Allegany County Maryland--History

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.

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.