Photo courtesy of City of Alexandria
The street renaming ceremony attracted a crowd in Alexandria.
On Saturday, July 11, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins, members of the City Council Naming Committee and staff from the Office of Historic Alexandria hosted a rededication ceremony at the Alexandria Black History Museum to honor Moses Stevens’s legacy and celebrate his descendants.
Moses Stevens was a pioneering Black entrepreneur in post-Civil War Alexandria. He operated a successful livery business, founded Mt. Jezreel Baptist Church and was among the first in the city to adopt both telephone and automotive infrastructure.
Speakers at the ceremony included Mayor Gaskins, author and historian Char McCargo Bah and family members of Moses Stevens.
"Moses Stevens built a church, built a business and built something real for this community,” Gaskins said. “Now, we get to see his story reflected in our streets, and I'm grateful we get to do it with his family here with us."
More information on Moses Stevens’ life is available in the 2019 Alexandria Gazette Packet article “Life and Times of the Livery Man: The story of Moses Stevens” by Char McCargo Bah, a published author, freelance writer, independent historian, genealogist and Living Legend of Alexandria.
Street Renaming in Alexandria
This celebration is part of the City’s multi-year Street Renaming and Rededication process. This rededication of Stevens Street removes honors previously granted to a Confederate figure and uplifts an individual whose contributions reflect Alexandria's present-day values, a symbolic but meaningful milestone for our community.
No changes to addresses, mailing information, voter registration or official documents are required for this rededication. The street was originally named after either Confederate Brigadier General Clement Hoffman Stevens or Walter Husted Stevens, according to the City.
