ARLINGTON, Va. — A visit to Green Valley reveals one of Arlington's oldest and most significant African American communities, with a history that stretches back to 1844. That year, Levi Jones became the first African American to own land in the area when he purchased 14 acres near Green Valley Manor. Jones's parents had been enslaved by George Washington and were later freed under the terms of Martha Washington's estate.

Following the Civil War, formerly enslaved families established a thriving community, building homes, churches, businesses, and civic institutions despite the barriers imposed by segregation. Green Valley became home to landmarks including Macedonia Baptist Church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, Green Valley Pharmacy, Friendly Taxi Cab Company, and Green Valley Ball Park. The neighborhood was also home to Dr. Charles Drew, whose pioneering blood-plasma research revolutionized modern medicine.

Although the community came to be known as "Nauck" after a white developer subdivided the area in the 1870s, residents continued to refer to their neighborhood as Green Valley. After decades of community advocacy, Arlington officially restored the historic name in 2019, recognizing the identity that generations of residents had preserved.

Today, Green Valley stands as a testament to resilience, self-determination, and the enduring legacy of the families who built one of Arlington County's most historic communities.

📸: https://absolonkent.net/photogallery/index.php?/category/721

#TodaysAdventure #MyDMV #GetOutside #OutdoorAdventures #KENTCANDO #BlackHistory #VirginiaHistory #JustMe #PhotoWalk #ArlingtonVA #GreenValley

VIENNA, Va. — Freedom Hill was one of Fairfax County's earliest free Black communities, where generations of free African American and mixed-race families built homes, farmed the land, and shaped their own future long before the Civil War.

Located near what is now Tysons, Freedom Hill earned its name from the unusually large number of free Black residents who called these hills home. Families such as the Carters and Dobsons established a thriving community through perseverance, manumission, self-purchase, and birth into freedom. Their proximity to Washington, D.C., provided opportunities and connections that helped sustain this extraordinary settlement.

During the Civil War, Freedom Hill's residents strongly supported the Union. In 1864–1865, Union soldiers constructed Redoubt Freedom Hill, a small fort overlooking Chain Bridge Road to help defend the approaches to Washington. Though the fort never saw major combat, its name permanently recognized the community's identity and legacy. Among the community's notable residents was Lucy Carter, a free woman of color who carried her manumission papers at all times and is believed by some historians to have served as a Union informant.

Today, visitors can explore Freedom Hill Fort Park (8531 Old Courthouse Road), where the original earthworks remain alongside interpretive exhibits installed in 2021 as part of Fairfax County's Untold Stories program. The exhibits honor the Carter, Dobson, and other Freedom Hill families while recognizing the community's Tauxenent heritage.

📸: absolonkent.net/photogallery/index.php?/category/716

#TodaysAdventure #MyDMV #GetOutside #OutdoorAdventures #KENTCANDO #BlackHistory #VirginiaHistory #JustMe #PhotoWalk

WASHINGTON — Last night, Thurraya and I had the honor of attending the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

For the past decade, this extraordinary museum has preserved, shared, and celebrated the stories, struggles, achievements, and enduring contributions of African Americans to our nation's history. Since opening in 2016, it has welcomed millions of visitors from around the world, becoming a place of education, reflection, inspiration, and hope.

The evening brought together guests to commemorate this important milestone with opening remarks, a special anniversary program, and an opportunity to celebrate the museum's remarkable first ten years. Walking through the museum and sharing in this celebration was a powerful reminder that history is not only something we study—it is something we preserve, honor, and pass on to future generations.

#TodaysAdventure #MyDMV #KENTCANDO #TeamKent #NMAAHC #Smithsonian  #BlackHistory #HistoryMatters

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Before 1954, African American students in Fairfax County who wanted to attend high school had to travel outside the county—either to Manassas or to schools in Washington, D.C. That changed when Luther P. Jackson High School opened in September 1954 as the county's first—and only—high school built to serve African-American students. Named for historian, educator, and voting-rights advocate Luther Porter Jackson, the school became a source of pride and opportunity for generations of students.

Ironically, the school opened the same year the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision declaring segregated public schools unconstitutional. Despite the ruling, Luther Jackson opened as a segregated school and remained the county's only school for Black students in grades 7–12 until integration began in 1965.

Today, the building continues to serve the community as Luther Jackson Middle School, while a Fairfax County historical marker commemorates the school's important role in the county's educational and civil rights history.

📸: absolonkent.net/photogallery/index.php?/category/708

#TodaysAdventure #MyDMV #GetOutside #OutdoorAdventures #KENTCANDO #BlackHistory #VirginiaHistory #JustMe #PhotoWalk