Memorializing the Enslaved of Arlington leaders, Jessica Kaplan (Arlington Historical Society) and Scott Taylor (Director of the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington) will discuss the project, its goals, history, successes, and challenges.
Hosted by the Woman’s Club of Arlington as part of their celebration of Black History Month.
Since the late 1700s, African Americans made important contributions to the development of Arlington County. Until recently, histories of Arlington often excluded or misrepresented their stories.
Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington (MEA), a project sponsored by the Arlington Historical Society and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, brings our county’s African American history to light. Research into local records uncovers the brutal truth of enslavement in Arlington and the human cost for all involved. Most importantly, it reveals the fortitude and resilience of the local enslaved community.
MEA honors the lives and contributions of Arlington’s once enslaved people by placing memorial plaques throughout the county at sites of enslavement.