POTOMAC, Md. — Communities across the DMV commemorated Juneteenth with celebrations, but a Montgomery County festival did so by honoring the past with a look towards the future.
"Juneteenth is a day of opportunity. It's about a day of fairness," Latisha Gastaway-Paul, who chairs the Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival, told WUSA9.
For Gastaway-Paul, the purpose of the multi-event celebration was personal. She is the descendent of William Dove, the founder of the Scotland community.
According to historians, in 1880 Dove, a formerly enslaved farm worker was the first Black man to own land in Potomac.
Scotland was an enclave of more than 500 acres along Seven Locks Road, spanning from what is now Democracy Boulevard to Montrose Road.
The proceeds from the festival will, in part, help support the restoration of the Scotland AME Zion Church on Seven Locks Road.
The historic church was deemed uninhabitable after a devastating flood in summer of 2019.
Scotland native, Phyllis Dove, who is also a descendent of William Dove, says some of her greatest childhood memories are in that church.
"Whenever I get a chance I go back to Scotland because that's home. You know people say you can move away, but you can't leave home? That's what it is. It's like home," she told WUSA9.
Other Scotland natives shared similar testimonies calling the Juneteenth celebration a homecoming.
"It's all about our freedom and being treated as we are free," Michelle Dove added.
This year, the festival is expanding its mission by supporting five local organizations in Montgomery County.
"It's supporting the Black historical communities and youth nonprofits throughout Montgomery County. You know Scotland is one of 8 surviving communities. There were 80," Gastaway-Paul said.
The beneficiaries include:
- Emory Grove United Methodist Church, which was originally founded by freed African Americans in 1864. The church is one of the few remaining historical structures of the community.
- 1Up Handles is a nonprofit organization that runs after-school programs, summer camps, and clinics for school-age children.
- Soul in Motion Players is a nonprofit performing arts organization specializing in African dance, African drumming, theater, and spoken word.
- Future Star Sports is an organization that offers basketball and cheerleading. According to their website, the nonprofit's goal is to empower youth by fostering personal growth, teamwork, and community engagement.
- Reach Beyond Basketball is a nonprofit group, which according to their website, is dedicated to teaching young people the concept of going beyond their comfort zone to reach their full potential on the court, in the classroom, and in life.
For more information on the the Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival and how to help their mission, click here.