Menokin Descendant Collective Spotlight Series
Each month, the “Menokin Descendant Collective Spotlight Series” showcases the stories of modern descendants of the enslaved persons at Menokin, black-owned businesses, and leaders and organizations in the community. Check back often and see more on our social media feeds!
Carolyn Kenzslowe-Beckett
Carolyn Kenzslowe-Beckett is the great-granddaughter of Sedwick and Isabella Gordon, and the second great-granddaughter of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon. Carolyn shares, “I always wondered who my paternal grandfather was. As a teenager, I used to stand in our front yard, facing west towards the town of our Dad’s birth, and wondered if there was anyone living there who looked like me and my siblings – any cousins. It wasn’t until I became an older adult that I learned of Ancestry.com and began my research.” Read Carolyn’s full story here
Reverend Maxine Johnson-Harris
Reverend Maxine Johnson-Harris is the second great-granddaughter of Daniel West Gordon and the third great-granddaughter of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon.
Maxine shares “I am honored to be a descendant of Daniel West Gordon and because of him my family’s story is woven into the fabric of Menokin Descendant Collective.”
Read Maxine’s story here
Wanda Henderson
Wanda is the second great-granddaughter of Stafford Gordon, Jr. and the third great-granddaughter of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon. She is the oldest child of Robert Gordon and Christine Nelson Gordon. Wanda never knew she lived so close to where her ancestors had been enslaved. She shares, “It has blessed me immensely to know where I "come from.” I wish my dad and youngest son had lived long enough to have been a part of the first descendant's event. I felt when I first drove onto the property that I was home. That this place was "mine.’” Wanda is seen here second from left with family members, who are also descendants of the enslaved persons at Menokin. Read more of Wanda’s story here.
Natalie Dupree
Natalie is the second great-granddaughter of Stafford Gordon, Jr. and the third great-granddaughter of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon.
Natalie is a Washington D.C. resident and has lived there most of her life. She graduated from Cornell University with a BS in microbiology. She also received her MS in biostatistics and epidemiology from Georgetown. She began her career in Public Health Research by working at the Cancer Center at Howard University. Read Natalie’s entire story and vision about the Menokin Descendant Collective here.
Ronica Miller
Our Menokin Descendant Collective Spotlight for December is Ronica Miller (left in photo.) Ronica is the second great-granddaughter of Daniel West Gordon and the third granddaughter of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon.
Similar to her older sister, Pamela Johnson, Ronica visited Warsaw a lot while she was younger, but didn't know about Menokin or her connection to the site until later in life. Since joining the Collective, Ronica has been able to learn more about her history and connect with others. Read Ronica’s story here.
Pamela Johnson
Our Menokin Descendant Collective Spotlight for November is Pamela Johnson!
Pamela is the second great-granddaughter of Daniel West Gordon and the third granddaughter of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon. Since joining the Collective, she has been awestruck and amazed by how many relatives she hadn't met before and feels excited and blessed to be able to connect with them. Read more about Pamela’s story here.
Virtual Descendants’ Celebration
On October 7, The Menokin Descendant Collective hosted its 2023 Virtual Descendants’ Celebration. It was an amazing event filled with learning, sharing, and commemorating the enslaved people of Menokin and their legacies! The Menokin Foundation would like to thank the Menokin Descendant Planning Committee for their help in making this event, our descendant volunteers, and anyone else who participated! We hope to continue this momentum together into 2024!
Dr. G. R. Quarles
Our Menokin Descendant Collective Spotlight for September is Dr. G. R. Quarles! Dr. Quarles is the third great-grandson of Daniel West Gordon and the fourth grandson of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon.
Dr. Quarles is a highly experienced and accomplished author, lecturer, workshop facilitator, speaker, and panelist who has dedicated his career to promoting financial management and wealth building for individuals, businesses, non-profits, and churches. Read Gene’s amazing story and deep connection to the Menokin Descendant Collective here.
Kamala Lane
Kamala is the great-great-granddaughter of Daniel Gordon and the great-great-great-granddaughter of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon.
Kamala graduated from Rowan University in New Jersey with a degree in journalism. Since leaving the military, she has gotten her degree as well as moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in screenwriting as well as producing. Kamala shares, “For me being a Descendant is proof that my ancestors were here, and the power that was taken from them. I am a manifestation of that power.” Read much more about Kamala’s compelling story here.
Nichole Green
Nichole Green is a Certified Wedding Planner and Owner of Events By Nichole Green LLC based in the Northern Neck. Events by Nichole provides Floral, Event, Wedding Planning, and rentals. It all started for Nichole at an early age by planning family gatherings, her children’s birthday parties, church events, and friends' & families’ weddings.
“It all came down to I Love, Love”, Nicole states. Read Nichole and Events’ entire story about serving her community and the importance of family here.
Tim Gordon and LightReel Film Festival
The LightReel Film Festival was created by Tim Gordon, a member of the Menokin Descendant Collective. The LightReel Film Festival is an annual showcase for cinematic talent hosted by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in Film (FAAAF). Read Tim’s full story here.
Alexandria Gabriel Hunt-Quarles
Alexandria Gabriel Hunt-Quarles, fifth great granddaughter of Amanda Beverly Gordon and Stafford Gordon. She is the fourth granddaughter of Daniel West Gordon. Alexandria is 15 years old and is in the 9th grade at Essex High School, Tappahannock, VA (Essex County) where she maintains a 4.0 GPA. Read Alexandria’s spotlight here.
Salama Shani Saunders
Salama Shani Saunders, great‐great‐granddaughter of Daniel West Gordon and third great granddaughter to Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon. Shani is passionate about serving the community and lives by the motto, “Representation matters.” Read Shani’s spotlight here.
Free Haven Farms
Free Haven Farms owned by Micaiah Hall and Dr. Cynthia Hall, a descendant of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon and a second great granddaughter of Daniel West Gordon. Free Haven Farms is a small, regenerative, family farm located in Historic Lawnside, NJ. Read the entire story here.
MPAAGHS
The Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical and Historical Society of Virginia (MPAAGHS). The Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical and Historical Society of Virginia was convened in September of 2004 by genealogists Gloria Waller and Bessida Cauthorne White. The organization’s mission is to create and provide opportunities to encourage and enable African-Americans to research, document, and publish their family histories and genealogies. Read the full MPAAGHS story here.
Veronica Williams
Veronica Williams is a descendant of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon and a third great-granddaughter of Sedwick Gordon. She is a professional mezzo-soprano known for her "thrilling instrument" and "overwhelming authority" on stage. Most recently, Ms. Williams has sung recitals for the Shivers Fund in Colorado Springs, and Castle Of Our Skins in Boston See Veronica’s full story here.