Descendants of people once enslaved at James Monroe’s Highland in Virginia gathered in Monticello at Casa Bianca Missionary Baptist Church to reconnect with families whose ancestors were sold to Casa Bianca Plantation in Jefferson County.
Through years of research, shared surnames and bloodlines revealed a powerful link between the two communities. The event, featuring a performance by Sheila Arnold Jones, highlighted resilience, remembrance, and the importance of preserving family history for future generations.
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Enslaved families’ descendants reunite through shared Virginia-Florida history
“If you don’t know where you came from, you don’t know where you’re going,” said Jennifer Saylor-Stacey, Chair of the Council of Descendant Advisors of James Monroe’s Highland. “Once you understand the resilience of our people, what they endured and that they kept moving forward… that’s the importance of this.”…