Black History Month Spotlight: Gum Springs

Gum Springs just celebrated one hundred and seventy five years of existence as the oldest African American community in Fairfax County Virginia and one of the oldest in our nation. 

Nearly 200 years is nothing we should take lightly, especially when considering what it took for Gum Springs to survive to present day.

West Ford, the community’s founding father, started out with the title of slave and, having believed to have connections of blood relation to one of the founding fathers of our nation, helped  insure a level of stability for the community.

Samuel K. Taylor, a runaway slave, started the first church and school in Gum Springs, giving birth to the first institution, Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Samuel K. Taylor, Robert King, Nathan Webb, Hamilton Gray and Loveless Brown. Five Men of Bethlehem Baptist Church; created the joint Stock Company. These men formed an idea of expansion, with the desire to build a community, pooling their monies to corner the land market in Gum Springs so that they could resell their holdings to other African Americans needing and wanting a place of security; (The Joint Stock Company sold their holdings without monetary gain).

Then, the community sought to insure that their efforts would continue by building schools to educate the young. Schools were built totally by residents donating time and money. Land for the schools was donated; building material for the schools was donated. The teachers who were Quakers and African Americans had come from near and far to enrich the lives of those who had been denied the right of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

These individuals gave the gift of self and selflessness. Gift giving was what made the Gum Springs community a wondrous and unique place. Teachers, Ministers, Butchers, Doctors, Carpenters, and Brick Masons all gave of their time and special abilities.  People shared of their talents so that the community would survive and grow.

Their acts of selflessness enabled Gum Springs to increase and what were the efforts of many to keep a community in continuum may now be in jeopardy. With the advent of the 21st Century new elements have now come into the equation that may very well lead to the obliteration of the community.

New construction considerations for mini convention centers would require new road configurations to accommodate the increased traffic, displacing homes and the smooth operations of community life. Greater density housing is continuing to replace single family homes. Constant bombardment from some news outlets which focus on misinformation is seemingly geared to deconstruct the amazing element of what Gum Springs represents.

It has not been until recent history that African Americans could properly tell the story of the African American Diaspora and their struggle in this country. The story of Gum Springs remains still somewhat hidden from view and if elements such as the mini convention centers and increased density efforts are left unchecked, Gum Springs will pass into the ages, leaving a part of the African American Story untold and forgotten.