The Arlington Historical Society and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington invite you to the unveiling of a “Stumbling Stone.” This bronze marker commemorates the life of an enslaved woman who helped build our county (and our country). Each marker is placed in the sidewalk at the last known location where the enslaved person lived. Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington’s research has revealed over 2750 enslaved people and identified 1050 by name.
Please join us for the Dedication Ceremony honoring an enslaved individual whose name is unknown but that know was born in approximately 1835.
Her Story
A girl around the age of 15, whose name we cannot ascertain, was enslaved by Robert and Catherine Cruit and later their heir, Susan Cruit. According to tax and census records, from 1850 to 1860, the Cruit’s enslaved two to six other people during this period. We have honored two of them, Humphrey Alfred and Priscilla Willis, in the past and others will be honored in the future.
Robert Cruit, a Georgetown resident, bought property in what is now Arlington in 1847 as a second home. The Cruit farmhouse still stands today at 1614 North Highland Street. Robert used enslaved laborers to operate his dairy farming operation. It is very likely that the young woman we are honoring worked as a dairymaid, milking cows and tending to their needs. She may also have fed and tended other livestock.
In May of 1853, an enslaved female named Matilda fled the Cruit household. She was apprehended by the law and spent three days in the DC “Blue Jug” Jail before being returned to the Cruit’s. This might be the young woman we are honoring, but there is no way to verify this.
Enslaved people in Arlington remained in bondage until the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Perhaps this young woman was freed then.
Join us as we celebrate and honor an unknown woman and gain a greater understanding of Arlington’s complicated past. Brief remarks will be offered.
Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington seeks to shed light upon these early Americans who contributed so much to the economic, social, and cultural development of our county.
For more information, please contact Jessica Kaplan from the Arlington Historical Society at ahsedlink@gmail.com.
