The following sections provide a brief overview of the Center’s previous exhibition, Bonds to Alexandria’s Black Public Education, 1800-1965. The exhibition begins with slavery and free black neighborhoods in Alexandria. Later sections examine the role of the church and the development of African-American schools in Northern Virginia.
Our knowledge of the Free Black Neighborhoods in the City of Alexandria is due to the work of Alexandria Archaeology, and the research its staff began in the early 1970s. Alexandria Archaeology can provide more detailed information about objects found in free black neighborhoods.
The Franklin and Armfield Slave Market
Click to enlargeThe Franklin and Armfield Slave Market, (also known as Price and Birch), was located at 1315 Duke Street. The building still stands at this location. It was rededicated as Freedom Place in 1985, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
The slave pen was one of the largest exporters of slaves to the South. The general route for slaves going South would start at the Franklin and Armfield Pen, after which slaves would then be taken to Market Square, then to the river to board ships that would take them to New Orleans, where they were dispersed to other southern areas.
The Early Free Black Neighborhoods in Alexandria
Click to enlargeThe Bottoms: (c. 1790, Section #1 in blue on the map.) This area in the 1790s was primarily marshland and was situated in the southwest portion of the city. Free blacks moved into this area and the 300 block may have been home to the first free black landowners. One of these landowners may have been William Goddard, who sold land in the 300 block to the Alfred Street Baptist Church so the members could build their first church in 1818. This early church probably was a wood structure.
Hayti: (Section #2 in yellow on map.) This area was probably named for the country Haiti (Hayti was an early spelling). The Hayti neighborhood was the second-oldest free black neighborhood in Alexandria. It was located in the 200-400 block of South Royal Street. Homes of most free blacks were near the Methodist Meeting House. Both free blacks and whites lived in the Hayti area and often slaves lived with free families.
Uptown: (Section #3 in orange on map.) This area was found on the western edge of the City. After the Civil War, the area grew and later became the Parker-Gray Historic District.
The Berg or Fishtown: (Section #4 in purple on the map.) A neighborhood near the Potomac River north of Cameron Street. The Berg may refer to Petersburg, Virginia, which is south of Alexandria.
Cross Canal: (Section # 4 in purple on map.) Black homes extended along the far northern waterfront and formed the Cross Canal neighborhood.
The Hump: (Section # 5 in green on the map.) Located to the west of "Cross Canal" and north of the Alexandria Black History Resource Center.
The Hill: (Section #7 in red on the map.) Located near the Lyles-Crouch Elementary School, in the southern part of the city. It linked two areas associated with Roberts Memorial Methodist Church and Zion Baptist Church.
Black churches in the City of Alexandria developed out of the free black neighborhoods. It was from these churches that the desire to educate not only free blacks but slaves as well was established. Our focus is the period from 1790-1865. From the neighborhood maps one can see how sparsely populated neighborhoods experienced more growth as the churches moved in. Remember that some churches (Old Zion, 400 S. Columbus Street, where the Odd Fellows Hall is today) did not survive. Our focus is on churches that exist today.
Click to enlargeAlfred Street Church: The Congregation of this church began meeting in a church member’s home around 1803. William Goddard may have been one of its founding members. Mr. Goddard also sold the congregation the land for their first church in 1818. The present Alfred Street Church was erected in 1955. It is not the oldest black church in Alexandria, but it has the oldest congregation.
Click to enlargeRoberts Memorial United Methodist Church: Built in 1834, this is the oldest black church structure. It was also known as Davis Chapel, and Roberts Chapel. An artifact that we have obtained from the church is a bible which dates back to 1895.
Beulah Baptist Church: This church is often overlooked, but it was the first church established in Alexandria after the Civil War began. Reverend Clem Robinson was founder of the First Select Colored School (a school that was housed at the current site of Beulah Baptist Church). The congregation of Beulah Baptist grew out of the school.
Click to enlargeShiloh Baptist Church: This church was founded in 1885 on the property which was formerly the L’Overture Military Hospital. In our exhibition we have a pipe organ on loan from Shiloh Baptist Church. The organ is over 100 years old.
The History of Education in Alexandria
The Snowden and Hallowell schools were the first black public schools in the City of Alexandria. In 1915, the Snowden School for Boys was destroyed in a fire, but the students were allowed to attend St. Mary’s Catholic Church School which was located at the time on Wolfe and Royal Streets.
In 1920, the Snowden and Hallowell schools were consolidated, and the resulting school was named the Parker-Gray School. Parker-Gray School is named for John Parker, principal of the Snowden School for Boys, and Sarah Gray, principal of the Hallowell School for Girls.
Parker-Gray School
Click to enlargeThe first Parker-Gray School, located on Wythe Street, opened in 1920 for children in grades one though eight. It had nine teachers and the barest necessities. Members of the community provided chairs and basic equipment.
By the early 1930s the school was overcrowded. A new school was established in an old silk factory at the corner of Wilkes and South Pitt streets for Negro children who lived south of Cameron Street. It was named Lyles-Crouch to honor Jane Crouch and Rozier D. Lyles. Mrs. Crouch was a principal at Hallowell School; Mr. Lyles taught at Snowden School and at the first Parker-Gray School.
Click to enlargeParker-Gray was soon overcrowded again, so classrooms and a library were added. The first students who attended Parker-Gray for grades eight through 11, (Virginia required only 11 years of public education then), graduated in 1936.
Click to enlargeThe community realized that a separate high school building was needed. The Hopkins House Men’s Club and other groups asked the help of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. NAACP lawyers, headed by Attorney Charles Houston, conferred with city, state and federal officials. Eventually, the Parker-Gray High School was built at 1207 Madison Street. It was dedicated on May 31, 1950. The Madison street school was a high school until 1965. After 1965, the building became the Parker-Gray Middle School until 1979. In the early 1980s the building was demolished, but a plaque marks the location of the old school. The original Parker-Gray School (on Wythe Street) was given the name of Charles Houston and is now used as a recreation center.
Click to enlargeA history of Parker-Gray School, published in 1976 states, "During the 1950s, the pinnacles in the evolution of Negro education in Alexandria were achieved." Many Parker-Gray alumni have excelled in the arts, in professions, in government and military service, in athletics, and in other endeavors.
In the fall of 1964, all sectors of the Alexandria school system-- students, faculty, and staff--were integrated. Parker-Gray High School was closed in 1965 and black students attended the city’s other high schools--George Washington, T.C. Williams, and Francis C.Hammond.
Click to enlargeBefore the last home game, on October 29th, 1983, the stadium at T.C. Williams was dedicated as the Parker-Gray Memorial Stadium. The School Board’s decision to name the stadium The Parker-Gray Memorial Stadium was an acknowledgment of community pride associated with a high school that served this city well.
