Committee Recommends Changing Jefferson Memorial Highway Name

Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Confederate Memorials and Street Names Issues Report to Alexandria City Council

The Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Confederate Memorials and Street Names, which was established by Alexandria City Council in September 2015, has submitted its final report.  The group issued recommendations on the four topics City Council directed it to consider, and concluded as follows:

1. The Appomattox statute on South Washington Street should remain in place, with additional efforts made to add context to its story;
2. The name of Jefferson Davis Highway in the City of Alexandria should be changed;
3. Rather than a wholesale renaming of streets in the City named after Confederate figures, individual requests for new names should be considered by City Council if brought under existing processes; and
4. No further action is needed with regard to a specific policy on flying of any flags on property owned or under the control of the City.

The Advisory Group included two at-large members appointed by the City Manager, and one representative from each of the Alexandria Human Rights Commission, the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission, the Alexandria Society for the Preservation of Black Heritage, the Alexandria Planning Commission, and the Alexandria Transportation Commission.  The Advisory Group received more than 150 comments through its online feedback form and heard more than 60 speakers at its five public meetings.

City Council will receive the Advisory Group’s report at its legislative meeting on Tuesday, September 13, and will consider the report as part of its regularly scheduled public hearing meeting on Saturday, September 17, in the Council Chamber in Alexandria City Hall, 301 King St.  The public hearing meeting on September 17 will begin at 9:30 a.m. with public comments regarding items not on the docket, and City Council will then discuss and take public comments on docket items, including the Advisory Group’s report.  Once the docket order is finalized several days before the meeting, it will be available at www.alexandriava.gov/Dockets.  A form to sign up to speak at the hearing will be linked from the top of the docket.

The Advisory Group’s final report, along with the agendas, minutes, materials provided, written public comments and video record of each meeting, are available at www.alexandriava.gov/Confederate.