers prizes and discounts to encourage families to explore Virginia’s rich history together. Beginning November 11, 2025, free passports will be available at major historic sites and Virginia Welcome Centers. Learn more at VirginiaHistory.org/250Passport.
New Exhibit: Stories of U.S.: Collections Capture Our History – Now open
A silver coffee pot, a family story, a business letter, or a photograph -- each provide a glimpse into the past. The Office of Historic Alexandria collects these items and memories to reflect our community and preserve the moments that define us. This exhibition, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, showcases recently acquired objects, many on view for the first time at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum. These pieces provide a powerful, tangible connection to both our local history and national story..
New Exhibit: Buglers & Brass Bands: Soldier Musicians in the Civil War - Now open
Fort Ward opened a new exhibit on May 16, 2026 that explores the essential role that music played in the daily life of the Civil War soldier, both in camp and on the battlefield. The exhibit features a variety of musical instruments and sheet music of the period from the Museum’s extensive Civil War collection. The exhibit will be on view through May 2027.
New Digital Exhibit: Alexandria Historical Society Launches New Digital History Museum
More than two centuries of Alexandria history—and thousands of years of the region’s human story—can now be explored from anywhere through the Alexandria Historical Society’s new Alexandria Digital History Museum. The free online museum, officially launched by the Society on July 28, features more than 140 stories exploring the people, places, neighborhoods, and events that have shaped Alexandria. Designed as an evolving public-history resource, the museum allows residents, visitors, students, educators, and researchers to explore Alexandria’s history from anywhere.
The museum can be visited at:
https://www.alexandriahistoricalsociety.org/digital-history-museum
Exhibit: Women in Business: We Were Always Here
Gadsby's Tavern Museum's new exhibit featuring Hannah Griffith, a female coffeehouse operator at this location, is now open! The exhibit is included in regular admission. Visitors will be able to see primary sources up close to explore how women appear (and don’t) in the historical record in the 18th century. In addition to Hannah’s story, visitors will learn about the female business owners on the block around City Hall today, highlighting how women continue to be an important part of Alexandria’s business community. All of the women-owned businesses facing City Hall are included in this exhibit—14 total owned by 17 women! The exhibit will be up through March 2027.
Exhibit: Disease and the Apothecary
Explore how epidemics like Smallpox, Yellow Fever, and Influenza shaped Alexandria’s past and how science and public health saved lives. Included with admission. Free for Alexandria residents! The new exhibit is also available online.
Exhibit: Aboard Ship with the Jack-Tars of the Union Navy
A new exhibition at Fort Ward Museum opened October 2. The exhibit focuses on the U.S. Navy during the Civil War and is being held in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Navy on October 13, 1775. The exhibition will continue through 2026. The exhibit, with pictures of select objects, is also available online.
Explore with Ease – The New Museum Mobility Guide
Historic Alexandria and the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES) have launched a colorful, easy-to-use map and guide connecting all of Alexandria’s museums via walking, biking, and transit. The guide also acts as a passport—visit every site and earn a prize! Available at museums, rec centers, public libraries, and more.
Visit our website and follow us on social media to discover new things about your hometown. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic. Admission to City of Alexandria museums is complimentary for city residents.
For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Nicole Quinn at historicalexandria@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711.
This Week in Alexandria's History
Becoming the trademark tactic of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, the first sit-in occurred well before the era of social unrest that would characterize the decade of the 1960s. Prior to the famous Woolworth counter sit-in in Greensboro, North Carolina, five courageous African-American youths staged the first deliberate and planned sit-in at the Alexandria “public” Library on August 21, 1939. On March 17, 1939, attorney Samuel Wilbert Tucker and retired Army Sergeant George Wilson walked through the doors of the segregated Queen Street Library in Alexandria, Virginia and requested an application for a library card. Library policy was to not issue library cards to persons of the colored race. Tucker passed the newly erected Alexandria library on a daily basis, yet as an African American he had to travel to the District of Columbia to have access to library facilities. Unsatisfied with the unequal access to educational facilities, Tucker decided to battle the system of Jim Crow through the courts. A lawsuit was filed in the local court to force the librarian to issue a library card to Sergeant Wilson as a taxpaying citizen of the City of Alexandria. When the case was eventually heard on January 10, 1940, the judge rejected the petition for a library card for technical reasons, but affirmed that “there were no legal grounds for refusing the plaintiff or any other bona fide citizen the use of the library.” The Virginia Public Assemblages Act of 1926 stated that both races were to be segregated within the same facility, therefore according to the law African Americans were unlawfully barred from the Alexandria Library. Within two days of the judge’s decision, two African-Americans applied for library cards. Yet they were refused by being informed that a new colored branch of the Alexandria library was under construction and that their application was under consideration. This was an obvious tactic to appease them until a separate colored branch could be opened. The colored branch was the Robinson Library, now the site of the Alexandria Black History Museum. Although this first act of defiance against the system of Jim Crow did not garner the media attention, this was the first step towards the City of Alexandria seriously considering a colored branch for its African-American citizens and facing the issue of accessibility, however unequal, for all of its citizens.
Upcoming Commission and Committee Events
Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria
- August 17 George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee (GWBCC)
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7-9 p.m. - August 19 Alexandria Archaeological Commission
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7-9 p.m. - August 24 Alexandria Sister Cities Committee (SCC)
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7-8:30 p.m. - August 31 Committee of Inquiry
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
7 p.m.