“Built By the People Themselves: African American Community Development in Arlington from the Civil War through Civil Rights” with author Lindsey Bestebreurtje. The author traces the history of the Black community in Arlington, from the first days of emancipation through the civil rights era in the twentieth century. How did this community develop strategies to survive and thrive despite systemic oppression in the Jim Crow South. How did this effect the development of Arlington County and what is the legacy in our county today? This event will be in-person and via Zoom. AHS will have the book for sale so attendees can buy it and have the author sign it.
Lindsey Bestebreurtje holds a Ph.D. in history from George Mason University. Dr. Bestebreurtje has served as a Curatorial Assistant with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture since 2015. She received her BA in History and Government from the College of William and Mary in 2008 and her MA in Applied/Public History from George Mason University in 2011. In addition to her academic experience, Dr. Bestebreurtje has worked in the field of public history in the Washington, D.C. area since 2010. Her previous public history experience includes the National Park Service, the Historic American Landscape Survey, Tudor Place Historic House and Gardens. Dr. Bestebreurtje also serves on the Arlington Historical Society’s Advisory Board.
PREREGISTER FOR ZOOM ACCESS. You can attend this event on Zoom or in-person on the Marymount University Main Campus. If you want to attend this event virtually, please CLICK HERE to register. You can also cut and paste this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHop4BcGF7GbbnShuHNO4DGYiB1WyNQqL8zxITWK5Zp3lBfg/viewform into your own browser and complete it there. Please register by Wednesday, July 9. Zoom access information will be sent to you in an email on the morning of the event on Thursday, July 10.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS and FREE PARKING: Attendees planning to attend the event in-person should enter the Marymount University campus at the library gate on N. 26th Street. From Glebe Road going north, take a right onto 26th Street. Pass the intersection with Yorktown Road and then enter the campus through the next gate on your left. The library is to your left as you enter the campus. Free garage parking is just past the library at the bottom of the small incline. (Handicapped parking is immediately to your right as you enter through the gate onto campus.)
- If the university has lowered the garage gates, push the button and let them know you’re here for an Arlington Historical Society event in the library. To leave, push the button and they’ll raise the gate.
This event is one of the monthly series of free public programs sponsored by the Arlington Historical Society. This event is hosted courtesy of the Marymount University politics program’s American Heritage Initiative. For more information, please email: info@arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org.
