ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now) — On Saturday, decades of often-told but never recorded stories will become a formal part of the history of Alexandria.

The city’s library system is hosting a ‘Black Family Reunion’ designed to share new details about life for African Americans in Old Town.

The reunion started at 11 a.m. and will go until 3:00 p.m. at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library. It is free and open to the public.

One of the main goals of the reunion is to collect documents, records, and photographs from native Alexandrians to help piece together the history of the African American experience in the city.

On Friday, DC News Now’s Max Marcilla was able to see some of the photos that were submitted ahead of Saturday’s event.

Freida Bell Brockington’s father was a photographer, so she was able to submit many photos. She shared images of parades, graduations, family reunions, and even a close-up of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., at a march in D.C.

“I mean, those things should probably be in someone else’s museum,” she said with a laugh.

Former Mayor William “Bill” Euille, the first African American mayor of the city, is one of two co-chairs of the event, the other is Char McCargo Bah.

“Photo collections tell a story, and that’s really what you do at family reunions,” said Euille.

Brockington and Lauren Hill, another Alexandria native who is donating photos, said they are doing this to leave lessons for the next generations.

“It’s important to me, my daughter, and my grandkids that they know about [history],” said Brockington. “Because if we don’t, it’ll be lost.”

“We don’t know where we start, we just know we’re here,” said Hill. “I think it’s very, very important for us to keep our African American history.”

If you cannot make it to the reunion but have documents, photos, or records that could enhance the told history, the library system is encouraging you to donate online here.