<div><strong>Help Preserve Sharswood — Where My Enslaved Ancestors Lived, and Where Their Story Must Be Told</strong>
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<div>I never imagined that purchasing a historic plantation would lead me to discover that my own ancestors were enslaved there. But that is exactly what happened.
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<div>I am Fredrick Miller, and today I serve as the steward of Sharswood — the very land where my great-great-grandparents, David and Violet Miller, lived in bondage, where their daughter Sarah (my great-grandmother) was born, and where generations of stories were nearly lost to time.
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<div>What began as a property purchase became a deeply personal journey into history, identity, and responsibility. Now, I am working to ensure those stories are never forgotten.
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<div><strong>Why Sharswood Matters</strong>
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<div>Sharswood is not just a historic property — it is a living connection to America’s past. It represents resilience, survival, and truth. But many of the physical reminders of that history are deteriorating and at risk of being lost forever.
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<div>This land holds stories that deserve to be told honestly and preserved with dignity.
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<div><strong>A Vision for Stewardship</strong>
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<div>Now that I am the steward of Sharswood, my vision is clear. I want this land to be a place of learning, reflection, and understanding — especially for those whose ancestors were brutally impacted by the system of slavery. Sharswood should be a place where history is faced honestly and where people can come to connect, heal, and learn.
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<div>I am committed to keeping Sharswood free and accessible to the entire community because there is so much to be gained from experiencing this place firsthand. The stories here matter, and they deserve to be shared openly.
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<div><strong>What We Are Raising Funds For</strong>
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<div>We are working to preserve Sharswood as a place of education and remembrance by:
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<div>Restoring a deteriorating slave dwelling
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<div>Creating a memorial honoring enslaved individuals buried on the property
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<div>Stabilizing and protecting historic structures
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<div>Maintaining the grounds for public access and educational programming
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<div><strong>National Recognition</strong>
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<div>The story of Sharswood has been featured nationally, including on CBS News’ 60 Minutes and in The Washington Post in an article by Joe Heim. These stories helped bring awareness to this powerful history — but there is still much work ahead.
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<div><strong>Why We Need Your Help</strong>
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<div>Preserving history comes with real costs. Every step — from maintaining the grounds to protecting historic structures and honoring those buried here — requires resources.
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<div>I cannot do this alone.
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<div>I need the public’s support to ensure Sharswood can continue to educate, honor, and serve future generations.
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<div><strong>How You Can Make a Difference</strong>
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<div>Your support today helps protect a nationally recognized historic site.
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<div>Every gift — no matter the size — helps move this work forward.
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<div>Your donation directly supports preservation, restoration, and keeping Sharswood accessible to the public.
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<div>Please consider:
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<div>Making a donation
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<div>Sharing this campaign
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<div>Checking if your employer offers matching gifts
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<div><strong>Tax Deductible &amp; Matching Gifts</strong>
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<div>The Sharswood Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Many employers also offer matching gift programs — please consider checking with your company to double your impact.
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<div><strong>A Promise to the Future</strong>
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<div>With your support, the lives of David, Violet, Sarah, and countless others will be honored, remembered, and given the dignity they deserve.
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<div>Together, we can turn a place once defined by bondage into a place of education, healing, and understanding for generations to come.
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<div>Learn more at:
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<div>SharswoodFoundation.com
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<div>Since our story recently re-aired on 60 Minutes, so many people have reached out with words of encouragement, questions about Sharswood, and offers of support. We are deeply grateful.
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<div>We also want to show you why this preservation work is so urgent.
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<div>The photos you see here are of the enslaved cabin at Sharswood. While the front of the structure remains in better condition, the back side has suffered much greater exposure to the weather. The wood is deteriorating, and without intervention, time and the elements will continue to take their toll.
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<div>This cabin is more than an old building.
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<div>It is one of the few remaining physical connections to the enslaved men, women, and children who lived and worked on this land. Their lives deserve to be remembered, their stories deserve to be told, and the places where they lived deserve to be preserved.
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<div>We do not want to wait until this structure becomes only a pile of ruins and a memory of what once stood here.
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<div>Our goal is to stabilize and preserve the cabin so future generations can stand here, learn here, and better understand the people whose lives are an essential part of the Sharswood story.
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<div>Every donation—large or small—helps us move closer to protecting this important piece of history.
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<div>Thank you for believing in this work, for sharing our story, and for helping us preserve Sharswood for generations to come.
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<div>Please continue to share our campaign. Sometimes sharing the story is just as powerful as making a donation.
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Preserve Sharswood — Honor Enslaved Ancestors

Preserve Sharswood — Honor Enslaved Ancestors

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