Gum Springs Museum Showcases West Ford

The Gum Springs Historical Society put on a one man show this weekend in honor of Black History Month.

The Man Called West Ford told the story of the person who founded the community of Gum Springs, and why his doing so was such a unique effort.

 “This isn’t the first show we’ve run pertaining to the community,” said President of the Historical Society Ronald Chase.  “We wanted to generate interest in knowledge in the history of Gum springs.”

The show featured actor Pearson Parker.  Parker’s family along with Chase had a hand in writing the play.  Parker narrated the story from the point of view of Ford himself and said he’s very interested in history, especially how Gum Springs came about.

“The most striking feature is that it was purchased by a black man in 1833,” Parker said.

Ford has always been linked to the Washington family, though historians dispute exactly how.  One fact that appears consistent is though Ford began life as a slave; his owner’s wife insisted that he be emancipated upon reaching adulthood.  He saved up and bought the land that started the community of Gum Springs.

 “He made it a successful farm and that was the beginning of Gum Springs.  It evolved into a community that existed as a free African American community,” Chase said.

Parker hopes that the audience will really absorb the enormity of what Ford did.

“I would like for them to be more aware, more curious about their environment,” Parker said, “how it came to be and preserve what West Ford generated.”

The Man Called West Ford was performed Saturday afternoon at the Gum Springs Museum and Cultural Center.  The crowd was served a meal on elegant china before the show opened and the whole room was lit by candle and lantern light.  Chase said he intended the room itself to be part of the experience and he hopes the audience took away a message of hope and understanding.

“Unfortunately our nation went through an arduous time in regards to the concept of slavery” Chase said. “When we look at what happened to African Americans in regard to their culture, never in history has so much been taken away from a culture that’s risen so high.”