Fort Myer in Arlington in Arlington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Gray Family
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
— George Washington Memorial Parkway —
Selena Gray was born into slavery in December 1823, the daughter of Leonard and Sallie Norris. She learned to read and write as a personal maid for Mary Lee. In the same parlor where the Lees wed, Selena married Thornton Gray, and enslaved stable hand. Together, Selena and Thornton raised eight children—Emma, Annice, Florence, Sarah, Ada, Selena, John, and Harry—in one cramped space of the south slave quarters. After the Lees left Arlington, the gray family cut through the walls to occupy this entire building until the US government forced them from their home. Years later, Selena wrote to Mary Lee after the family settled on a few acres in Alexandria.
(Captions)
Selena posing with two of her daughters. This photograph is a rare glimpse into the lives of enslaved families, whose stories are often missing from the historical record.
Thornton Gray tended the horses and carriages. After the Civil War, he lost his petition to Congress for some of the plantation land at Arlington.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1823.
Location. 38° 52.857′ N, 77° 4.37′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Fort Myer. Marker can be reached from Sherman Drive, 0.2 miles south of Lincoln Drive, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 319 Sherman Dr, Fort Myer VA 22211, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Guardian of a Nation's Heritage (a few steps from this marker); A Place of Division and Reunification (a few steps from this marker); Long Haul (a few steps from this marker); Kingdom of my childhood (a few steps from this marker); Garden to Graves (a few steps from this marker); Trophy of War (within shouting distance of this marker); Division and Reunification (within shouting distance of this marker); Platforms of Power (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arlington.
Also see . . . Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial. National Park Service (Submitted on March 29, 2022.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 27, 2022, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 189 times since then and 25 times this year. Last updated on January 7, 2023, by Bruce Guthrie of Silver Spring, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 27, 2022, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.