Sheriff Participates in Remembrance Ceremony for 1899 Lynching Victim
On August 8, the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) held a ceremony to honor the memory of Benjamin Thomas, a 16-year-old Black Alexandrian who was abducted from the jail and lynched on August 8, 1899. Sheriff Sean Casey was among the participants in the remembrance ceremony which began at the site of the old jail at 401 North St. Asaph Street and ended at the corner of King and South Fairfax streets.
Reverend Professor Quardricos B. Driskell of Beulah Baptist Church welcomed dozens of attendees to the ceremony at the old jail site, which is now a private home. A new historic marker was unveiled by property owner Walter Steimel, Jr., Office of Historic Alexandria Director Gretchen Bulova, and Audrey Davis who heads the African American History Division for Historic Alexandria. Sheriff’s Office staff had contributed historical information for the marker which will be permanently installed at the corner of North St. Asaph and Princess streets in the coming weeks.
After the unveiling, Sheriff Casey addressed the audience (above) and shared how Black community leaders tried to intervene and prevent Benjamin Thomas’s lynching but instead were rebuffed by the mayor and a police commander. Sheriff Casey noted that rather than consider their genuine concern and desire to help, City officials perceived it “aggressive behavior that had to be suppressed” and decided to arrest Black residents who were congregating in public places.
Sheriff Casey acknowledged that their efforts would have been considered an affront to the authority of white police officers and a threat to white supremacy. He apologized for the actions of Alexandria’s law enforcement officers who abused their power, violated public trust, and arrested the heroes who had peacefully assembled to protect Benjamin Thomas.
After Sheriff Casey’s remarks, Mahmoud Abu Koroma, a senior at Alexandria City High, delivered a powerful first-person interpretation of Benjamin Thomas, and was followed by remarks from Reverend Dr. Taft Quincey Heatley of Shiloh Baptist Church.
Audience members then joined City officials, program participants as well as members of the Thomas family in a solemn procession, led by drummer Korey London and McArthur Myers of Universal Lodge #1 who carried the wreath (below). The procession followed the six-block route that the lynch mob had taken when it dragged Benjam Thomas down cobblestone streets to the corner across from Market Square where he was murdered.
Sheriff Casey, on behalf of the City, placed the wreath at the site where Benjamin died. Then Jean Keller, Director of the Office of Human Rights, led a group acknowledgement by white attendees holding the 1899 leadership of Alexandria responsible for failing to project Benjamin Thomas and for failing to hold his assailants accountable. Reverend Heatley offered thoughtful concluding remarks before closing the program.
Read more about ACRP and Alexandria's two known racial terror lynchings of Black teens who were in law enforcement custody.