Slaves and the Underground Railroad

Plaque would add context to Taney bust

Originally published December 12, 2007
By Adam Behsudi

A proposal could turn the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in front of City Hall into an interpretive historical site following demands the sculpture be removed.

The likeness of the fifth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and past Frederick resident drew fire this summer over his Dred Scott decision.

City to discuss Taney bust

Originally published July 20, 2007
By Justin M. Palk
News-Post Staff

Frederick's aldermen want to discuss what to do about the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in front of City Hall.

Thursday night, Alderwoman Donna Kuzemchak asked city staff to find out what it would take to remove the bust of the controversial 19th-century chief justice of the United States.

Slave Quarters - Ridgeley, West Virginia

Ridgeley, West Virginia is located in Mineral County, directly across the Potomac River from Cumberland, Maryland.

As noted in "Ridgeley and Carpendale, West Virginia - From 1759, A History" by Gary Lee Clites, Sr., George Calmes built his stately mansion as the centerpiece of a growing estate high atop a bluff in what is now Ridgeley, West Virginia. This was in about 1793 or 1794 and at a time when Mineral was still a part of Hampshire County and West Virginia still a part of Virginia.

Critty Dias Powell, Monument to a Former Slave

CRITTY DIAS POWELL - MONUMENT TO A FORMER SLAVE - On Saturday, August 14, 2021 descendants, family and community members gathered at Sumner Cemetery in Cumberland, Maryland to unveil and dedicate a monument in tribute to former slave Critty Dias Powell (1848-1938). Powell had been born into slavery in Romney, Virginia (now West Virginia), and through the eras of Reconstruction and Jim Crow would continue to witness discrimination throughout much of her life.

Samuel Denson’s Last Run

On November 6, 2016 an event was held at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Cumberland to celebrate the 152nd Anniversary of the Maryland Emancipation. The event was jointly sponsored by the Allegany College of Maryland NAACP Club, Frostburg State University’s African American Studies Program, the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, the Jane Gates Heritage House and several others.

Emancipation Day

James Hall, 1832-1906

Samuel Denson: a notable citizen of Cumberland

Recent research on Samuel Denson conducted by Nayano Taylor-Neumann with assistance from Sandy Rathwell and Robert (Dan) Whetzel questions many of the legends about Denson being an escaped slave who found his way to Cumberland, Maryland, became sexton for Emmanuel Episcopal Parish, and worked with Reverend David Hillhouse Buell, the rector, to assist other escaped slaves on their trek to freedom.

Click on the Media item titled "Denson Journal article" to read Dr. Taylor-Neumann's research, revised September 2020.