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City of Alexandria, VA

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  • Live

    Make the most of Alexandria's outstanding quality of life with information and services of interest to residents.

    • Be Prepared

      Are you ready? Find resources and information to help residents, businesses and visitors to prepare for all types of emergencies, and to stay safe.

      • Flooding Preparedness
      • Snow and Ice Control
      • Hurricane Preparedness
      • Emergency Preparedness
      • Public Health Emergency
    • Community Life

      Learn more about pets and animals, schools and libraries, parks and farmers' markets, community gardens, and more.

      • Community Gardens
      • Farmers' Markets
      • Parks
      • Pets
      • Recreation
    • Get Involved

      There are many opportunities to get involved to help better the City of Alexandria. Opportunities include serving on a Board, Commission or Committee, providing input on a new City project or speaking at a City Council meeting.

      • Boards and Commissions
      • Civic Engagement Policy
      • City Academies
      • Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
      • Speak at a Meeting
      • Volunteering
    • Getting Around

      Information on how to get to and through the City of Alexandria, including walking, biking, bus, rail, air, ridesharing, and more.

      • Bicycling in Alexandria
      • Bus and Rail
      • King Street Trolley
      • Parking in Alexandria
      • Street Maps
      • Taxis
      • Water Taxis
    • Historic Preservation

      Historic Alexandria is a treasure trove of early structures, artifacts, and records that creates a unique way of life for its citizens and provides enjoyment for thousands of people who visit this special community every year. The City continues to add resources to its collection of local and nationally designated historic districts.

      • Alexandria History
      • Board of Architectural Review
      • Historic Alexandria
      • Historic Districts
    • Licenses & Permits

      Find out whether a permit is required, the type of permit needed, fees involved, and what requirements are necessary for the activity you want to engage in Alexandria.

      • Building & Construction
      • Business Licenses
      • Health Permits
      • Marriage Licenses
      • Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
    • Parking

      Information about parking in the City of Alexandria, including parking options, enforcement, districts and permits.

      • Contest a Parking Ticket
      • Guest Parking Permits
      • Parking Permits
      • Parking Studies
      • Parking in Old Town
      • Pay a Parking Ticket
    • Public Health & Wellness

      Alexandria is committed to ensuring our residents thrive through physical, mental, and social health.

      • Aging & Adult Services
      • Domestic Violence
      • Environmental Health
      • Environmental Quality
      • Health Department
      • Health Clinics
      • Sexual Assault
      • Substance Abuse Prevention
      • Substance Abuse Services
      • Teen Pregnancy Prevention
      • Teen Wellness Center
      • Women's Initiatives
    • Public Safety & Courts

      Agencies and programs that help maintain our safety and overall quality of life. These links contain information about the City of Alexandria's law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations, courts and judicial system.

      • Fire Department
      • Police Department
      • Sheriff's Office
      • Circuit Court
      • Clerk of Circuit Court
      • General District Court
      • J&DR Court
      • Court Service Unit
    • Public Works

      Learn more about how the City maintains streets, sidewalks, bridges, and other infrastructure in the City.

      • Bridge Maintenance
      • Paving and Potholes
      • Sewer Maintenance
      • Street Sweeping
    • Real Estate & Taxes

      The City collects car and real estate taxes, maintains tax relief programs and assesses property values. Taxes can be paid in a variety of ways including online, by phone and by mail.

      • Payments
      • Personal Property/Car Tax
      • Real Estate Assessments
      • Real Estate Tax
      • Tax Guide
      • Tax Relief
    • Schools & Libraries

      Did you know that ACPS is one of the most diverse school systems in the country? Our students come from more than 80 different countries, speak more than 60 languages, and represent a myriad of ethnic and cultural groups. The Alexandria Library is an educational, user-oriented service institution providing free public access to recorded knowledge and ideas.

      • Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)
      • Alexandria Library
      • Child Care
      • Higher Learning
      • Out of School Time Programs
    • Social Services

      The City provides public assistance as a safety net for individuals and families, including help with homelessness prevention, food, rent, utilities, medical coverage and prescriptions, job training and placement assistance, and much more.

      • Aging & Adult Services
      • Child Care Assistance
      • Homeless Services
      • Housing Resources
      • Mentoring Programs
      • Military & Veteran Services
    • Trash & Recycling

      Find information on the City's refuse, recycling and yard waste collection programs.

      • Recycling
      • Refuse Collection
      • Yard Waste
    • Utilities

      The City of Alexandria does not operate any public utilities. The following companies are the primary providers of their respective service:

      • Cable TV (Comcast / Xfinity)
      • Drinking Water (Virginia American Water)
      • Electricity (Dominion Energy)
      • Natural Gas (Washington Gas)
      • Sewage/Water Treatment (Alex Renew)
      • Wired Telephone (Verizon)
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  • Play

    Whether you live here or are just visiting, Alexandria is a great place to shop, dine, take in the arts, get outdoors, and just have fun.

    • About Alexandria

      If you are looking for small-town charm and big-city amenities, Alexandria is the place to find them. Alexandria has a fascinating history, and many of its historic buildings are still preserved today. The City's many historic homes, churches, businesses, and museums allow residents and visitors alike to experience the past that makes it the charming town it is today.

      • Alexandria's History
      • Demographics & Statistics
      • Maps & GIS
      • Visit Alexandria
    • Arts & Culture

      Through engaging the community, encouraging participation, and facilitating access to arts and culture, the City builds a vibrant community for its residents, workers, and visitors.

      • City Concerts
      • City Events
      • Historic Property Rentals
      • Museums & Historic Sites
      • Office of Historic Alexandria
      • Office of the Arts
    • Entertainment

      Find events and activities, shops and restaurants, concerts and performances, arts and culture, historic attractions, parks and libraries, farmers' markets, and more.

      • City Concerts
      • City Events
      • Office of the Arts
      • Visit Alexandria: Things to Do
    • Getting Around

      Information on how to get to and through the City of Alexandria, including walking, biking, bus, rail, air, ridesharing, and more.

      • Bicycling in Alexandria
      • Bus & Rail
      • King Street Trolley
      • Parking in Alexandria
      • Street Maps
      • Taxis
      • Water Taxis
    • Museums & Historic Sites

      Alexandria is a desirable location to live, work and play. The City owns many of the premier historic sites in Alexandria and it is charged with the conservation, interpretation and promotion of these links to the past.

      • City Museums
      • Historic Sites & Attractions
      • Office of Historic Alexandria
    • Parks & Recreation

      Alexandria is an active community that offers more than 900 acres of parks and dedicated public space, and a wide variety of neighborhood and recreation centers, pools, dog parks, farmers' markets, waterfront activities and more.

      • Classes & Camps
      • Dog Parks
      • Facility & Park Rentals
      • Farmers' Markets
      • Marina & Waterfront Parks
      • ParkLink Interactive Map
      • Parks & Trails
      • Pools & Aquatics
      • Recreation Centers
      • Sports Leagues & Programs
    • Visit Alexandria

      Information about visiting Alexandria, including shopping, dining, attractions, accommodations, events listings and more. Plan your visit with an itinerary builder, interactive maps, hotel booking, online restaurant reservations and much more.

      • Group Tours
      • Meet in Alexandria
      • Plan Your Visit
      • Trip Planning Assistance
      • Visitor Center
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  • Services

    We are here to serve you. Browse the topics to the right to learn more about the programs and services we offer.

    • Alex311

      Connect with professional and knowledgeable staff for City service and information requests from every City department.

      • Missed Collection
      • Parking
      • Potholes
      • Street Cleaning
      • Trash & Recycling Containers
      • Trees
      • Yard Waste / Bulky Items Pickup
    • Animals

      What you need to know about animals, pets and wildlife in Alexandria.

      • Animal Adoption
      • Animal Control
      • Dog Parks
    • Buildings & Construction

      The City provides services to residents, businesses, contractors, and visitors needing permits for constructions and other developments.

      • Building Codes
      • City Code
      • Code Administration
      • Green Building
      • Land Use & Zoning
      • Permit Center
      • Permits & Land Use Applications
    • Environment

      "Green" initiatives, air quality, noise, water conservation, mosquito and rodent control.

      • Air Quality
      • Clean Waterways
      • Climate Change
      • Eco-City Alexandria
      • Green Building
      • Mosquito Control
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      • Rodent Control
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    • Jobs
      • City Government Jobs
      • Alexandria City Public Schools
      • Job Search Assistance (Workforce Development Center)
      • Collective Bargaining
    • Maps & GIS

      Geographic Information Systems (GIS) centrally manages, shares and analyzes information about locations through specialized mapping technology. This information increases transparency, improves many City technology applications and provides critical data to decision makers and the public.

      • Interactive Maps
      • Open Data
      • Standard Maps
    • Parks & Recreation

      Alexandria is an active community that offers more than 900 acres of parks and dedicated public space, and a wide variety of neighborhood and recreation centers, pools, dog parks, farmers' markets, waterfront activities and more.

      • Classes & Camps
      • Dog Parks
      • Facility & Park Rentals
      • Farmers' Markets
      • Marina & Waterfront
      • Parks & Trails
      • Pools & Aquatics
      • Recreation Centers
      • Sports Leagues & Programs
    • Property & Housing

      The City administers various housing-related programs and services.

      • Housing Master Plan
      • Landlord & Property Manager Resources
      • Maps & GIS
      • Office of Housing
      • Parcel Viewer
      • Real Estate Assessments
    • Public Health & Wellness

      Alexandria is committed to ensuring our residents thrive through physical, mental, and social health.

      • Aging & Adult Services
      • Emergency Mental Health Services
      • Environmental Health
      • Environmental Quality
      • Health Department
      • Health Clinics
      • Sexual and Domestic Violence Services
      • Substance Abuse Services
      • Teen Pregnancy Prevention
      • Teen Wellness Center
      • Women's Initiatives
    • Public Safety & Courts

      Agencies and programs that help maintain our safety and overall quality of life. These links contain information about the City of Alexandria's law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations, courts and judicial system.

      • Fire Department
      • Police Department
      • Sheriff's Office
      • Circuit Court
      • Clerk of Circuit Court
      • General District Court
      • J&DR Court
      • Court Service Unit
    • Public Works

      Learn more about how the City maintains streets, sidewalks, bridges, and other infrastructure in the City.

      • Bridge Maintenance
      • Paving & Potholes
      • Sewer Maintenance
      • Street Sweeping
    • Real Estate & Taxes

      The City collects car and real estate taxes, maintains tax relief programs and assesses property values. Taxes can be paid in a variety of ways including online, by phone and by mail.

      • Payments
      • Personal Property/Car Tax
      • Real Estate Assessments
      • Real Estate Tax
      • Tax Guide
      • Tax Relief
    • Social Services

      The City provides public assistance as a safety net for individuals and families, including help with homelessness prevention, food, rent, utilities, medical coverage and prescriptions, job training and placement assistance, and much more.

      • Aging & Adult Services
      • Child Care
      • Children & Families
      • Discrimination & Disabilities
      • Gang & Youth Violence Prevention
      • Homeless Services
      • Housing Assistance
      • Human Rights
      • Job Search Assistance (Workforce Development Center)
      • Mentoring Programs
      • Military & Veteran Services
    • Trash & Recycling

      Find information on the City's refuse, recycling and yard waste collection programs.

      • Recycling
      • Refuse Collection
      • Yard Waste
    • Transportation

      Information on how to get to and through the City of Alexandria, including walking, biking, bus, rail, air, ridesharing, and more.

      • Bicycling in Alexandria
      • Bus & Rail
      • King Street Trolley
      • Parking in Alexandria
      • Street Maps
      • Taxis
      • Transportation Planning
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  • Business

    Ideally located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., Alexandria is nationally recognized as one of the best places to live and do business on the east coast. Learn how we can help you start or relocate your business in Alexandria, and access resources for existing businesses and commuters.

    • Business Resources

      The City provides services and resources to help existing businesses expand within the City and promotes recruiting new businesses in Alexandria.

      • Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP)
      • Alexandria Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
      • BIPOC Small Business Program
      • Doing Business with the City
      • New Business Guide
      • Public-Private Partnerships
    • Jobs

      Alexandria offers wide range of job opportunities and services. Work for City government or City Public Schools, find out about an internship opportunity or learn about workforce development and career training options.

      • City Government Jobs
      • Job Search Assistance (Workforce Development Center)
      • Collective Bargaining
    • Licenses & Permits

      Find out whether a permit is required, the type of permit needed, fees involved, and what requirements are necessary for the activity you want to engage in Alexandria.

      • APEX Permitting & Land Use System
      • Business Licenses
      • Business Outdoor Program & Permits
      • Health Permits
      • Permit Center
      • Zoning Information
    • Real Estate & Taxes

      The City collects car and real estate taxes, maintains tax relief programs and assesses property values. Taxes can be paid in a variety of ways including online, by phone and by mail.

      • Business License Tax
      • Business Personal Property Tax
      • Lodging Tax
      • Meal Tax
      • Payments
      • Real Estate Assessment Search
      • Real Estate Assessments
      • Sales Tax
    • Transportation

      Information on how to get to and through the City of Alexandria, including walking, biking, bus, rail, air, ridesharing, and more.

      • Getting Around
      • Vehicle Registration
      • GO Alex Commuter Resources
      • Parking in Alexandria
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  • Government

    Learn more about Alexandria's accountable, effective, and well-managed government.

    • City Council

      The Alexandria City Council is composed of a Mayor and six Council members who are elected at-large for three-year terms. The Mayor, who is chosen on a separate ballot, presides over meetings of the Council and serves as the ceremonial head of government.

      • City Council Calendar
      • Communicate with City Council
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      • Meeting Dockets & Video
      • Speak at a Meeting
    • Boards & Commissions

      The City of Alexandria has a strong commitment to citizen participation as evidenced by the number of citizen boards and commissions established by City Council. These bodies compose a formal system through which citizens can advise City Council on all major issues affecting the City.

      • Meeting Dockets & Video
      • Apply for a Board or Commission
      • Boards & Commission Calendar
      • Boards & Commission Vacancies
      • Board of Architectural Review
      • Board of Zoning Appeals
      • Planning Commission
      • Park & Recreation Commission
      • Transportation Commission
    • Departments & Agencies

      View a list of City departments, offices and other agencies, and learn about their role in the organization.

      • City Government Departments & Offices
      • Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
      • Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
      • Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)
      • Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP)
      • Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA)
      • Alexandria Transit Company (DASH)
      • Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA)
      • Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
      • Visit Alexandria (Official Tourism Site)
    • Public Safety & Courts

      Information about the City of Alexandria's law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations, courts and judicial system.

      • Police Department
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      • Courts
      • Office of Emergency Management
      • Emergency & Customer Communications
      • Community Policing Review Board
    • Elected Officials

      Alexandria voters elect a Mayor and City Council and three local officers, as well as state and federal representatives.

      • City Council
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      • Commonwealth's Attorney
      • Sheriff
      • Voting in Alexandria
    • Get Involved

      There are many opportunities to get involved to help better the City of Alexandria. Opportunities include serving on a Board, Commission or Committee, providing input on a new City project or speaking at a City Council meeting.

      • Boards & Commissions
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      • Civic Engagement Policy
      • Speak at a Meeting
      • Volunteering
    • Transparency

      The City government acts with integrity in an open process, and provides timely access to clear, trustworthy information, presented and employed by all parties from the beginning to the end of the process, including the reasoning that leads to and supports the policy conclusion.

      • Operating Budget & Capital Improvement Program
      • Meeting Dockets & Video
      • Performance Analytics
      • Alexandria's Strategic Plan
      • Race & Social Equity
      • Community Policing Review Board
      • Collective Bargaining
      • City Code
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  • Projects & Plans

    Much of our work involves creating and improving infrastructure and planning for the future. Learn more about major projects and plans here, and how you can get involved!

    • Arts & Culture

      Information about arts, culture and historic projects in the City.

      • Arts & Culture Master Plan
      • Public Art Implementation Plan
    • Development

      Information about commercial and residential development projects in the City.

      • Landmark/Van Dorn Area Planning
      • North Potomac Yard Implementation / Virginia Tech Innovation Campus
      • Potomac River Generating Station Redevelopment
    • Environmental

      Information about environmental and "green" projects in the City.

      • 500 Block N. Pitt St. Sewer Separation Project
      • Flood Action Alexandria
      • Franklin St. Sewer Relocation Project
      • Holmes Run Trail Repairs
      • Lucky Run Stream Restoration
      • Oronoco Outfall Remediation Project
      • Wheeler Ave. Sanitary Sewer Pipe Relining
      • Windmill Hill Park Project - Phase II
    • Neighborhoods

      Information about neighborhood projects in the City.

      • Alexandria West Planning
      • Duke Street and West Taylor Run Project
      • Eisenhower Avenue Metrorail Station Pedestrian Crossing Improvements
      • King-Callahan-Russell Intersection Improvement Project
      • Mount Vernon Avenue North Complete Streets
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      Information about parks and recreation projects in the City.

      • Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail Project
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      • Eugene Simpson Park Renovation Projects
      • Joseph Hensley Park Renovation
      • Old Cameron Run Trail Project
      • Robinson Terminal South Update: Historic Ship Stabilization
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      Information about public facilities projects in the City.

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      Information about transportation projects and plans in and around the City.

      • Adaptive Traffic Signal Control
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In Memoriam 2022: Joseph McCoy April 23, 1897

The City of Alexandria’s Community Remembrance Project invites Alexandrians to join in the remembrance of Joseph McCoy, a black teenage resident who was killed by a lynch mob at the corner of Lee and Cameron Streets in 1897.
Page updated on February 10, 2023 at 4:56 PM

Cultural History

  • About Historic Alexandria
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    • In Memoriam: Benjamin Thomas
    • In Memoriam: Joseph McCoy
  • Alexandria Oral History Center
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In Memoriam: Joseph McCoy April 23, 1897

McCoy wreath close-up with ribbon "Joseph McCoy April 23, 1897" (2021)

The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) invites the public to a community reflection on Saturday, April 23 at 3 p.m. at Market Square to mark the 125th year since Joseph McCoy was brutally lynched.  

At the remembrance event, community members will belatedly recognize Alexandria’s responsibility for the lynching of Joseph McCoy and the racial terror that it spread throughout the African American community. As we attempt to reconcile our past with our present, we recall the words of Maya Angelou,  

“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” 

On a Thursday evening in April,1897, an 18-year-old African American boy - born and raised in Alexandria – Joseph McCoy- was accused by his employer, arrested by police, and locked in a cell at the Alexandria Station House (located at today’s City Hall). Within a few hours, a white mob violently attacked the station house, dragged the young man away and hanged him from a gas lamp post on the corner of Lee and Cameron Streets. It was just after 1 a.m. on Friday, April 23. No one came to his aid, and no one was held accountable. 

This weekend, learn more about Joseph McCoy, pay your respects at the lynching location, and view the remembrance marker. City Hall will be illuminated in purple, the color of mourning, throughout the weekend. It is our hope that this April 23, 2022 memorialization will provide belated accountability, reconciliation and respect for Joseph McCoy.

The City of Alexandria is committed to the accurate dissemination of its history. The murder of Joseph McCoy is recognized as a terrible chapter in Alexandria’s past. To fight injustice and to keep the memory of Alexandria’s lynching victims alive, you are invited to participate in the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP). 

ACRP is a city-wide initiative dedicated to helping Alexandria understand its history of racial terror hate crimes. ACRP conducts research, education, programs, and events that remember Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas and explores the long-term impacts upon Alexandria’s African American community. Working with the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Remembrance Project, ACRP will receive a steel pillar that memorializes McCoy and Thomas and with it will create a permanent space for remembrance in Alexandria City. The work of ACRP is an effort to establish a welcoming community bound by equity and inclusion for all people. 

The 2022 memorial includes this In Memoriam page. Also view the 2021 and 2020 In Memoriam pages. and read the ACRP Newsletter for more information.

A Community Reflection

Saturday, April 23 at 3 p.m.
Market Square

The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) invited the public to mark the 125th year since Joseph McCoy was brutally lynched, through a community reflection on Saturday, April 23 at 3 p.m. at Market Square.  

At the remembrance event, community members will belatedly recognize the lynching of Joseph McCoy and the terror it spread throughout the African American community. In addition, Alexandria will memorialize the life of Joseph McCoy and take responsibility for these acts of racial terror, as we attempt to reconcile our past with our present. 

The Remembrance Ceremony

The Program

Oh Freedom, Beulah Baptist Church Choir, Led by Gregory Nichols, Choir Director

Welcome, Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church

 

Remarks

  • Justin Wilson, Mayor of Alexandria
  • Proclamation
  • Don Hayes, Chief of Police
  • Bryan Porter, Commonwealth's Attorney
  • Yahney-Marie Sangaré, Vice President of the Black Student Union, Alexandria City High School

 

"To Bring Justice Near," Zeina Azzam, Poet Laureate of Alexandria

Come By Here My Lord, Beulah Baptist Church Choir

Eulogy for Joseph McCoy, Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church

Significance of the Stone, Rabbi David Spinrad, Beth El Hebrew Congregation

 

Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1

 

Thank You Lord, Beulah Baptist Church Choir

Closing Remarks, Reverend Professor Quardricos B. Driskell

 

Photo credit, Jeff Hancock Photography

Beulah Baptist Church Choir sings in Market Square
Beulah Baptist Church Choir sings "On Freedom"
Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church
Welcome, from Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church
Mayor Justin Wilson delivers remarks
Mayor Justin Wilson delivers remarks and reads the Proclamation
Don Hayes, Chief of Police delivers remarks
Don Hayes, Chief of Police delivers remarks
Bryan Porter, Commonwealth's Attorney
Bryan Porter, Commonwealth's Attorney delivers remarks
Yahney-Marie Sangaré, Vice President of the Black Student Union, Alexandria City High School
Yahney-Marie Sangaré, Vice President of the Black Student Union, Alexandria City High School delivers remarks
Zeina Azzam, Poet Laureate of Alexandria recites her poem, "To Bring Justice Near"
Zeina Azzam, Poet Laureate of Alexandria recites her poem, "To Bring Justice Near"
Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church
Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church presents the Eulogy for Joseph McCoy,
Rabbi David Spinrad, Beth El Hebrew Congregation
Rabbi David Spinrad, Beth El Hebrew Congregation speaks about the Significance of the Stone
The audience in Market Square
Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1
Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1
Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1
Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1
Beulah Baptist Church Choir sings on Lee Street
Beulah Baptist Church Choir sings "Thank You Lord" at the site of the lynching on Lee Street
Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church
Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church, at the site of the lynching on Lee Street
Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church
Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church, at the site of the lynching on Lee Street
Two participants place stones at the site of the lynching
Two participants place stones at the site of the lynching
A participant places a stone at the site of the lynching
A participant places a stone at the site of the lynching
Participants and dignitaries gather at the site of the lynching
Participants and dignitaries gather at the site of the lynching
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Grid View Close Modal
Beulah Baptist Church Choir sings in Market Square
Beulah Baptist Church Choir sings "On Freedom"
Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church
Welcome, from Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church
Mayor Justin Wilson delivers remarks
Mayor Justin Wilson delivers remarks and reads the Proclamation
Don Hayes, Chief of Police delivers remarks
Don Hayes, Chief of Police delivers remarks
Bryan Porter, Commonwealth's Attorney
Bryan Porter, Commonwealth's Attorney delivers remarks
Yahney-Marie Sangaré, Vice President of the Black Student Union, Alexandria City High School
Yahney-Marie Sangaré, Vice President of the Black Student Union, Alexandria City High School delivers remarks
Zeina Azzam, Poet Laureate of Alexandria recites her poem, "To Bring Justice Near"
Zeina Azzam, Poet Laureate of Alexandria recites her poem, "To Bring Justice Near"
Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church
Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church presents the Eulogy for Joseph McCoy,
Rabbi David Spinrad, Beth El Hebrew Congregation
Rabbi David Spinrad, Beth El Hebrew Congregation speaks about the Significance of the Stone
The audience in Market Square
Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1
Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1
Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1
Procession to the lynching site, corner of Cameron and N. Lee Streets, led by McArthur Myers, WPM, Worshipful Grand Historian, Universal Lodge #1
Beulah Baptist Church Choir sings on Lee Street
Beulah Baptist Church Choir sings "Thank You Lord" at the site of the lynching on Lee Street
Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church
Reverend James G. Daniely, Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church, at the site of the lynching on Lee Street
Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church
Reverend Professor Quadricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church, at the site of the lynching on Lee Street
Two participants place stones at the site of the lynching
Two participants place stones at the site of the lynching
A participant places a stone at the site of the lynching
A participant places a stone at the site of the lynching
Participants and dignitaries gather at the site of the lynching
Participants and dignitaries gather at the site of the lynching

The Illumination

View City Hall, the old Station House Door, the lamp post, and George Washington Masonic Memorial at night as these landmarks will be illuminated in purple, the color of mourning, throughout the weekend to provide belated accountability, reconciliation, and respect for Joseph McCoy.

Photo credit, Jeff Hancock Photography

McCoy Illumination City Hall 2021, panorama
Panorama of City Hall illumination in honor of Joseph McCoy, 2021
McCoy Illumination City Hall 2022, projected words
Remembering Joseph McCoy
Lynched in Alexandria
April 23, 1897

Illumination of City Hall, 2022
Doorway of the former police station on Fairfax Street
Sign in doorway of former police station, 2022
McCoy Illumination City Hall 2022, sign in doorway of former police station
"Remembering Joseph McCoy"
Sign in doorway of former police station, 2022
Lamppost and wreath on S. Lee Street
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McCoy Illumination City Hall 2021, panorama
Panorama of City Hall illumination in honor of Joseph McCoy, 2021
McCoy Illumination City Hall 2022, projected words
Remembering Joseph McCoy
Lynched in Alexandria
April 23, 1897

Illumination of City Hall, 2022
Doorway of the former police station on Fairfax Street
Sign in doorway of former police station, 2022
McCoy Illumination City Hall 2022, sign in doorway of former police station
"Remembering Joseph McCoy"
Sign in doorway of former police station, 2022
Lamppost and wreath on S. Lee Street

A Proclamation In honor of Joseph McCoy

This  Proclamation was presented by City Council on April 5, 2022.
Read the full text of the Proclamation .

     WHEREAS, The events began on April 22, 1897, when Richard Lacy accused Joseph McCoy, an African American teenager ...

...  WHEREAS, Joseph McCoy was pulled from his cell and dragged to the South East corner of Cameron and Lee Streets....

...  WHEREAS, The City of Alexandria condemns these acts and apologizes for its lynching history. The city seeks to lay bare past inequities, expose our troubled racial history, and to bear witness to these atrocities. Alexandria is committed to restorative justice, so our community emerges stronger and more inclusive. In this way, the deaths of Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas will never be forgotten. 

Proclamation in honor of Joseph McCoy, April 2022

 

To Bring Justice Near -- a poem for Joseph McCoy

On the Commemoration of the Lynching of Joseph McCoy in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 23, 1897
(c) Zeina Azzam, Poet Laureate of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, April 23, 2022

A Black man was lynched in our city, here,
where a white mob savagely had its way.
We must face history, bring justice near.

He lived on Alfred Street, age eighteen years,
grew up when harsh Jim Crow laws ruled the day.
A Black man was lynched in our city, here.

Together let’s say his name, bare our tears.
We lift up Joseph McCoy, and we pray:
We must face history, bring justice near.

The trauma from racial hate is severe,
remains till now, unless we change our ways.
A Black man was lynched in our city, here.

No one was tried for his murder; it’s clear
that this son of our city was betrayed.
We must face history, bring justice near.

Let’s educate our youth, open eyes, ears,
so inhumanity is not replayed.
A Black man was lynched in our city, here.
We must face history, bring justice near.

Zeina Azzam, Poet Laureate (head shot)
Zeina Azzam, Poet Laureate

The Lynching of Joseph H. McCoy: A Narrative

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

Map of the events of April 23, 1897

 

In the News

Joseph McCoy, Alexandria Community Remembrance Project. Alexandria Times, April 21, 2022.

Joseph McCoy, Alexandria Community Remembrance Project Alexandria Times, April 21, 2022

Joseph McCoy, ACRP, Alexandria Times April 21, 2022 full page

Commemorating the lynching of Joseph McCoy. Alexandria Times, April 21, 2022.

Commemorating the lynching of Joseph McCoy . Alexandria Times, April 21, 2022

Commemorating the lynching of Joseph McCoy, Alexandria Times, April 21, 2022

Out of the Attic: Lynching of McCoy Condoned By Alexandria. Alexandria Times, April 21, 2022.

Lynching of McCoy Condoned By Alexandrians  by Tiffany Pache, Out of the Attic, The Alexandria Times, April 21, 2022.

125th Anniversary of Lynching of Joseph McCoy, Alexandria Gazette Packet, April 21, 2022

125th Anniversary of Lynching of Joseph McCoy  Alexandria Gazette Packet, April 21, 2022.

125th Anniversary Lynching Joseph McCoy, article in Alexandria Gazette Packet, April 21, 2022

The Lynching of Joseph McCoy125 Years On, Alexandria Gazette Packet, May 5, 2022

The Lynching of Joseph McCoy125 Years On . Op-Ed by Audrey P. Davis, Director, Alexandria Black History Museum. Alexandria Gazette Packet, May 5, 2021, page 6.

Image of McCoy Gazette OpEd 2022

This year's McCoy remembrance, Alexandria Times, May 12, 2022

This year's McCoy remembrance . Editorial by Audrey P. Davis, Director, Alexandria Black History Museum, Alexandria Times, May 12, 2022, pp. 19-20.

Social Justice Reading List for 2022

About the Reading List

Here are is a Social Justice Reading List, provided by the City of Alexandria Library staff. We hope you will find these additional selections educational, and moving. These titles - both fiction and nonfiction - provide context for discussion of race, class, violence and American society.

See also:

  • 2020 Social Justice Reading List
  • 2021 Social Justice Reading List

Readings for Adults

Biography

  • Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the struggle for equality – Omiko Brown-Nagin

Non-Fiction

  • Between the World and Me – Ta'Nehesi Coates    
  • Blackballed: The Black Vote and US Democracy – Darryl Pinckney    
  • Don't Call Us Dead – Danez Smith    
  • Driving While Black: African American travel and the road to civil rights – Gretchen Sullivan Sorin    
  • "Ebony & Ivory: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America's Universities" – Craig Wilder    
  • Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower – Brittney Cooper    
  • Fear of black consciousness – Lewis R Gordon    
  • For White Folks Who Teach in the 'Hood... and the Rest of Y'all Too – Christopher Emdin    
  • Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot – Mikki Kendall    
  • How to Be An Antiracist – Ibram X. Kendi    
  • Men We Reaped: A Memoir – Jessmyn Ward    
  • Of blood and sweat : Black lives and the making of White power and wealth – Clyde Ford    
  • Of Poetry & Protest: From Emmitt Till to Trayvon Martin – Philip Cushway    
  • Overground railroad: the Green book and the roots of black travel in America – Candacy A. Tracy    
  • "Racism, not race: answers to frequently asked questions" – Joseph L Graves    
  • Righteous troublemakers : untold stories of the social justice movement in America – Al Sharpton    
  • "Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America" – Melissa Harris-Perry    
  • So You Want to Talk about Race – Ijeoma Oluo    
  • "Social justice parenting : how to raise compassionate, anti-racist, justice-minded kids in an unjust world" – Traci Baxley    
  • "Stony the road: Reconstruction, white supremacy, and the rise of Jim Crow" – Henry Louis Gates Jr    
  • The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America – Richard Rothstein    
  • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness – Michelle Alexander    
  • The three death sentences of Clarence Henderson: a battle for racial justice at the dawn of the Civil Rights Era – Chris Joyner    
  • We do this 'til we free us : abolitionist organizing and transforming justice – Mariame Kaba    
  • We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy – Ta'Nehesi Coates    
  • When They Call You Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir – Patrisse Khan-Cullors    
  • White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Race – Robin DiAngelo    

Readings for Teens

Young Adult Fiction

  • All American Boys – Jayson Reynolds
  • Anger is a Gift – Mark Oshiro
  • Dear Martin – Nic Stone
  • How It Went Down – Kekla Magoon
  • Light It Up – Kela Magoon
  • Slay – Brittney Morris
  • The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
  • I'm Not Dying with You Tonight – Kimberly Jones
  • Out of Darkness – Ashley Hope Perez
  • Piecing Me Together – Renee Watson
  • The Good Braider – Terry Farish

Young Adult Graphic

  • March Series – John Lewis

Young Adult Non-Fiction

  • How I Resist – Maureen Johnson
  • "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" – Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
  • This Book is Anti-Racist – Tiffany Jewel
  • We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide – Carol Anderson

Readings for Children

Children's Board Book

  • All Kinds of People – Shelley Rotner

Children’s Picture books

  • All Are Welcome – Alexandria Penfold
  • Auntie Luce's Talking Paintings    Francie Latour
  • Chocolate Me – Taye Diggs
  • Hair Love – Matthew A. Cherry
  • Happy in Our Skin – Fran Manushkin
  • I Am Enough – Grace Byers
  • I'm a Pretty Little Black Girl – Betty K. Bynum
  • I'm New Here – Anne Sibley O'Brien
  • Interesection Allies: We Make Room for All – Chelsea Johnson
  • Let the Children March – Monica Clark-Robinson
  • Mixed Me! – Taye Diggs
  • Mixed: A Colorful Story – Arree Chung
  • My Hair is a Garden – Cozbi A. Cabrera
  • Ruth and the Green Book – Calvin A. Ramsey
  • Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story about Racial Injustice – Marianne Celano
  • Sulwe – Lupita Nyong'o
  • The Day You Begin – Jacqueline Woodson
  • The History of Me – Andrea Theodore
  • The Other Side – Jacqueline Woodson
  • Where Are You From – Yamile Saied Mendez

Children's Graphic

  • New Kid – Jerry Craft

Children’s Fiction

  • A Good Kind of Trouble – Lisa Ramee
  • Betty before X – Ilyasah Shabazz
  • "Black Brother, Black Brother" – Jewell Parker Rhodes
  • Blended – Sharon M. Draper
  • "But, Not Buddy" – Christopher Paul Curtis
  • Ghost Boys – Jewell Parker Rhodes
  • Harbor Me – Jacqueline Woodson
  • One Crazy Summer – Rita Williams-Garcia
  • Required reading for the disenfranchised freshman – Kristen Lee
  • Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry – Mildred D. Taylor
  • Stella by Starlight – Sharon M. Draper
  • The Only Black Girls in Town – Brandy Colbert
  • The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 – Christopher Paul Curtis
  • What Lane? – Torrey Maldonado

Children's Biography

  • Brown Girl Dreaming – Jacqueline Woodson
  • Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library – Carole Boston Weatherford
  • "Sweet justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott – Mara Rockliff

Children’s Non-fiction

  • Be the Change: The Future Is in Your Hands – Eunice Moyle
  • Black Girl Magic: A Poem – Mahogany L. Browne
  • Black Women Who Dared – Naomi M. Moyer
  • "Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship" – Irene Latham
  • Changing the Equation: 50+ Black Women in STEM – Tony Bolden
  • Have I ever told you Black lives matter – Shani King
  • Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters – Andrea Davis Pinkney
  • Let's Talk About Race – Julius Lester
  • Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History – Vashti Harrison
  • Little Legends: Exceptional Black Men in History – Vashti Harrison
  • Lizzie Demands a Seat! Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights – Beth Anderson
  • Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness – Anastasia Higginbotham
  • Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters – Barack Obama
  • Protest Movements: Then and Now – Eric Braun
  • Raise Your Voice: 12 Protests that Shaped America – Jeffrey Kluger
  • Rise Up! The Art of Protest – Jo Rippon
  • Separate no more : the long road to Brown v. Board of Education – Lawrence Goldstone
  • "Stamped (for kids) : racism, antiracism, and you" – Sonja Cherry-Paul
  • Standing Up Against Hate: How Black Women in the Army Helped Change WWII – Mary Cronk Farrell
  • The Little Book of Little Activists – Bob Bland
  • The March Against Fear – Anne Bausum
  • The Power Book – Claire Saunders
  • The Undefeated – Kwame Alexander
  • "We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices" – Wade Hudson
  • What is anti-racism? – Hedreich Nichols
  • What's Racism – Amy B. Rogers
  • "When the schools shut down : a young girl's story of Virginia's ""lost generation"" and the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision" – Yolanda Gladden
  • You are Mighty: A Guide to Changing the World – Caroline Paul
  • "Young, Gifted, and Black" – Jamia Wilson
  • Black History
  • Equity
  • Historic Alexandria
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