Alexandria's Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery

Pamela Cressey talked about Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery. The cemetary served as the burial place for about 1,800 African Americans who fled to Alexandria to escape slavery during the Civil War. She talked about how black soldiers' graves were disinterred and moved to the military cemetery now known as Alexandria National Cemetery, where they still rest today. She also spoke about how civilians left in the Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery were forgotten until the late 20th century when Alexandria archaeologists discovered its location.

C-SPAN’s Local Content Vehicles (LCVs) made a stop in their “2013 LCV Cities Tour” in Alexandria, Virginia, February 15-22 to feature the history and literary life of the community. Working with the Comcast Cable local affiliate, they visited literary and historic sites where local historians, authors, and civic leaders were interviewed. close