With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

A Maryland black history museum?

Teresa Felton Barrett laughed as she shared a tip someone gave her years ago, when she started exploring her family history.
"Don't totally discredit rumors, even if they seem far-fetched," the Middletown resident said.

Growing up in Florida, Barrett heard whispered stories about a man who killed his boss in a rage and then terrorized neighboring plantations. These out to be tales about a distant ancestor on her father's side, she said.

In July, Barrett will teach Frederick County residents how to uncover the scandals, adventures and accomplishments in their family trees to help generate interest in building a local black history museum.

Showcasing the long and rich history of black residents in Frederick County was the dream of the late William O. Lee Jr., an unofficial historian of local black life in the 20th century.
Read entire article at http://www.fredericknewspost.com (Frederick, Maryland)