Collecting Oral Histories

The Oral History Committee oversees this website and utilizes this forum to organize and present its work. Published work will change and grow over time, so check back often. The work is indexed by folkways topics and also features individual people.

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?

There is, for example, Sotterley Plantation where any visitor can step inside slave quarters and learn about the lives its inhabitants led. But that is only a small part of the overall story. What lies beyond the plantation, both in geography and time?

Picture this: Georgia Milburn, six years old, wading through the flood waters of 1933 on St. George Island.

Picture this: Philip Scriber, working for a rescue squad in 1964, rushing to the scene of an emergency call only to be turned away because his skin is black and the patient’s is white.

Oral History Kick-Off - November 21, 1996

Standing: Edward Smith, Joe Lee Somerville, Viola Gardner, Ruth Portee, Richard Portee
Sitting: George Chase, Purnell Frederick, Grace Blackwell, Guffrie Smith, Everlyn Holland, Bobby Gant, Carrie Glascoe, Mary Somerville, Catherine Thompson
Photo courtesy of Celia Escudero-Espadas

These glimpses suggest just how much more there is to the history and culture of African Americans in St. Mary's County than most residents might realize. As witnesses to portions of that history, the above individuals, in addition to many more, link the present day county vividly with its past.

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. Toward that end the committee began collecting oral histories that shed light on how life has been experienced over the years, with the goal of transcribing and publishing these histories in a book. In 2006, that goal was realized with "In Relentless Pursuit of An Education."

Individuals interested in helping with the continuing program of collecting oral histories should go to the Volunteer page to obtain more information.

The Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC), uses a Guide for Transcriptions which you can download in a printable pdf format. We also provide a Sample Transcription and a Sample Interview log of a real life history for your educational purposes. Every interview requires the informant to sign a release form.

The St. Mary's County Historical Society has published a Research Guide to African-American Genealogical Resources, which is in pdf format and can be downloaded from their web site (25 KB): African-American Research Guide

Reprinting of any oral history material from this site requires permission from our Oral History Committee. Email requests are reviewed promptly - please include your phone number.