“Reaching Across the Racial Divide”—Two Cousins, One Powerful Journey Toward Reconciliation

In a story that brings history full circle, Dr. Betty Kilby Baldwin and Phoebe Kilby will take the stage together from 1–3 p.m. on Saturday, October 11, at Laurel Ridge Community College’s Middletown Campus, to share their remarkable journey of discovery, healing, and hope. Their presentation, “Reaching Across the Racial Divide,” is free to the public and will also be available via livestream.

Their message is rooted in a truth once imagined by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who dreamed of a day when “the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” These two women—one Black, one white—are not just sitting at that table. They’re building it together.

A Family Divided by History, Reunited by Truth

In 1959, as a teenager in Warren County, Virginia, Betty Kilby Baldwin was one of the first Black students to integrate Warren County High School, following a lawsuit filed by her father after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling. Her courageous steps helped open doors for generations of Black students in Virginia and beyond.

Decades later, Phoebe Kilby, a white woman and Baltimore native, began exploring her family’s history through the Coming to the Table movement, a national organization focused on racial healing. What she discovered shocked her: her ancestors had enslaved Betty’s.

Rather than retreat from the truth, Phoebe reached out—with humility and hope. Betty responded—with grace and willingness. Their connection, both genetic and spiritual, sparked a deep and honest relationship that led them on a path of reconciliation, reparative action, and mutual growth.

Together, they co-authored the 2021 book Cousins: Connected Through Slavery – A Black Woman and a White Woman Discover Their Past and Each Other, a selection in the United Methodist Women’s 2023 Reading Program under the Social Justice category.

Living the Dream Through Dialogue

During their presentation at Laurel Ridge’s Corron Community Development Center, the two women will recount how their lives, once worlds apart, converged through shared history and courageous dialogue.

This isn’t a scripted performance—it’s an evolving conversation about truth, identity, legacy, and the work of building a better future. They’ve delivered this message nationwide, including to churches, schools, and universities, where audiences often walk away challenged and inspired.

Books will be available for purchase at the event, and attendees are encouraged to register at laurelridge.edu/kilby to reserve a spot, either in person or online.

The Women Behind the Words

Dr. Betty Kilby Baldwin is no stranger to activism or leadership. In addition to co-authoring Cousins, she wrote Wit, Will & Walls, a memoir detailing her early life and the integration of Warren County High School. She holds an MBA and an honorary doctorate from Shenandoah University.

Phoebe Kilby holds degrees from Duke University and Eastern Mennonite University and spent her professional career in environmental and urban planning before turning to conflict transformation and social justice. Her work with Coming to the Table sparked her genealogical research and, eventually, her life-changing connection with Betty.

Their shared story was also recently featured in the documentary Knocking Down Walls (2023), produced by Spotswood High School students and Rockingham County Public Schools. The film explores Virginia’s school integration movement through the voices of those who lived it—including Betty.

Supported by a Broad Coalition

The event is made possible by Laurel Ridge Community College, in partnership with a wide network of organizations, including:

• Shenandoah River District United Women in Faith and individual churches (Leesburg UMC, Brucetown UMC, Stephens City UMC)
• Belle Grove Plantation
• Northern Shenandoah Valley Coming to the Table
• Strasburg United Methodist Church & Methodist Men
• Virginia Annual Conference UMC, including the Cross Racial/Cross Cultural Resource Team and Director of Belonging and Advocacy, Rev. Lan Davis Wilson
• Warren-Page NAACP and Shenandoah County NAACP
• The Strasburg Museum, among others

A Model for Reconciliation

The power of Betty and Phoebe’s story lies not only in its historical weight, but in its current-day relevance. As debates around racial equity, reparations, and historical accountability continue across the country, their journey offers a rare glimpse into what’s possible when truth is met with empathy—and action.

“We’re not trying to rewrite history,” Betty has said. “We’re trying to understand it—and do something about it.”

Their example proves that healing is not only possible but essential—and it begins with listening, honesty, and the courage to reach across divides, even those built generations ago.

(Taken from press release)