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Twelve Generations of Rising: A Legacy of Resilience from Monticello to Loudoun
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Tracing one’s family roots is a favorite pursuit for many, but for Robin Reaves Burke, the journey is about more than just names. It is about a twelve-generation trajectory of achievement. On February 10, Burke, an AARP volunteer from Ashburn, shared her family’s extraordinary story in a Tuesday Explorers talk titled, "Tracing My Roots: A Hemings Descendant’s Journey from Monticello to Loudoun."
As a direct descendant of the Hemings family of Monticello, Burke’s history is inextricably linked to Thomas Jefferson. However, her focus remains on the profound strength her ancestors exhibited while navigating the complexities of their time. She highlighted how the family’s path changed during the American Revolution when her third-generation ancestor, Mary Hemings Bellthen – enslaved at Monticello – transitioned from a prisoner of war to a life of freedom by 1786.
"Mary is just one of many examples of accomplishment in our history," Burke says. Her talk corrected the common misconception that all Black Americans remained enslaved until the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Instead, the Hemings family descendants navigated a complex landscape to negotiate their freedom and build independent lives decades earlier. Burke’s father, Merwyn Page Reaves, started this meticulous research more than 30 years ago. Before his death in late 2023, he passed the torch to her to ensure their family’s legacy was preserved and shared. Together, they have pieced together a history in which each generation rose above the weight of systemic racism to reach greater heights.
Bringing this history into the present, Burke serves as the Executive Director of the Loudoun Freedom Center which protects and preserves Loudoun’s largest African American burial ground. Her work transcends genealogy: she was instrumental in the passage of HB1980, the Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program, which provides scholarships to descendants of enslaved people, resulting in the establishment of five major Virginia universities.
Throughout her presentation, Burke emphasized that the reason she shares this history is to encourage others to face their own roots. While the journey of discovery can be difficult, she believes others will be moved by the profound strength they uncover. From the Middle Passage and the bondage of Monticello to a legacy of liberty in Loudoun, Burke’s story is a powerful reminder that tracing our past is the ultimate tool for celebrating both family and community achievements today.
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