On Sunday, June 26, BPAC led a community ride to sites associated with Alexandria’s extraordinary Black history. About thirty people — including an adorable toddler in a bike trailer — braved the heat, humidity, and hills on a twelve-mile ride around Old Town and central Alexandria.
During the tour, we visited the childhood home of Earl Lloyd, the first Black player in the NBA. We learned about Virginia Theological Seminary’s pioneering reparations initiative, designed to recognize Black people who labored on campus during slavery, Reconstruction, and segregation under Jim Crow laws. We discussed the role that the Alfred Street Baptist Church has played in building up the community. And we paid our respects at the Contrabands and Freedmen’s Cemetery, the resting place for many people who fled slavery in search of a better life.
Here are some photos from the ride, courtesy of Casey Kane, Josephine Liu, and Chris Watson:
If you would like to do a self-guided version of our 2022 Black history ride, a guide to the route and stops is available here.
Many thanks to the BPAC volunteers and community partners who helped publicize the ride and kept everyone safe!
Alexandria Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee 