Communities of the Formerly Enslaved in Loudoun County

After the Civil War, formerly enslaved people made new lives in freedom. They recorded marriages that hadn’t been legal during the time of slavery. They raised families. They worked hard to buy land, a right that had been denied to them while held in bondage. They were community builders – establishing villages throughout Loudoun County and creating social and fraternal networks to support and uplift one another. Two such communities were Gleedsville and Howardsville, founded by people formerly enslaved at or associated with Oatlands and Bellefied.

We will continue to update this page with more information about the communities.  If you have information to share, please call 703-727-0670.

Cover art of Mount Olive Methodist Episcopal Church by Gertrude Evans