Securing the Blessings of Liberty , an exhibit on view at the Alexandria Black History Museum, relays the story of African Americans in Alexandria, Virginia and the surrounding community. This three-part exhibition documents the experiences of local African Americans during the period of enslavement and beyond, detailing the manner in which African Americans shaped present day Alexandria.

The first phase of this exhibit, entitled “Freedoms Taken & Liberties Lost,” begins in 17 th century Africa and ends in 1810 Alexandria. It details the lives and experiences of the earliest individuals of African descent residing in Alexandria. Beginning with the rich and powerful cultures and kingdoms that flourished in Africa, the exhibit traces the forced journey of countless sons and daughters of Africa across the Atlantic Ocean as apart of the torturous Middle Passage. Ultimately, thousands of these African men and women would end up in Virginia, laboring in its fields, factories, and homes in order to sustain the comfort and livelihood of white Virginians.

Through African tools and weapons, dioramas, a registry of free blacks, a model of early Alexandria, and various other artifacts, Securing the Blessings of Liberty sheds light on the experiences of African Americans, both enslaved and free, in early Alexandria. The exhibit discusses the routines and labors of African Americans on Virginia's tobacco plantations; the lives and careers of famous area planters such as George Washington and George Mason; and the unique experiences of African Americans in urban settings, as well as numerous other facets of African American life in Alexandria. Finally, this exhibit is a testament to the will of and perseverance of a people in their ability to endure, survive, and eventually overcome the horrendous and degrading institution of slavery.