Confederate Street Names Proposed For Renaming In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The City of Alexandria has announced six streets being considered for name changes due to Confederate references.

In January, Mayor Justin Wilson had proposed a new process to streamline renamings of streets with Confederate references. Under the process, three streets will be renamed each year after public hearings. Much of the work is being done by City Council's three-member naming committee — Councilmembers John Taylor Chapman, Sarah Bagley and Alyia Gaskins — before full City Council consideration.

The naming committee chose six possible streets for renamings, but only three will be chosen to be changed in January. The street names are North Breckinridge Place, North Frost Street, North and South Early Street, North and South Jordan Street, Jordan Court, and Forrest Street. Possible new names have also been identified from a list created by the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission. The commission was asked to suggest new names with a focus on minority groups and women.

Possible new names for North Breckinridge Place, North Frost Street, North and South Early Street could include Benjamin Banneker, who helped draw DC's original survey with a boundary stone in Alexandria's Jones Point; Sarah Gray, principal of Hallowell School for Girls, a school for African Americans, and a namesake for Parker-Gray School; Harriet Jacobs, an abolitionist who helped found the first free school for African American children in Alexandria; and Ona Judge, a woman enslaved by George Washington's family who escaped.

North Breckinridge Place refers to John Cabell Breckinridge, who was a U.S. vice president who later was Secretary of War for the Confederate States.

Frost Street refers to Daniel Marsh Frost, a Confederate brigadier general.

Early Street refers to Jubal A. Early, a Confederate brigadier general.

Jordan Street and Jordan Court, which refers to Confederate Brigadier General Thomas Jordan, is proposed to be named Hughes Street. Hughes refers to an enslaved family in the 1860s with two members serving in the Alexandria-based U.S. Colored Infantry.

Forest Street, which refers to Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest or Confederate Navy Commander French Forrest, is proposed to be changed to Forest Street.

There are at least 40 streets with Confederate names based on Office of Historic Alexandria research, including major roads like Beauregard Street, Janney's Lane and Van Dorn Street, and neighborhood streets like Lee Street, Armistead Street, Calhoun Avenue and Davis Avenue. Additional streets with potential Confederate references are being studied further, such as Hume Avenue, Reynolds Street and Stevenson Avenue. With the number of streets with Confederate names present, the city expects it will be a 15-year process for renamings.

The city plans has a public feedback form for community members to suggest names or provide feedback on the proposed names. Any new name suggestions must include a justification for the proposed name and proof of a community-led meeting to discuss the name.

The full City Council will have a public hearing on the renaming recommendations at 6 p.m. on Nov. 30. If the proposal is approved, city Staff will start to make address, system and signage changes.

If a homeowner's street name is changed, they will need to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles, IRS on the next tax filing, Social Security to collect Medicare benefits, financial institutions, insurance and subscriptions. Passports do not need an address change until the next expiration. For wills and trusts, the city can provide a certified letter as an addendum.

The city government will be responsible for updating homeowners' addresses for the U.S. Postal Service, personal property taxes, land records and permits, AlexRenew, Dominion Energy, Comcast or Ting internet, Washington Gas, the voter registration office, public schools, the Alexandria Police Department, Alexandria Fire Department, 311 system and 911.