In a significant step toward recognizing a fuller local history, the City of Alexandria has officially rededicated Stevens Street in honor of Moses Stevens, a pioneering Black entrepreneur, church founder and community leader whose contributions helped shape post–Civil War Alexandria.

City leaders, historians, community members and descendants of the Stevens family attended the rededication ceremony, which took place July 11 at the Alexandria Black History Museum.

“In Alexandria there are over 560 miles of roadway and each has a name, a name that was intentionally chosen,” said Mayor Alyia Gaskins. “Most of us don't really stop and think about how those names came to be. But as today reminds us it is very important that we do think about how those names came to be because at the end of the day every one of these signs is a reflection of our values, a reflection of what matters in our community and those who we think are worth honoring and remembering.”

The street had previously honored a Confederate figure associated with either Brigadier General Clement Hoffman Stevens or Brigadier General Walter Husted Stevens. As part of Alexandria’s ongoing street renaming and rededication initiative, city officials chose to retain the street’s name while changing the historical figure it commemorates.

Moses Stevens emerged as an influential figure in Alexandria following the Civil War. A successful businessman, he operated a thriving livery service and accumulated property holdings during a period when opportunities for African Americans remained severely limited. He was also a founder of Mt. Jezreel Baptist Church and was recognized as an early adopter of telephone and automotive technology in the city. These achievements made him a symbol of Black entrepreneurship, innovation and civic leadership in Alexandria’s history.

The rededication is part of a broader effort launched by Alexandria in 2023 to address street names connected to the Confederacy. Rather than requiring residents and businesses to change addresses, a rededication preserves the existing street name while assigning it new historical meaning. As a result, no changes to mailing addresses, voter registration records or official documents are required for those living on Stevens Street.

The rededication serves not only as a tribute to one man’s accomplishments but also as a public acknowledgment of the contributions African Americans have made to the city’s history and development. Among those in attendance were Sharon Jones Frazier, whose grandmother was married to Moses Stevens, and Frazier’s cousins Julia Goldson and Helen Lee-Virgil.

Historian Char McCargo Bah did significant research on Moses Stevens and his legacy.

“I looked at his life and I said to myself, ‘What is wrong with this generation, complaining and moaning and groaning?’” Bah said. “This man was born in the 1840s and made his life better. To all the younger people -- my daughter's generation and grandson’s generation -- don't start asking people for what you need, you create for yourself when the door is closed. I ask ‘Who will be the next Moses?’”