“Welcome to Alexandria,” called out the Alexandria Town Crier as 200-plus visitors stepped out of four tour buses at the Charles Houston Recreation Center last month. The visitors were taking part in the Washington Informer’s annual African American Heritage Tour and stopping for a boxed lunch at the recreation center.
This year’s tour focused on Black History in Alexandria. Thirteen sites were included on this years tour featuring: Alexandria Black History Museum, Charles Houston Recreation Center, Alexandria African American Hall of Fame, Alexandria Library – Barrett Branch, Edmondson Sisters Sculpture, African American Heritage Park, Freedom House, Shiloh Baptist Church, Market Square – City Hall, Hayti Neighborhood, Freedmen’s Cemetery, Roberts Memorial Methodist Church, Dr. Albert Johnson Home and the Odd Fellows Hall. Community partners for the tour were: Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association, Alexandria Black History Museum, Northern Virginia Urban League/Freedom House, Charles Houston Recreation Center, Shiloh Baptist Church, The Hoop Academy Project, African Hall of Fame Committee and the Alexandria Library. Sponsors included: Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association, Industrial Bank, Pepco, Southwest Airlines, THEARC, D.C. Lottery, and Capital Entertainment Services.
