POTOMAC, Md. — The Scotland Community in Montgomery County, Maryland was founded by formerly enslaved African Americans. Now, their descendants are working to rebuild its cornerstone church.
The original Scotland AME Zion Church was established about a century ago on Seven Locks Road in Potomac.
One group helped renovate it in the 1960s -- and now, it's the next generation's turn.
LaTisha Gasaway-Paul's grandfather, Melvin L. Crawford, was one of those community leaders.
“I grew up inside Scotland church, and I would like my children to grow up inside Scotland church as well," she said.
She's a fifth generation Scotland resident.
The community is one of 40 in the county founded by formerly enslaved African Americans.
“The land was purchased by freed slaves. My great-great-grandfather again, William Dove, he was a freed slave," Gasaway-Paul said.
The Scotland Church has long been at the center of the community, but after a 2019 flood rendered it unusable, it's in desperate need of repair.
“This is home to me, Scotland is sacred to me," Gasaway-Paul said. "This is holy ground that we're on right now.”
The Scotland community has fought for every advancement over the years -- as governments and neighbors encroached on their land.
“We didn't have water. We didn't have sewer. We didn't have the necessities that all the other neighborhoods around. Didn't have electricity," she said. "They were trying to force us off our land that we had paid for."
Then, the county re-routed Seven Locks Road, cutting through what used to be the church parking lot. The move exacerbated the flooding issue.
"It’s just time to make all the wrong things right," Gasaway-Paul said.
Their latest effort is the first annual Juneteenth Heritage Festival. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go toward the church.
Their goal is to raise $10 million.
The weekend-long event will be complete with music, a car show, as well as a 5k on Monday.
Winston Churchill High School cross country coach Paul Jacobson will help to lead a group of his students during the run.
"It's a historic building, it's like, you need to keep those things alive," Jacobson said. "Regardless of your religion, your background, you know, that it's something that was built here for a reason."
Montgomery County is rallying around that reason to rebuild.
“I am from Scotland AME Zion Church, the little white church on the side of the road. Where everybody is somebody, and Jesus is Lord," Gasaway-Paul said, gazing at the church her ancestors helped to build.
To learn more about the events, click here.