Places

COLORED HOUSING PROJECT GETS ROOF

The following three narratives are taken from three different publications. They describe the African-American community of "Brownsville", which was once situated on portions of the present-day Frostburg State University campus. The following is from an article by James Limbaugh appearing in, A Century of Commitment - Frostburg State University, 1898-1998:

Brownsville - Inextricably linked to the history of the founding and growth of Frostburg State University is the story of the community of Brownsville.

Thanks to the efforts of Joseph Mckenzie (formerly of Cumberland and a neighborhood childhood friend) and Byron Schulten of Cumberland, a vast amount of information pertaining to Cumberland's Sumner Cemetery is now located on the historical website, Find A Grave.

On June 11, 1918, the "True American Minstrel Show" gave a benefit performance at the Maryland Theatre, which was an eye-opener to a crowded house of whites and blacks, who enjoyed the fun immensely. The program included songs by Charles Green, Major Lee, Lillian Fisher, Edward Clark, Jessie Taylor, Samuel Jefferson, Perry Smith, Hattie Casey, and John Brown. P. Hayes performed an acrobatic feat. There was much dancing and a cake walk contest. The program ended with the singing of "The Star Spangled Banner".