Government and Law

Tekesha Martinez, Hagerstown’s First Black Mayor

During a special session and by a unanimous vote of the City Council on February 7, 2023, Tekesha Martinez was appointed the first African-American mayor of the City of Hagerstown (Washington County), Maryland. She succeeds Emily Keller who resigned the office to serve as Maryland Special Secretary of Opioid Response for newly elected Governor Wes Moore. Keller had also become the first woman to serve as Mayor in the city’s history.

African-American Marriage Licenses, Garrett County

The following information is from a posting written by Gene Miller, a staff member of the Takoma Park, Maryland Library. 

"The African-American community in southern Garrett County from about 1870 -1930 is not well-documented. It was small, numbering fewer than 200 at its largest, but still large enough to have built its own church building, the Bethel A.M.E. Church at the corner of N.5th and E. High Sts. Many worked at the railroad resorts/hotels for which southern Garrett County was renowned.

Martin Luther King Day official holiday in 1994

RICHARD KERNS

CUMBERLAND Confronted by representatives of the Allegany County NAACP complaining about recent incidents of racism in Allegany County, and a poor minority hiring record in county government, the Allegany County Commissioners agreed Monday to make Martin Luther King Day an official county holiday in 1994.

Kate Smith Brodie – Oakland Town Council

The first person to commit murder and be hanged in Garrett County was John Herbert Smith, a former slave. The PDF file tells the full story of the murder of Josiah Harden, and Smith's arrest, escape and final execution.

This 1908 postcard depicts the Western Maryland Railroad Depot at Gorman, Maryland, the community where the murder took place. At the time of the murder in 1883, Smith was a railroad construction foreman. The railroad was most likely the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh which eventually merged into the Western Maryland.

"Unity & Healing" - Oakland (Garrett County), Maryland

"Juneteenth March for Justice" - Cumberland

On June 19, 2020 a March for Justice was held in Cumberland, Maryland. The march began at St. Paul’s English Lutheran Church on Washington Street and concluded with a rally at Cumberland City Hall. Two separate observers estimate the crowd at about 350+ people. The event was sponsored by Allegany County Branch 7007 of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Signs and chants included

Cumberland Pride/March for Black Lives

On Sunday afternoon, June 14, 2020, between 100-125 people gathered on the Downtown Cumberland Mall for a rally and march in support of black lives. The group peacefully marched down the mall and along the sidewalks of adjoining streets. Chants of "Black Lives Matter" and "No Justice No Peace" were heard. The event was organized by Ian Robinson, Sydney Spaulding and Tifani Fisher.

Photograph by Albert L. Feldstein

"Justice for George Floyd Rally" - Main Street - Frostburg, Maryland – June 2, 2020

On Monday morning, June 2, 2020, about 100 people showed up at the corner of Center and Main Streets in downtown Frostburg, Maryland to protest the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer. Chants included "Remember George Floyd," "Black Lives Matter" and "All Lives Matter."

"George Floyd Demonstration and March" - City Hall - Cumberland, Maryland - May 31, 2020

On Sunday afternoon, May 31, 2020 about 100 people showed up in front of City Hall in Cumberland, Maryland to protest the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer. Chants of "No Justice, No Peace" and "Black Lives Matter" were chanted as well as the singing of several religious hymns.