Two Washington D.C. educators named Jason Green share more than the same name. Both have a thirst to teach the next generation, and it wasn’t until recently that they learned that both their family’s history could be traced back to Quince Orchard in 1868.
It was a family-reunion almost a decade in the making. Both Jason Greens are in education, African-American and live in D.C. They also spell their name the same way.
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All these similarities made them want to dig a little deeper. Their story begins in Quince Orchard, a small town near Gaithersburg, Maryland.
The pair’s great-great, great-grandparents, Melinda and Gary Green were formerly enslaved. The couple then gained their freedom and built a thriving community in Quince Orchard, including an education center.
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For this year's Thanksgiving, the Green cousins brought their distant families to where it all started, and learned about their history.
“We have to know where we come from and us as Black people, we don’t know because our families have been so disjointed,” Kiya Green said.
The hope for the future is to continue educating and preserving the land that their ancestors worked hard to pass down to future generation.
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“We’re trying to build a community here where we all can give significance and belonging," Jason Green said.
