African Americans History

Susan Jones top honoree at NAACP Voice of Freedom Awards ceremony

CUMBERLAND — Tifani Fisher had tears in her eyes while she described “a little tiny house with a little tiny lady” and the role model who taught her to pursue her dreams despite racial barriers.
Fisher was referring to Susan M. Jones, 80, who received the top honor at the Allegany County NAACP 7007 Annual Voice of Freedom Awards ceremony Saturday night.
The event was held in the multi-purpose building at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.

Jane Gates
Circa 1819 - 1888

It's a mystery. Jane Gates is the great-great grandmother of Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Born in Piedmont, West Virginia, Gates is the W.E.B. DuBois professor of the Humanities and chair of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. For many years Henry Louis Gates, along with his cousin John Gates of Cumberland, have wondered about their great-great grandmother and their own heritage. Was it true Jane's white owner, one Samuel Brady, had fathered her children? Was it he who later purchased a house for her in Cumberland?

Garrett County's "Colored" Schools

William "Rock" Evans - 2013 "Terp Award" Recipient

On May 7, 2013 University of Maryland coaches, teams and athletes were honored at the second annual Terp Awards. Co-sponsored by the Terrapin Club and the 'M' Club, student-athletes were recognized for their prowess in academics, community service and athletics. Among the notable hosts of the event was former basketball star Juan Dixon. William Evans was recognized that evening as the first recipient of the Maryland Spirit Award. The article below appeared in the September 13, 2013 issue of the Cumberland Times-News.

Students’ book new approach to gathering history, working together

— CUMBERLAND —

Martin Luther King Jr. Day observances in Allegany County included the debut of a book on the rich history of Cumberland’s black community, researched and written solely by local high school students.
Students from Allegany and Fort Hill high schools gathered at Allegany College of Maryland on Monday to sign copies of the book Hidden Stories, Discovered Voices: A History of African Americans in Cumberland, Maryland, which they worked on for two years to produce.

In the late 1960s Frostburg State College began to respond to a State mandate that steps be taken to not only integrate the student population, but the college's faculty and staff as well. In the fall of 1969, William R. Atkinson was hired as Director of Black Admissions, and Pansye Atkinson as Coordinator of Integration. During the early 1970s, minority student enrollment, as well as the recruitment of minority staff and faculty increased significantly.

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

In 1969 the Afro-American Student Society was formed at Frostburg State College. The purpose of the society was to improve the relationship between black and white students attending the college. Depicted in this 1969 photograph, from left to right are Stanley Parrott, Octavia Hill, Frank Seivers, Joyce Harris, Shirley Harrison, William R. Atkinson (advisor), Pansy Wilson, Linda Scott, Howard Austin, Juanita Jones, Mike Garner, Pate Streeter, Delores Darden, and Terina Stokes.

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Charles Watermann

A former Carver teacher who later taught at Allegany High School, Charles Watermann was part of Principal Earle Bracey's effort to have Carver's students achieve economic development through vocational training. Carver eventually had an industrial arts program second to none in the county, and as stated by Principal Bracey, "Charles Watermann was the best industrial arts teacher in the State of Maryland." Mr. Watermann was a teacher from 1940 at Carver, until 1972 at Allegany.