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February 12, 2025
Neighbors,
As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s worth remembering that equity and inclusivity are a formative part of the largest community in Hunter Mill – Reston
As Reston’s founder Robert E. Simon, Jr. noted several decades after Reston’s founding:
“The idea of community means people of all incomes and races living happily together. We were turned down by 50 banks for normal construction loans. The backers we did have were shocked and considered walking away from this thing. We publicized that it was an open community.”
He put his principles into action when he sold land to Edward E. Mitchell, a retired Army colonel for his family’s $55,000 home in Hunter Woods Village.
It’s worth noting that Simon’s commitment to equity occurred three years before the 1968 Fair Housing Act became law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, national origin and sex.
By 1969, about 70 African American families were living in Reston and Restonians also convened that spring to discuss how to oppose discrimination and racism. These meetings resulted in the “Welcome to Reston: An Open Community” poster and brochure that were given to prospective residents.
To learn more about this history, attend Reston Museum’s free Feb. 26 presentation and discussion “Reston: At The Forefront Of Community Desegregation.” Longtime Restonians former Delegate Ken Plum and renowned vocalist Beverly Cosham will share their experiences and reflections on Reston’s role in advancing civil rights.
Regards,
Walter
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