S. Kathleen Pepper and Francine Bromberg Win Brenman Archaeology Awards
The Alexandria Archaeological Commission (AAC) established the Brenman Award in 2007 in honor of the late activist and retired U.S. Army colonel, Ben Brenman, who had devoted himself to finding, preserving and sharing Alexandria’s rich and diverse heritage, and was a founding member of the AAC, serving as its chair for 21 years.
The AAC, a City of Alexandria commission, was the first of its kind established in the U.S.
The 2018 honorees:
S. Kathleen Pepper was named Outstanding Preservation Advocate for her leadership of the community preservation movement through her nearly 20-year commitment to the Alexandria Archaeological Commission and also to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; for her vision and guidance, serving as chair of both commissions; for her exceptional and lasting contributions to the interpretation of the archaeology and history the City of Alexandria, including at Jones Point, Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery, and the Waterfront; and for her dedication to public service, devoted to enriching the historic and cultural fabric of Alexandria.
Francine Bromberg was named Outstanding City Archaeologist for her 26 years of dedicated service to preserving and interpreting the city’s archaeology and history, and for energizing a community about what lies beneath modern Alexandria; for her tireless work to ensure that generations appreciate Alexandria’s complete and complex history through sites like Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery, the Quaker Cemetery, Shuter’s Hill, the Sugar House site, Fort Ward, and many others; for her leadership in assuring that archaeology and history are integral to all development in the City, including most recently the careful excavation, study and conservation of the first 18th-century ship and John Carlyle’s 1755 warehouse discovered along Alexandria’s waterfront; and for her dedication to sharing her wealth of knowledge of Alexandria’s history with residents, visitors, students and volunteers in our vibrant museum and in the field.
The Brenman Award recognizes businesses, organizations, families, professional preservationists, volunteers, students and other individuals who have demonstrated work or efforts in archaeological investigation, research, site protection, education, public interpretation, open space design, collections, or conservation.
