$58,000 grant will support research, documentation of African American historic resources
The Southern Maryland National Heritage Area recently announced a $58,000 grant from the Maryland Historical Trust’s fiscal 2025 Historic Preservation Non-Capital Grant Program.
The grant, which will support comprehensive research and documentation of African American historic resources throughout Southern Maryland, will be matched by the National Heritage Area for a total of $116,000.
Funding for this grant opportunity was made possible through the Maryland Heritage Area Program.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Maryland Historical Trust for this funding, which will shine a light on the rich and diverse history of African Americans in Southern Maryland,” said Lucille Walker, executive director of the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area. “This groundbreaking project marks Maryland’s first regional survey of African American heritage sites and will help preserve and honor vital stories across Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s and Southern Prince George’s counties.”
Walker said Prince George’s County did a survey 20 years ago, but there’s been no regional study in Maryland “and we really wanted to know what needed to be surveyed, understood and inventoried.”
The project will identify, inventory and assess the significance of African American historic sites, buildings and associated histories throughout Southern Maryland.
“It’s not just the physical site, but also the associated heritage around that site,” Walker told The Enquirer-Gazette. “What’s important is we know what sites are there and what stories are associated.”
As an example, Walker cited maybe a store where people gathered during the Civil Rights movement, whereas “folks wouldn’t know that old collapsing store is a site of importance to our history.”
Walker, who added her organization will be supporting the research, said the project is not only important, but timely.
“A lot of this is based on oral tradition and people [that have these stories] are 100-years-old this year,” she said. “It’s critical [to hear these stories] because once we don’t have access to direct information and direct oral information, then the stories and the sites will be lost.”
She added that “we just have to know with a comprehensive survey what we have in this region to tell, including known places but also including things that haven’t been included before. Every major African American heritage site in our region will be included, absolutely. It’s the sites we’re looking at that haven’t been included or as known that we’re doing a deep dive into research.”
The project’s findings will be presented publicly in 2026, making them available for educational materials, academic and genealogical research and other purposes throughout the state and nation.
“We know there are sites out there that need to be surveyed,” she said.
The study will lay the groundwork for future National Register nominations.
For more information about the Maryland Historical Trust Preservation Grant Program, go to mht.maryland.gov.
