Freedom House Museum — Attraction in Alexandria

Was closed when I visited Old Town but I plan to visit again. The African American Museum occupies what use to be the offices of Franklin and Armfield who were the biggest slaves traders in Alexandria. Armfield bought the slaves and then sent them to Franklin in Mississippi and Louisiana to be sold at a higher price. By the 1830s they were offen selling a 1000 slaves a year. This made them the largest slave-trading company in the US intill 1836. Addition - Normally costs about five dollars but it turned out, as a resident of Alexandria, I got in free! A lot of the exhibits dealt with slavery/African American history via first person experiences on top of general history. Also it helped that I had visited some of the sites mentioned and knew some of the stories already. Helped me put things together. There was also a art exhibit. Nice little museum. Before I left I bought two books - Uncommon Ground : Archaeology and Early African American, 1650-1800 and Alexandria's The Freedmen's Cemetery ; A Legacy of Freedom. So I ended up with a lot books...

We finally made it to the Freedom House Museum, a celebration of freedom and achievement located in a house that once auctioned enslaved people. The museum effectively conveys the tragedy of slavery while sharing the stories of those in bondage, then the progress made by African Americans (especially by Virginians). Few people understand the enormous size of domestic human trafficking that took place before the Civil War, and the Freedom House Museum corrects this. A few notes: -The folks working there are very knowledgeable & can add a lot to your experience. Talk to them! -There is free parking in the back of the building, and handicap parking in the front. -Inexpensive entry fee (we were glad to support the museum’s mission!). You’ll leave uplifted: please...

What an incredibly wonderful hidden gem. This museum highlights one of Alexandria historical stories about enslaved people. This museum was the site of a slave dealer company and the enslaved people were kept in the facilities in back including a large courtyard. The museum is self-guided but the employees there can provide a good introduction along with fantastic maps to illustrate the timeline of events.

This is history we should never forget and we must pay respect and honor to those men, women, and children who suffered under slavery. I implore everyone to please visit this museum and learn something new. Spread the information. Support historical preservation. We must...