Photo Gallery: Juneteenth at Reynolds Homestead honors legacy of the enslaved
More than 130 people gathered at Virginia Tech’s Reynolds Homestead on June 19 for a powerful Juneteenth commemoration led by descendants of those once enslaved at the historic Rock Spring Plantation.
For many, the event carried deep personal meaning. Kimble Reynolds Jr., chair of the Rock Spring Descendants Committee, reflected on the legacy of his great-great-grandmother and the complex emotions of standing on the land where she had been enslaved.
The day offered a rich blend of remembrance and community connection. Guests toured the historic home, the Rock Spring, and the nearby enslaved cemetery, where researchers have identified 57 of 61 unmarked graves. Alongside these solemn reflections were joyful community-centered activities: music, a communal BBQ dinner provided by Hylton’s Wood‑Cooking Grill in Fieldale, and a cake walk competition.
As the sun set, each attendee received a leaf-shaped card bearing the name of an enslaved person or someone buried on the plantation. As Kimble Reynolds read each name aloud, participants raised their leaves in silent tribute and placed them on a wooden “memory tree,” creating a living monument of remembrance.
The ceremony concluded with a circle of unity around the memory tree as Bishop Burgie L. Penn of Trinity Church of the Living God in Stuart offered a benediction and led the group in song.
More than a commemoration, the gathering was an act of reclamation — honoring names long silenced, reuniting descendants, and affirming that the lives of those once enslaved at Rock Spring are a vital part of the region’s, and the nation’s, history.
Click on a photo below to see a larger version.
Photos by Diane Deffenbaugh for Virginia Tech.