Cold Cold Ground

Freedmen’s Cemetery was one of the first cemeteries established in Alexandria for African Americans. In the beginning, black Civil War soldiers and indigent freed persons were buried there. Find out more at the Freedmen’s Cemetery website.

Over time, the Freedmen’s Cemetery was largely forgotten. With development, it was ultimately paved over. This is what the site of the Freedmen’s Cemetery looks like today. It’s located under the parking lot of this gas station and an adjacent office building.

The Friends of Freedmen’s Cemetery, a nonprofit organization, is working towards the restoration of this historic site. As part of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge construction, the Alexandria City Council recently voted to acquire the commercial properties as part of the Wilson Bridge mitigation. Thus, the site may in the future be restored and dedicated as a memorial park.