Absolon Kent

VIENNA, Va. — Hidden among the neighborhoods of Tysons, the Carter Family Burial Plot is the last surviving physical reminder of the Carter family and the once-thriving Freedom Hill community.

In 1842, Keziah Carter, a woman of Tauxenent/Pamunkey ancestry, purchased 50 acres of land here after securing the freedom of her enslaved husband, Robert Carter. At a time when Black and mixed-race families faced extraordinary legal and social barriers to land ownership, the Carters established a home and farm that became the heart of Cartersville, one of Fairfax County's earliest free Black communities.

Their descendants left a lasting legacy. During the Civil War, Lucy Carter carried manumission papers to prove her free status and was granted special Union travel passes in 1864. Historians believe she may have served as a Union informant, helping support the Union cause during one of the nation's most turbulent periods.

Today, the Carter Family Burial Plot at 1737 Key West Lane, Vienna preserves the resting place of this pioneering family. Although only one headstone—Millie Carter Whales—remains visible, historical records indicate that several members of the Carter family are buried here. Preservation efforts continue to ensure that their story is not forgotten.

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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.

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HARRISONBURG, Va. — Our family was blessed to travel and celebrate this Resurrection Sunday as Matthias participated in the baptism service at Aletheia Church. Tears of joy were flowing as he made his public declaration his of faith.

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WASHINGTON — I decided to take advantage of the beautiful Spring weather and travel downtown to view the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin before the seawall reconstruction project begins. Little Kent 2 and I walked the Arlington Memorial Bridge, past the Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jefferson memorials and the Washington Monument.

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