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Brownsville Hall - Frostburg State University
The following article was written by Brandon Glass and appeared in the November 14, 2020 issue of the Cumberland Times-News. It pertains to the naming of a new dormitory and multicultural center:
FSU names buildings to honor African American community
FROSTBURG — Frostburg State University announced Friday that it would name a newly built residence hall Brownsville Hall and another building, formerly a school for African Americans, the Adams/Wyche Multicultural Center at the Lincoln School. The names received approval of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.
“We are very proud today to take these long-overdue steps to honor the legacy of Brownsville, its former residents and its descendants,” said FSU President Ronald Nowaczyk. “This is a truly powerful statement, and it brought together many voices and people to make this happen.”
The new residence hall, located on the campus’ lower quad, opened for the fall semester. It was named Brownsville Hall in an attempt to honor a largely African American community, which was displaced as the university expanded between the 1920s and 1960s. The community was founded after the Civil War by Tamer Brown, who was enslaved before the war.
FSU has a tradition of naming residence halls in the lower quad after communities, school officials said.
The university dedicated a monument to the Brownsville/Park Avenue community where it once stood on the university’s upper campus in August.
The newly minted Adams/Wyche Multicultural Center at the Lincoln School received its name following a gift, which advances renovation on the building’s internal design, from FSU alumni Sandra Wyche Adams and Tyrone Adams. Sandra Wyche Adams is on the FSU Foundation Board of Directors.
“We are honored to support the development of the new Multicultural Center at the Lincoln School — a site remembered for its legacy as a schoolhouse built for the purpose of educating the residents of Brownsville who could not attend other schools in the area due to segregation,” said Sandra Wyche Adams. “In this cultural moment, as millions of Americans march and demonstrate on behalf of Black lives, we believe it is our duty to highlight the importance of uplifting marginalized voices and championing the growth and educational advancement of underrepresented minorities.”
The Lincoln School is the third by this name to serve the Brownsville community. The new design aims to be inclusive, historically significant and student-centered. It will also house the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
“As proud Black alumni of Frostburg State, we hope that the center stands as a testament to the resolve of the Black community to persevere and remains a place of fellowship and pride for all students in the years to come,” said Tyrone Adams.
The Adams family has endowed the university with scholarships to benefit students majoring in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, giving preference to students who graduated from Baltimore City and County public schools.
“This generous gift truly speaks to Sandy and Tyrone’s ties to the Bobcat community and their desire to support Frostburg State and the entire Frostburg community,” said John Short, vice president for University Advancement and executive director of the FSU Foundation.
Formal ceremonies will be held in 2021 when conditions permit.