Alexandria

Alexandria is a melting pot for diverse cultures because of its proximity to D.C. More than 40,000 immigrants call the area home, 30% of which are of African descent. Ethiopian restaurants like Makeda and Abyssinia Market are bringing fresh African flavors to the DMV. Unlike African Americans who were stripped of their culture when they arrived in America, these first generation immigrants are bringing their experiences with them and bridging the gap between African Americans and their forgotten roots. 

Like most of American history, the quest for freedom has been riddled with paradoxes. African Americans made up roughly 20-25% of Alexandria’s population as far back as the 1700s, with the majority of that population enslaved, and slave labor was essential to the early development of the city. In the first federal census of 1790, there were only 52 free Blacks living in the city of Alexandria, but this number continued to rise steadily over the years. 

By the start of the Civil War nearly 100 years later, Alexandria’s unique proximity to D.C. and temporary Union occupation made it an ideal destination for freedom. Alexandria had previously been home to one of the largest slave-trading operations in the country, and the Potomac River aided in the transport of enslaved African Americans, sending many “down river.” When war broke out, Black men in the city were offered the chance to fight for their freedom by joining the Union army. Many of these men called the popular Black neighborhood Hayti home. Established in the early 1800s, the neighborhood was named to commemorate the successful rebellion of enslaved people in Haiti. The community gained its footing with the help of Quaker residents and landowners who intentionally rented and sold property to free Black families. By 1910, there was a nearly-continuous band of Black neighborhoods surrounding the city’s center.