African Americans History

The integration of public schools in Allegany County began with the fall school term of 1955. Arthur Wendell Washington was among over a half-dozen of the first blacks to graduate from Allegany High School in 1956. Arthur was a member of the band, choir, glee club, orchestra, and as depicted in this photo, the dance orchestra. He also played baseball. He was in the General educational curriculum.

The Phillis Wheatley School – Ridgeley, West Virginia

Ridgeley, West Virginia is located in Mineral County, directly across the Potomac River from Cumberland, Maryland. The text below is taken directly from "A Photographic History of Ridgeley and Carpendale, West Virginia", by Gary Lee Clites, Sr. and published in July 2012

This photograph depicts Cumberland's Ursuline Academy Class of 1963.

Depicted in the back row on the far right is Angela Washington, a straight "A" honor roll student the entire time she attended Ursuline. In the second row, sixth from the left is Cheryl Cooper. Other African-American girls in this class, not depicted or visible in this photograph, were Pat Lee and Juanita Redman.

Angela Washington passed away in 2005. An older sister, Therese Washington, was in the Ursuline Class of 1957 and the only African-American in that class. Ursuline graduate

Florence Saku was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa. She is the 11th of thirteen children. Her education was based on the British system of education because Ghana used to be a British colony. Classes were taught in English. Florence attended kindergarten, primary school, middle school, and secondary school. Secondary education was seven years. The first five years led to the Ordinary Level or "O" Level certificate, and the other two years, referred to as the Sixth Form, led to the Advanced Level or "A" Level certificate.

Public School Integration Makes Start

Absorption Of Pupils In Frostburg Complete; Carver Enrollment Cut

History-making integration in the Allegany County public schools went off smoothly this morning, according to a spot check made at noon today.

Two conditions, both anticipated, evolved — no pupils for Lincoln Elementary School in Frostburg, and a cut in enrollment at Carver School of about 50 per cent.

This morning the only person in Lincoln School was the teacher, Miss Kathleen Cooper.

This photograph of students from Allegany Community College (now Allegany College of Maryland), taken on May 12, 1969, depicts third from the left, Bonita "Bonnie" (Peck) Austin, instructor Margaret Zembower in the middle, and Darlene Marchell (Shelly) Peck, sixth from the left.
Bonita graduated from Fort Hill High School in 1967, and Shelly in 1968.
Bonita and Shelly were both members of Fort Hill's Tri-Hi-Y.

As noted in this front page Cumberland Evening Times article, school integration began in Allegany County on September 6, 1955 when 150 "Negroes" reported for classes at formerly all white county schools. Enrollment at the Carver School for black students dropped over 50 percent. These four children, two white and two black, were actually neighborhood friends and playmates walking to the Virginia Avenue School together for the first time. From left to right is Carole Williams, Belle Riggs, Nancy Logsdon, and Juanita Williams, now Juanita Cage Lewis.

This photograph depicts the Fort Hill High School Senior Girls' Glee Club. Judith Ann Leath, first row and fifth from the right, was the only black member of this 45 member singing group. Judith was among the first black students to graduate from an Allegany County high school following graduation, this being the Fort Hill High School class of 1956.

Mary Louise Jones, 1938 - 2007

First Negro Student Accepted at Frostburg State College

The newspaper article below appeared in the Cumberland Evening Times, Thursday, July 21, 1955, and references the first African-American to be enrolled at Frostburg State Teachers College.

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Cumberland Evening Times,
Thursday, July 21, 1955

CARVER GRAD PLANS STUDY AT FROSTBURG