Alfred Street Baptist Church
Alfred Street Baptist Church is home to the oldest
African American congregation in Alexandria,
dating to the early 19th century. It has served as a
prominent religious, educational, and cultural
institution. In 1818, the congregation, then known
as the Colored Baptist Society, began worship
services here in the midst of the Bottoms, a free
black neighborhood. By 1820 the church created
its educational branch, providing religious and
secular opportunities for both black children and
adults. In 1855, free black craftsmen probably
designed and built the brick church. Alterations to
the building occurred in the 1880s and in 1994 the
church constructed a new sanctuary.
Marker is at the intersection of Alfred Street and Duke Street (Virginia Route 236), on the right when traveling south on Alfred Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
