Contrabands and Freedmen's Cemetery Memorial

The City of Alexandria will develop the cemetery site into Contrabands and Freedmen's Cemetery Memorial. Though the site was largely forgotten in the 20th century, archaeological investigations have confirmed that intact burials remain on this property. The goal throughout the project is to insure that no burials are disturbed during park development. The memorial park will honor the memory of the Freedmen, the hardships they faced, and their contributions to the City.

Phase I: Demolition--removal of structures


Phase II: Archaeological Investigation--determination of burial locations


Phase III: Memorial Design--including juried design competition


Phase IV: Memorial Construction--placement of monuments and landscaping

The project is being completed under the stewardship of the City of Alexandria and the Friends of Freedmen's Cemetery, with funding from the City, the Federal Highway Administration and Virginia Department of Transportation through the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project, and a grant from Save America's Treasures, a public-private partnership between the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic preservation.