In Memoriam 2023: Benjamin Thomas August 8, 1899

The City of Alexandria invites the community to remember the 1899 lynching of Benjamin Thomas at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. The event begins in front of 401 N. St. Asaph Street with an unveiling of a new historic marker that tells the story of Benjamin Thomas. From there participants will be invited to solemnly follow the trail of terror the mob took down St. Asaph Street to King Street and then to the intersection with Fairfax Street where we will lay a wreath in Thomas' honor.
Page updated on September 7, 2023 at 1:16 PM
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In Memoriam: Benjamin Thomas August 8, 1899

Wreath in memory of Benjamin Thomas, lynched on August 8, 1899 (2020)

On August 8, 1899, a lynch mob hunted down, tortured, and killed 16-year-old Benjamin Thomas, an African American boy and native Alexandrian. Thomas was arrested on Monday, August 7, 1899, for allegedly assaulting a white girl, but this was never proven. That night, Black community leaders warned police and the mayor that another lynching might occur, similar to the lynching of Joseph McCoy two years earlier on April 23, 1897. When the authorities refused their entreaties, the African American Alexandrians tried to protect Thomas themselves, standing guard near where he was being held. The police arrested them, and the next morning, they were, tried, fined and sent to the chain gang. The next night, somewhere between 500 and 2000 Alexandrians took Benjamin Thomas from the city jail on St. Asaph Street, dragged him over cobblestones for half-a-mile to the corner of King and Fairfax Streets where they hanged and shot the young man.

Read the July ACRP Newsletter to find out how the lynching of Benjamin Thomas was linked to slavery.

The Remembrance Ceremony

The Remembrance Ceremony took place on Tuesday August 8 at 6 - 7:30 p.m. 

Participants were invited to join us at 6 p.m. in front of 401 N. St. Asaph Street for the unveiling of a new historic marker that tells the story of Benjamin Thomas along with a brief history of the jail that was located on the site from 1827-1967. Participants were then invited to solemnly walk the half-mile trail the lynch mob took down St. Asaph Street to King Street and then to the intersection with Fairfax Street. Upon arriving at the site of the lynching of Benjamin Thomas we held a wreath-laying ceremony.

Photo Gallery

Thomas wreath with ribbon.
Trail Sign: City Jail, a site of racial terror
Text on purple background, A-frame signboard.
signing remembrance book
pinning on a purple ribbon
five people at the jail site
Four officials at the site of the old jail
Unveiling the trail sign at the site of the old jail
Unveiling the trail sign at the site of the old jail
Student speaking at the site of the jail
Speaker in front of red door at site of jail
Procession with wreath
Procession with wreath passing house with flag.
Students with signs, white quotes on purple background
sign with quote carried in procession
sign with quote
sign with quote carried in procession
sign with quote carried in procession
The procession passes by a student holding a sign
sign with quote carried in procession
drummer in procession
drummer in front of City Hall
Sheriff Casey places wreath at corner of Fairfax Street
Jean Kelleher speaking
Speaker at corner of King and Fairfax
Audrey Davis and others with wreath, Fairfax and King
End of ceremony at dusk
of
Grid View Close Modal
Thomas wreath with ribbon.
The 2023 wreath.
Trail Sign: City Jail, a site of racial terror
A new sign is being installed at the site of the old Jail.
Text on purple background, A-frame signboard.
Sign board.
signing remembrance book
A participant signs the remembrance book.
pinning on a purple ribbon
five people at the jail site
Rev. Driskell, Mahmoud Koroma, Korey London, ACRP Coordinator Tiffany Pache and ACRP Steering Committee Member RaAlim Shabazz.
Four officials at the site of the old jail
Sheriff Sean Casey, City Manager Jim Parajon, Vice-Mayor Amy Jackson, Director of the Office of Historic Alexandria Gretchen Bulova.
Unveiling the trail sign at the site of the old jail
ACRP Co-Chair Audrey Davis and Walter Steimel, Jr. unveil the new historic marker.
Unveiling the trail sign at the site of the old jail
ACRP Co-Chair Audrey Davis and Walter Steimel, Jr. unveil the new historic marker.
Student speaking at the site of the jail
Mahmoud Abu Koroma, Alexandria City High School Student, reads Benjamin Thomas' narrative.
Speaker in front of red door at site of jail
Reverend Professor Quardricos B. Driskell, Beulah Baptist Church and ACRP Steering Committee Member MCs.
Procession with wreath
Steering Committee Member McArthur Myers and Drummer Korey London lead the procession.
Procession with wreath passing house with flag.
Students with signs, white quotes on purple background
Students from ACHS with signs carried in the procession.
sign with quote carried in procession
sign with quote
sign with quote carried in procession
sign with quote carried in procession
The procession passes by a student holding a sign
sign with quote carried in procession
drummer in procession
Mahmoud Koroma followed by drummer Korey London and Rev. Driskell.
drummer in front of City Hall
Drummer Korey London followed by Rev. Driskell.
Sheriff Casey places wreath at corner of Fairfax Street
Sheriff Sean Casey places the wreath at the corner of Fairfax and King Street.
Jean Kelleher speaking
Jean Kelleher, Assistant City Manager, Director of the Office of Human Rights, leads participants in an Acknowledgement Statement.
Speaker at corner of King and Fairfax
Reverend Dr. Taft Quincey Heatley, Shiloh Baptist Church provides closing remarks.
Audrey Davis and others with wreath, Fairfax and King
Descendants of Benjamin Thomas with ACRP Co-Chair Audrey Davis and Steering Committee Member McArthur Myers.
End of ceremony at dusk
Trail Sign: City Jail, a site of racial terror

Illumination of City Hall and the Lamp Post

Illumination of City Hall, Thomas Memorial 2022

City Hall and the Lamp Post where Benjamin Thomas was lynched will be bathed in purple light, the color of mourning, beginning Aug. 4 and running through the morning of Aug. 9. The George Washington Masonic Memorial, which can be seen from many areas in Alexandria, will also don a purple hue in memory of Benjamin Thomas.

The Lynching of Benjamin Thomas: A Narrative

Map of the events of August 8, 1899

Around midnight on August 8,1899, a 16-year-old African American teenager named Benjamin Thomas was lynched in Alexandria, Virginia. A white terror mob comprised of Alexandria citizens attacked the city jail on St. Asaph Street, and Benjamin Thomas was dragged half a mile to the southwest corner of King and Fairfax streets, opposite Market Square. The full account of this hate crime was methodically researched by the 13-member Research Committee of the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project.

The Lynching of Benjamin Thomas, August 8, 1899

Map of the events of August 8, 1899 

In the News

‘Steeped in Racial Oppression’ in Alexandria: Ceremony unveils marker in honor of lynching victim Benjamin Thomas. Jeanne Theismann, Alexandria Gazette Packet, August 10, 2023

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 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.

Benjamin Thomas and Joseph McCoy are the only two documented Alexandria lynchings so far. McCoy was lynched on April 23, 1897. This year is the 125th anniversary of that event. It was commemorated on that date.

Past Memorials for Benjamin Thomas

View previous In Memoriam pages.

Also see In Memoriam pages for Joseph McCoy.

Read the ACRP Newsletter.