Arriving in a black tour bus, family members were visibly moved as they set foot on the grounds where their ancestors once worked the wheat plantations. "It is an emotional trip and there are still some things I'm gonna need to break down when I get home," shared Tamia Cannon-Henderson, one of the descendants.
The historic journey, now known by the family as 'The Trek,' began in 1844 when enslaver Paul Cameron ordered 114 enslaved people to walk from Stagville to his newly-purchased cotton plantation in western Alabama. The brutal journey involved crossing rivers on foot, with wagons and children in tow.
The reunion brought together descendants of the Jeffersons, Hargresses, and Cannon families. "I just thought it was amazing to think that people really traveled that far on foot and so many of them," remarked Henrietta Hargess-Davis, reflecting on her ancestors' journey.
Duke Emeritus Professor of History Sydney Nathans, who spent 40 years researching and documenting the families' story in his book "A Mind to Stay," revealed a remarkable twist in their history. In 1875, following emancipation, the formerly enslaved farm workers purchased the very land in Alabama where they had once been forced to work.
"It's their story that I'm telling. I'm not telling my story. And I think these people are really heroes to me," Nathans said.
Genealogist Myles Caggins, who spent nearly a decade using DNA and historical records to connect modern-day descendants with their Durham ancestry, expressed amazement at the reunion. "I never imagined we could come to this kind of moment in time," he said. "We have this many family members coming to see where their ancestors were purchased; where they grew up; where they worked; and where they left from."
For many descendants, the homecoming sparked both pride and a desire to learn more about their heritage. "Our ancestors had to go through so much and it's just wonderful to be able to say that this is where we were, but this is where we are," Henrietta Quick reflected. Her sentiment was echoed by Cannon-Henderson, who expressed an eagerness to "dig deeper" into her family's history.
The Stagville descendants now live in cities and towns across the country, but their connection to the past remains strong. Much of the hundreds of acres of land their ancestors purchased in Alabama continues to be owned by their families today, serving as a lasting testament to their resilience and determination.
"The story changes from slavery to freedom. And what happens in freedom is yet another story," noted Professor Nathans, highlighting the ongoing legacy of these remarkable families.