Allegany County Maryland--History

Civil Rights Rally, 1968 - Allegany County Courthouse

"Native Sons of Liberty"

By Henry Louis Gates Jr., Op-Ed Contributor,
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
August 6, 2006

On June 11, 1823, a man named John Redman walked into the courtroom of Judge Charles Lobb in Hardy County, Virginia, to apply for a pension, claiming to be a veteran of the Revolutionary War. Redman, more than 60 years old, testified that he had been in the First Virginia Regiment of Light Dragoons from Christmas 1778 through 1782, serving initially as a waiter to Lt. Vincent Howell.

Leontyne Peck is program speaker
February 20, 2003

PIEDMONT, W.Va.
Leontyne Peck will be the guest speaker for the African American History Month Program to be held on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 11:30 a.m. at the Piedmont First Church of God in Christ, Water Street. Bishop Henderson Wheeler, Sr. is the pastor of the church.

1938 - First "Colored" Girl Scout Troop

The following four newspaper articles, or excerpts of articles, are from June, October, and November 1938, respectively. The articles provide some background on the formation of the first "colored" Girl Scout troop in Cumberland, which was initiated by Father Boniface Weckmann. Not mentioned in these articles is Romaine Franklin, who is featured elsewhere on this website, and who played a lead role in the formation of the troop.

In March 25, 1932 Mr. Martin L. Erwin, Sr. compiled a list of members of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The names were typed on letterhead from the N&G Taylor Company, manufacturers of tin plate. This was a national company with a facility employing almost 900 people located in South Cumberland off of Lafayette Avenue.

Elder J. Lester Clifford, 1912 - 2003

Piedmont, W.Va. Elder J. Lester "Les" Clifford, 90, of 11 Murphy St., Piedmont, died Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2003, at Potomac Valley Hospital. Born March 25, 1912, in Piedmont, he was the son of the late John William and Anna (Washington) Clifford. He was raised by his late aunt, Eliza Washington.

The night of August 14, 1945 saw over 10,000 people crowd downtown Baltimore, Liberty, Centre, and Mechanic Streets in celebration of Japan's surrender which marked the end of World War II. The celebration, which consisted of parades, flag-waving, church bells, horns, whistles, laughter, tears, horse-play, dancing, kissing, and what one would normally expect of an event of this type lasted from early evening until 3:00 am in the morning. No drunken arrests or vandalism were reported during the V-J event.

NAACP Reorganizes and Seeks Members

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has had a long and honorable history in Allegany County. In the early 1970's, possibly around 1973 and after some years of inactivity, efforts to resurrect the Allegany County branch of the NAACP were initiated by John "Perkey" Yates, Frank Yates, Juanita Cage Lewis, Sam Walker, and Jon Loff.

Rhonda Davis and Toni (Beckward) Jones (both from the class of 1966) pose for this Montgomery Wards advertisement in the Allegany High School yearbook. Montgomery Wards was "The Friendliest Store in Town".

Fire Victims Housed at Colored Elks

Sixteen members of the Carl Meade family are shown, above, as they waited for housing at the I.B.P.O.E.W. Lodge No. 176 on Harrison Street this morning. The family was left homeless and without food, clothing, Christmas toys or presents in the disastrous fire on Wineow Street last night.