The famous adage, “a picture speaks a thousand words,” is valid for many photos or pictures that portray prominent historical events. The proverb also applies to images of relatives or descendants with striking resemblances and features. A portrait of West Ford, the manager and caretaker of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, also portrays his resemblance to the first president. Although some attempt to erase Ford from history, many historians cannot rule out the possibility that he was George Washington’s black son. The case of West Ford being the first president’s black son seems valid because of the similar features. Some people, like Linda Allen Hollis, want to set the record straight by bringing West Ford’s legacy to the forefront of American history and giving him his rightful status as the first president’s black son.
Linda Allen Hollis is a historian and researcher who has dedicated her career to preserving the legacy of West Ford, her third great-grandfather. The family oral history states that Ford was George Washington’s enslaved son through Ford’s mother, Venus, a house slave at Washington’s brother’s home. Although people recognize Ford as the manager and caretaker of the historic Mount Vernon Estate from 1820–1863, few acknowledge his connection and potential relationship with Washington. The proponents of the Ford legacy offer numerous evidentiary documents supporting the claim, including drawings of his uncanny resemblance to the first president. However, a lack of DNA evidence creates doubts among opponents. The DNA question is something that Hollis is currently seeking through the testing of white Washington descendants.
Hollis’s most notable achievement is her book, “I Cannot Tell a Lie: The True Story of George Washington’s African American Descendants,” published in 2004. The book highlights and explains the oral history of the African American descendants of George Washington, who contradict the common perception that Washington did not bear any children. Hollis’s book is excellent for understanding race relations and Washington’s hidden African American legacy. Hollis has also written several family biographies, including; Elise Ford Allen, Major George William Ford, and West Ford. She is finishing up a new book that delves further into the relationship between West Ford and George Washington.
Hollis’s research and writing on this topic are essential contributions to the broader historical understanding of the complex relationship between the American founding fathers and the institution of slavery. Through her work, Hollis has helped to bring the stories of George Washington’s descendants to light and how they navigated through slavery to become landowners. West Ford donated a portion of his land in 1833 while becoming the “founder and father” of Gum Springs. Gum Springs was the nucleus of a black community throughout the 19th century, a depot for blacks before and after the Civil War. Today, Gum Springs is the oldest African American settlement in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Hollis has also been involved in efforts to preserve Gum Springs and has worked closely with the local community, churches, and historical associations. Her recent endeavor through the West Ford Legacy Foundation has helped to place a permanent highway marker in the community for her ancestor. Spending over thirty years as a prominent researcher and historian has made Hollis an expert in African American history, race relations, and African American issues. Linda Allen Hollis is also the official chronicler of the Ford family legacy and has represented the family as a spokesperson on several platforms. She contributed as a historian, biographer, and spokesperson on multiple documentaries, including Beltway Unbuckled for the History Channel and George and Venus for Frontline. She also appeared on numerous media outlets as a racial relations expert and historian, including the Washington Post, the New York Times, the New Yorker magazine, the Today Show, MSNBC, and Der Spiegel.
Linda Allen Hollis supports and participates in Black History Month. She highlights how African Americans have fought against racial inequality through effort, resilience, and steadfastness. Supporting and participating in the events surrounding Black History Month will create opportunities to highlight West Ford and his descendants’ contributions to standing up against racial inequalities and disparities. Hollis is also a prominent activist regarding racial equality and has raised her voice and concerns against racial inequality and systemic racism on numerous platforms.
