Sponsoring a Stumbling Stone

The Arlington Historical Society & Black Heritage Museum

invite you to

Stumble Across History

You can help remember those who were once enslaved here

We are commemorating the lives of the enslaved people who helped build our county (and our country) by placing a stumbling stone in sidewalks at the location where individuals were enslaved. These markers will be engraved with first and last names, date of birth and date of death — when this information is known.

Arlington, Virginia is the first southern community in the United States to memorialize enslaved individuals using stumbling stones. The goal is to reveal a difficult history, remember forgotten individuals, and honor our shared humanity.

What is a Stumbling Stone?

A stumbling stone or Stolpersteine is a brass plaque used to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. In 1992, German artist Gunter Demnig begun placing these plaques with the name, birth and date deaths, and deportation of a person in sidewalks throughout Berlin at their last known address. As of June 2023, 100,000 stones have been placed in the ground in 30 countries throughout Europe.

Arlington’s Stumbling Stones

...are actually bronze markers designed and fabricated by students at Arlington Tech High School and through a local bronze company. Arlington County will install each marker in the public sidewalk near where the enslaved person once lived. This will be a lasting memorial for people who were forgotten for so many years.

This is your chance to ensure that the enslaved people — who helped build our community— live on.

With your support a bronze marker with the name of the enslaved person (and their birth and death date if known) will be embedded in the sidewalk near where the person lived.

The total cost including installation is $350 per marker

Individuals, Youth Groups, Schools, Civic, Religious and Community Groups and all others are invited to participate.

Let us help you identify a location for you or your group to sponsor a stumbling stones.

Visit the Historical Society website to learn more about the project. We are continuing to add information as we obtain it including stories that have been passed down from family members.

https://enslavedarl.org

We are available to speak to your group about this project and share what we have learned.

Contact Jessica Kaplan at ahsedlink@gmail.com or Nancy Pilchen at nancypilchenmea@gmail.com