African-American – Maryland Travel Stories

A Visit to Abraham Hall (Beltsville, MD)

20180325_172814729_iOS Abraham Hall is an African American heritage site in Prince George’s County. It was built in 1889 by the Benevolent Sons and Daughters of Abraham (BS&DA). The hall is located in the historic African American community of Rossville. Rossville is part of Beltsville, MD in Prince George’s County.

It was built as a community center for Rossville and a lodge for BS&DA. Over the years it has served as a Methodist church and a temporary schoolhouse. Today it’s an office for a black history program in Prince George’s County. Visitors are welcome to stop by to see the hall, learn about the historic community, and get engaged in the growing number of programs being developed by the staff at the center.

The hall looks like a large house from a distance. But you quickly realize something is different when you see it has a small parking lot covering two sides of the building. Get a little closer and you notice the information markers displayed along the walkway in front.

A sign points the way to the hall. The turn onto Old Muirkirk Road may be a little confusing at first. A two-lane road full of pick-up trucks and trailers. The road so small only one car can pass at a time at some points. Before you know it, you see the second sign for Abraham Hall and you’re there.

As of this post, the center has a full-time Director and two part-time staff. They manage the hall, two other historic sites, and the Black History Program. This is a great place to visit for African American history and programs in Prince George’s County, Maryland

See my first post – Abraham Hall in Photos (Beltsville, MD)

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Abraham Hall in Photos (Beltsville, MD)

Abraham Hall | 7612 Old Muirkirk Rd, Beltsville, MD 20705 | 301-454-1780

A Maryland African-American Heritage Site

A Visit to Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center (North Brentwood, MD)

20161228_165409057_ios Drive along Rhode Island Avenue in North Brentwood, MD and you will come across an island of African-American history & culture in the middle of two small industrial shopping centers. This museum & culture center stands as a testimonial to the town that was the first African-American settlement in Prince George’s County.

The full name of the center is Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center at North Brentwood, Inc but it’s listed on social media as PGAAMCC. The 10,000 square foot center has a permanent exhibition room and rotating exhibitions around the space and along hallways. Quotes from art students are positioned throughout. A very friendly staff is available to answer questions and give you information.

The center is a community meeting space and has several programs covering all ages. An upcoming program is the New Year First Friday on January 6, 2017, from 6 pm to 9 pm. Enjoy live music, food trucks and complimentary cocktails. It’s an opportunity to learn, network and enjoy performances. Check the website for other events or workshops.

20161228_180026705_ios I said the center is in the middle of two industrial shopping centers. Not to worry if food is on your mind when you’re ready to go. Make a right turn out of the parking lot. A short drive down the road and you’re in downtown Hyattsville, MD. There are many places to stop for a bite to eat. I found this map of downtown Hyattsville when I stopped at Shortcake Bakery. It’s just a few blocks from the center.

I visited PGAAMCC because it is one of 14 African-American museums in the state of Maryland. See my post for a list.

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Maryland Museums Preserving African-American History & Culture

maryland-museums-preserving-african-american-history-culture Yesterday, I shared a post from CBS DC. The article is a discussion on African-American Museums in Maryland you can visit while you wait for the crowds to shorten at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture. The article said there are over a dozen African-American museums in the state. The article doesn’t list all the museums. I was curious so I did some research. Here’s a list of the locations I found:

1 – Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center, North Brentwood, MD (Prince George’s County)

2 – Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore City)

3 – Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park, Olney, MD (Montgomery County)

4 – Howard County Center of African American Culture, Columbia, MD (Howard County)

5 – National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore City)

6 – African American Heritage House, La Plata, MD (Charles County)

7 – Banneker-Douglass Museum, Annapolis, MD (Anne Arundel County)

8 – African Art Museum of Maryland, Fulton, MD (Howard County)

9 – Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center, Cambridge, MD (Dorchester County)

10 – Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, Cambridge, MD (Caroline and Dorchester Counties)

11 – Doleman Black Heritage Museum, Hagerstown, MD (Washington County)

12 – The Button Farm Living History Center, Germantown, MD (Montgomery County)

13 – Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore City)

14 – Josiah Henson Park, North Bethesda, MD (Montgomery County)

15 – Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture

My travel bucket list just keeps growing. Thank you for reading Maryland Travel Stories!