JEFFERSON, COUNTY — 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.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
"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."
The connection runs deeper than historical documents. For many attendees, standing on the land where their ancestors labored first in Virginia, then in Florida, transforms history into something tangible.
"Well, it's absolutely important for preservation, and we're interested in our history. We love it. We love our family. We love that. And many people don't have the opportunity to learn the history of their families, but because we're tied to the fifth president of United States property, we have access to historical records that many people who are enslaved do not," said Lisa Armstrong, descendant.
Pastor Tobbie Berrian III said programs like this help restore what was nearly erased from history.
"So much of our history was lost," Berrian said. "The sheer importance of our history, especially today, it's very necessary that we do the digging ourselves, and then we go back and then tell the stories to our children and our children's children, so that won't be lost. They'll have it for eternity."
The gathering featured a performance by storyteller Sheila Arnold Jones, who brought to life the story of Betsy Costner, an enslaved woman sold from Highland to Casa Bianca. Through performance, historical records became remembrance.
Betsy Costner's descendants are among the families reconnecting between Highland and Monticello, restoring ties broken for generations and ensuring their story is never separated again.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
