As part of Black History Month, The Mount Vernon Gazette has been running a series of articles regarding the history of Gum Springs.Gum Springs is probably the oldest historically black community in Mt. Vernon. There are a few other communities such as Quander Road, Lorton and Mason Neck. Growing up, I had many friends from that area and the Gum Springs Football team used to absolutely destroy us every year.
It is pretty rare when you knock doors in our community that you run into families whose names are on the street signs. The odd street maps, unique housing patterns, and the history made it one of my favorite places to knock doors during the campaign.
The articles below detail the history of Gum Springs.
Gum Springs: A Slave's Legacy, Part I
Gum Springs: A Slave's Legacy, Part II
Gum Springs: A Slave's Legacy, Part III
Gum Springs: A Slave's Legacy, Part IV
Gum Springs: A Slave's Legacy, Part I
Gum Springs: A Slave's Legacy, Part II
Gum Springs: A Slave's Legacy, Part III
Gum Springs: A Slave's Legacy, Part IV
Great links. I did a program a few years back at Walt Whitman, and one of the core components that I talk about is the importance of knowing your own local history. Among most middle schoolers, the response is "Nothing ever happens around here." It was great to not only discuss the obvious, like Washington's history in the region, but to tell the story of Gum Springs.
ReplyDeleteLocal history is made every single day, every single place.