Reston: At The Forefront Of Community Desegregation

Contributed by Reston Museum

Reston Museum is proud to celebrate Black History Month with a stimulating presentation and discussion featuring long-time residents and community leaders Ken Plum, former state legislator, and Bev Cosham, community and arts activist, who will share personal stories and reflections on Reston’s role in advancing civil rights and creating a more inclusive community. Discover how Reston’s founding principles challenged the status quo of the 1960s and led it to become one of the first integrated communities in the United States.

When Reston was founded in November 1964, Virginia was largely segregated, interracial marriages were illegal, and overt racism was apparent. Reston founder, Bob Simon, put forth a revolutionary idea – that Reston should be a place of racial equality. He reached out to the black community and offered them a place to live alongside whites. “We hope everyone who loves Reston will join us to learn more about how Simon’s ideals of racial equality were carried out,” stated Lisa Watts, executive Director of the Reston Museum, “and to celebrate the vision and impact of Reston's commitment to diversity from its inception to the present day.”

This free program will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 7-8 p.m. at the Reston Community Center, Lake Anne Plaza. Visit restonmuseum.org to register.

About Reston Museum

Reston Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Reston’s past, informing the present, and influencing the future of Reston. Reston Museum preserves a collection of archival material and artifacts related to the history of Reston, many of which are exhibited at the Reston Museum. Located at Lake Anne Plaza, Reston Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday free of charge. Reston Museum also conducts educational and public programming, exhibitions, and public events including the Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta, the Reston Home Tour, and Founder's Day. For more information, please visit www.restonmuseum.org