The City of Alexandria announced on April 16 that it will host a remembrance event for Joseph McCoy, who was lynched in the city in 1897. The event, organized by the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP), will take place on Thursday, April 23 at Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church.
The gathering aims to acknowledge and reflect on the city’s history and its impact on community identity. Alexandria’s museums and historic sites play a role in interpreting local social and cultural history, according to the official website.
Dr. Rodney Sadler is scheduled as keynote speaker for the free secular program starting at 7 p.m., with a reception beginning at 6:30 p.m. His remarks are titled “Governed by Fear and Hate: The Tools of the Supremacist State.” Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church, described as one of Alexandria’s most historic Black churches, was home to the McCoy family. This marks the second time it has hosted this remembrance event.
Joseph McCoy was lynched during the early hours of April 23, 1897 after being accused, arrested, taken from police custody and killed by a mob whose members were never held accountable. According to organizers, “While Joseph McCoy’s civil rights were violated and dismissed, his accusers and murderers were protected.” The Black community experienced trauma following these events when armed citizens and authorities patrolled neighborhoods searching for supposed agitators.
Dr. Sadler leads the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a graduate of Howard University with connections to Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia through his work as a senior fellow at George Mason University’s Center for World Religion, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution.
The ACRP is described as an initiative dedicated to helping Alexandria understand its shared history in order to foster belonging within the community. The city maintains several museums including those documenting African American heritage such as the Alexandria Black History Museum according to its official website. Racial equity is incorporated into city policies per city sources, while archaeological research efforts are supported through partnerships led by commissions like the Alexandria Archaeological Commission as reported online.
Alexandria operates under a council-manager form of government where council members select an operations manager according to public records. Services are provided within defined boundaries as an independent city per official information.
