In the early 1940s the Army acquired the historic African American Community of Woodlawn. This land was located close to the present day Ft. Belvoir Elementary School. Woodlawn was a thriving African American Community of single-family homes, a…
In 1866, the first Woodlawn United Methodist church was built on a plot of land adjacent to where the current cemetery exists. The land was donated by a Quaker neighbor, Joseph Cox in response to a request from William Holland. The church was built…
Woodlawn Mansion was built in 1805 and was a wedding present from George Washington to his step-granddaughter Nelly Custis and his nephew Lawrence Lewis. More than 90 individuals were enslaved on the plantation, which is now owned by the National…
In 1846, Chalkley Gillingham and his business partners purchased the 2,000-acre Woodlawn plantation property from Washington Family heirs. They relocated from their homes in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York in order to establish a free labor…
The Antebellum Free Black community here was formed by people formerly enslaved on the Mount Vernon Estate. The community continued to grow after the Civil War with the construction of a church, cemetery, school and Odd Fellows hall. The African…
Originally called the Accotink school, the name was quickly changed to the Woodlawn Colored School. It was built in the “Woodlawn Crossroads” community on what is now Fort Belvoir. The current Fort Belvoir Elementary School sits very near the…
Location: In Hunter Mill District; north off Crowell Road, just past Crowell intersection with Brown’s Mill Road; it was located on Summer Road (unpaved) that extended from Crowell in 19th century.
African American Community History: Referred to as…
Woodentown was an enclave of several houses with residents that included a large family whose name identified the neighborhood. Woodens were associated with Cartersville Baptist Church, located on Hunter Mill Road, near Crowells Corner.
"Abe, Here We Are, Still At It" Four Howard University students, who were returning to Washington DC from a picnic in Fairfax County, were arrested when they refused to move to the back of the bus.
William McKinley Carter lived in Vienna and was a member of the NAACP, the Elks, and the Free and Accepted Masons. He was President of the Citizen Progressive Association of Vienna. He was one of the leaders of the Friends of the Vienna Library who…
At around the age of 16, Billy Lee was purchased by George Washington. He worked as a valet and accompanied George Washington during the Revolutionary War.
William Alexander West was born in Virginia, Va., near the side of the plantation where his parents had been slaves.Ulysses B. Glynt, who had accepted the surrender of Gen. Hobart E. Lee at [WORD ILLEGIBLE] Courthouse, was president of the United…
William West was born near where his parents had been enslaved. He held a variety of jobs and was well respected in each. He experienced discrimination throughout his life and occupations because of the color of his skin.
As an enslaved man, Billy served as George Washington’s valet throughout the American Revolution and during the early months of Washington’s presidency.
Willa Brown was a high school teacher. a licensed aviator, a licensed aircraft mechanic, and one of the founders of the National Airmen’s Association that was dedicated to increase African American participation in aviation. AOPA Pilot
The course involves examining and learning about history from a different perspective from what is taught in a typical history class. There also is a heavy emphasis on examining local history, going as small as your neighborhood potentially. The goal…
West Ford was born a slave on the plantation in Westmoreland County owned by Bushrod Washington, George’s brother. After George Washington died, Bushrod moved to Mount Vernon, bringing West Ford with him. West Ford was guaranteed freedom at the age…
This cemetery is located on the west side of the 500 block of Lewis Street, off Lawyers Road, in Vienna. According to an article in the 26 May 1988 Vienna Times by Carol Bonham, this cemetery is on land once owned by Capt. Harmon L. Salsbury where he…
John Watson Mills, a Pamunkey Indian, walked from Aylett, Virginia to Fairfax County where he would settle, marry, and have a family. On their marriage certificate, John and his wife were both identified as Black.
Vital records – such as birth, marriage, and death – were not recorded by the county courts until 1853. Slave births and deaths were recorded with the child and mother’s names only; in the place of the father, the owner’s name was listed. While free…
