12/09/2025
Today the Alexandria Historical Society remembers the life and legacy of Mr. McArthur “Mac” Myers. A lifelong historian, community advocate, and civic leader, Myers passed away yesterday.
Born in South Carolina, Myers and his family moved to Alexandria in 1952. Growing up in the Port City, he encountered and fought back against Jim Crow segregation. Along with his sister, Lucille, he helped integrate Prince Street Elementary School, and he also helped integrate the Alexandria Boys Club and the local Boy Scout Troop.
Throughout his life, Myers worked to ensure that Alexandria’s full history was accessible to the public, telling an interviewer, “Tell the good, the bad, and the ugly. And you’ll find more beauty than ugly. This is our city. Tell the story.” He served on the Alexandria Historic Resources Commission, the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project, and the Alexandria Society for the Preservation of Black Heritage. He also served as the Grand Historian of Universal Lodge #1.
Many of the historical markers that exist in Alexandria today came about through Myers’ tireless advocacy. As a member of the Alexandria African American Heritage Trail Committee, he also played a key role in the creation of the African American Waterfront Trail
In 2019, Myers received the Alexandria Archaeological Commission’s Ben Brenman Award. He was named an Alexandria Living Legend in 2020. In 2021, Myers, along with the rest of the African American Trail Committee, received the Special Merit Award from the Alexandria Historical Society. Myers was a frequent presence at AHS events, often providing historical insights to attendees along with the occasional harmonica solo.
Thanks to Myers’ efforts, Alexandria today is a more equal, more welcoming, and more historically informed community. We are forever grateful for his work, and we know that his legacy will live on.
Credit: Living Legends of Alexandria/ Steven Halperson/Tisara Photography
