Fairfax County Student Historical Marker Contest
Title
Description
Students from K-12 (public, private, homeschooled etc.) classrooms and youth groups suggested topics for new Historical Markers throughout Fairfax County. Students were encouraged to submit a topic to commemorate diversity in our county. The submissions commemorated an event, person or location of historical significance within the county. The five selected were: Louise Archer--teacher and educator Lillian Blackwell- who sued to successfully end segregation in public accommodations. Gunnell’s Chapel- Freedman Robert Gunnell donated land for a chapel Colin Powell- Four Star General and first African American Secretary of State Estate Inventory of 16 Enslaved, December 20, 1856. The story of the enslaved who lived and worked where West Springfield High School is today.
The text for the Enslaved 16 follows:
Estate Inventory of 16 Enslaved, December 20, 1856
Charles 27 $1,000
Hannah & Child 29 $900
Laura 9 $300
Bill 4 $200
John 20 $1,000
Louisa 22 $800
Ann 9 $300
Cora 4 $150
Peter 25 $1,000
Harriet 28 $800
Sandy 6 $250
Sally 56 $100
Henry 25 $1,000
Daniel 11 $500
Sealy 7 $200
In 1856, this land was a 670-acre plantation. An inventory from 1856 lists the names of these enslaved individuals, and their assigned monetary values based on their ages and genders. Some were forced to raise livestock and grow crops on the plantation while others were forced to work in the owner’s houses in Alexandria. These lives and their legacies should be remembered.