Civil War Medal of Honor Recipients William H. Barnes & James H. Harris will soon be honored with  a similar statue by artist/sculptor Gary Casteel.

With All Deliberate Speed:
One High School's Story
7PM Thursday, June 18
Great Mills High School Auditorium

Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions, St. Mary’s County Public Schools and St. Mary’s College of Maryland cordially invite you to a very special evening featuring the premiere of a video documentary by Merideth Taylor.

With All Deliberate Speed: One High School’s Story gives voice to those who experienced the era of desegregation at Great Mills High School.

A panel discussion with those who lived through those turbulent times will follow the premiere.

With All Deliberate Speed: One High School’s Story was made possible by a grant from the PNC Foundation Legacy Project with support from the Maryland Humanities Council

• JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION •
June 20, 2009 @ Freedom Park
Lexington Park, Maryland

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Maryland 375th Website

Photos: Fred Talbert (top right),
Mary Somerville (bottom left)
Photos Courtesy of Celia Escobar

Welcome to the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions  Celebrating the History & Folkways of African Americans in St. Mary’s County, Maryland

In 1994, at a dance during Black History Month, Elmer Brown and some others began talking about all the things that had happened within the black community in St. Mary’s County history.  How there was no recognition of what blacks had done and contributed to the county over the years.  Mr. Brown said, “Let’s put up a monument.”

The idea resonated and the Unified Committee for Afro-Americans (UCAC) was born.

In addition to the monument honoring and celebrating the contributions of African Americans, the committee took on another crucial task: recording the oral histories of its oldest black residents.

There is much more to the history and culture of African Americans in St. Mary's County than most residents might realize.  Witnesses to portions of that history, by way of oral histories, link the present day county vividly with its past. Janice Walthour and Merideth Taylor co-chaired the original Oral History Committee. 

"At the time, you made out with what you had because you didn't realize there was something better that you were supposed to have." ~ Clarence Smith

Examining the history of African-American life in St. Mary's County is a little like examining the lines etched deeply into a person's face or hands: much is suggested, but how much is really known without serious probing, research, and questioning?

The Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC), has taken on the task of ensuring that these glimpses are not forgotten.  That they are fleshed out, put in context, and brought to the attention of the community for its own examination, enjoyment, and education.

"If you don't know your history, you're destined to live it again.  People made great sacrifices for this country to be where it is today.  And, it's a universal sacrifice on both sides of the fence.  But unfortunately, our history has reflected more of one side than the other.  People need to understand the contributions that have been made to make this country what it is."  ~ Alonzo Gaskin