Behind the scenes of the Alexandria Gazette Packet’s article on, “The Lives of Lewis H. Bailey and Annie B. Rose: Former slave established churches; his daughter was devoted to her community – dated March 14, 2019.
Over thirty years ago, I met an elderly woman in early April of 1989 coming into the Alexandria Black History Museum in Alexandria, Virginia where I volunteered my genealogical expertise to patrons. I had just returned to the United States from Sierra Leone, West African in March of 1989 when I was blessed with meeting Mrs. Annie B. Rose. At that time, I did not know how powerful this meeting was until many years later.
Mrs. Annie B. Rose died in the same month that I met her but I believe we were brought together for a reason. It took me thirty years to figure it out, that her life story has been my life time preparation in researching families who ancestors were slaves. Mrs. Rose was the daughter of a former slave. Her life and her father’s life have inspired many people who knew them. For me, it was ordained by a higher being that I meet such a lady before she made her spiritual journey.
You can read my article, “The Lives of Lewis H. Bailey and Annie B. Rose in the Alexandria Gazette Packet on page 11 at
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