NEWS BRIEFS
A MEMORIAL HONORS SLAVES WHO ESCAPED THE SOUTH FOR
REFUGE IN ALEXANDRIA, VA.
ALEXANDRIA, VA. (AP) - The
descendants sat in the scorching sun
on Saturday September 6th, but they
dared not complain. Sweat seemed like
a minor sacrifice compared with the
one made by their ancestors, laid to rest
more than 150 years ago around the
corner in unmarked graves.
to find out a little more about their family
histories had unexpectedly led them to the
city’s history — and a fight to preserve it.
But only one told Bah of knowing that
someone — anyone — was buried
there.
They all had something in common: greatgrandparents, great-great-grandparents or
other long-lost forebears among the 1,700
African Americans buried here, many
after fleeing north to Alexandria during
the Civil War to escape slavery. The spot’s
significance was buried along with the
bodies. Wooden markers had decayed, and
the land was covered over by a gas station,
office buildings, the Capital Beltway —
forgot