Allegany County Maryland--History

2018 Annual Martin Luther King Day

Herman (1901-1985) and Kathleen (1909-1997) Washington

Darlene Shelton, AME Women's Missionary Society Honoree.

The following newspaper article appeared in the February 6, 2017 edition of the Cumberland Times-News. Darlene Shelton also appears in other articles on this African-American history website.

FROSTBURG — Darlene Shelton was one of 12 distinguished individuals honored recently at the Washington Conference Branch Women’s Missionary Society African Methodist Episcopal Church’s 17th annual recognition luncheon held at Martin’s Camelot, Upper Marlboro.

Bridging the Divide - Saying "No" to Hate

On May 21, 2016 the Allegany County, Maryland NAACP Branch 7007 honored the following individuals at its First Annual Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony:

- Pansye Atkinson
- Jean Etta Beckward
- William Colbert (posthumously)
- Alfred Deas
- Carrie Deas
- Albert Feldstein
- James Hurt
- Lucy Reece

The following individuals were also honored with Community Leadership Awards:
- Jo Jacqueline Cooper
- Doris Green
- Emma Watkins

Depicted in the photo are:

Carmen B. Jackson, NAACP President

The following biography appeared in the program booklet that was distributed at the Lifetime Achievement Awards event held on May 21, 2016 by the Allegany County, Maryland NAACP Branch 7007. Carmen B. Jackson, as of this writing, serves as the NAACP Branch President:

James Hurt, Civil Rights Leader

On May 21, 2016 James Hurt was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Allegany County, Maryland NAACP Branch 7007. The following biography appeared in the ceremony program:

CommUNITY Gathering

Edward Fisher, "The Colored Blacksmith"

Edward Fisher was born in 1830 and died on June 6, 1905. A notice in the Cumberland Evening Times of June 7, 1905 reads as follows:

FUNERAL OF EDWARD FISHER
The funeral of Edward Fisher, the colored blacksmith, was attended by a large congregation yesterday afternoon. The service was conducted in Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Decatur Street and the burial was in Sumner cemetery. The deceased was 75 years old and was one of the best known colored men in the city.

Like many African-Americans during the era of segregation, Lord Nickens experienced his share of racial intolerance and discrimination when he moved to Frederick with his family as a child.

"He was always with the people," said Warren Dorsey, an early advocate for black children in Frederick County Public Schools. "He shared our anxiety. He shared our deprivation, and he shared our denial of services."