ANNANDALE, Va. — Tucked away inside Annandale’s Pine Ridge Park lies the last remnant of a historic African American community, the Sons & Daughters of Liberty Cemetery. This cemetery is all that remains of "The Pines"—a thriving neighborhood founded in the early 1900s by Black families who cleared forests, built homes, and ran local businesses. One of its founders, Spanish-American War veteran William Collins Sr., actually used his military wages to buy the community's first 22 acres. In 1907, a quarter-acre was set aside by a local Black fraternal lodge to ensure a dignified resting place for residents and veterans.

Tragically, in 1964, the county used eminent domain to evict the families and bulldoze the neighborhood for a school that was never built. The land eventually became a county park, and the cemetery was left forgotten for decades.

An archaeological survey later uncovered more than 50 graves, though nearly all the original headstones were lost to time and vandalism. Today, a protective fence and an official historical marker honor the endurance and legacy of the families of The Pines.

📸: absolonkent.net/photogallery/index.php?/category/684

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