Poplar Hill on His Lordship’s Kindness (Also called Poplar Hill Historic House Museum) |7606 Woodyard Road, Clinton, MD 20735 | 301-856-0358 | Tours of 12 or more by appointment only | Admission Fee | Online Brochure | On the list of African American Heritage Sites in Prince George’s County.
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Holy Family Catholic Church |12010 Woodmore Road, Mitchellville, MD 20721 | 301-249-2266 | See website for hours and schedule of services | On the list of African American Heritage Sites in Prince George’s County.
This was a pleasant visit! The Holy Family Catholic Church ring all the bells for an African American Heritage site:
Rev. Joe Jenkins permitted me to take photos inside the church and shared historical tidbits while my camera snapped away. His face beamed as he talked about the current congregation at the church.
The church was built in 1890 to meet the needs of African American people in the area at the time. People traveled from over 100 miles when the church opened.
The church has a very diverse congregation today. Elder whites, African Americans, and Filipino Americans make up the largest segment according to the pastor.
One of the most interesting historical tidbits … a beautiful dark wood ceiling laid out like the planking on a ship in sections. The wood used to build the work of art came from a disassembled slave ship. I call that positive!
The church has an excellent website. Visit Holy Family Catholic Church.
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Cherry Hill Cemetery | 6821 Ingraham Rd., Riverdale, MD 20737 | 301-627-1286 | Open daily, sunrise to sunset | On the list of African American Heritage Sites in Prince George’s County.
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Ridgley Methodist Episcopal Church & Cemetery | 8900 Central Ave., Landover, MD 20743 | 301-925-7599 | Visit by Appointment Only | Privately Owned | On the list of African American Heritage Sites in Prince George’s County.
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It’s funny how a small project for my blog has grown into a real journey. It started with the idea to visit every African-American Museum in the state of Maryland (MD). I spent time on Google and a few travel sites and collected a list of 14 museums and 1 point of interest. It’s a small list but I was only searching for museums.
My first visit from the list was the Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center in North Brentwood, MD. I found a brochure on the information table at the center, “Maryland’s African-American Travel Guide” and thought … why not. I’ll expand my list to include all the places in the brochure.
I visited Abraham Hall in Beltsville MD and learned about the Black History Program that operates there. The staff introduced me to two other heritage sites in the county they help manage (Ridgeley Rosenwald School and Dorsey Chapel).
My visit to the Ridgeley Rosenwald School in Capitol Heights, MD has expanded my list even more. I found another brochure, “African American Heritage Sites in Prince George’s County“. There are 17 sites and I’m adding 2 points of interest for the county.
Here’s the list:
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Ridgeley Rosenwald School | 8507 Central Avenue, Capitol Heights, MD 20743 | 301-333-6560 | Visit by Appointment Only | Managed by the Black History Program at Abraham Hall (BHP@AH) and the Prince George’s County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
More coming soon. Thank you for reading Maryland Travel Stories!
I spent time talking to Artura Jackson, M.A. She’s a Museum / Program Assistant with the Black History Program at Abraham Hall (BHP@AH). The program falls under the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). The Department of Parks and Recreation for Prince George’s County, MD manage the program.
The program has one full-time Manager (Dennis A. Doster, Ph.D.) and two part-time staff (Artura Jackson, M.A. and Ehren Vance).
The Black History Program started in 1982 and restoring Abraham Hall was one of its first projects. The staff manages three black heritage sites today; Abraham Hall in Beltsville MD, Dorsey Chapel in Glenn Dale MD, and the newly acquired Ridgeley Rosenwald School in Capital Heights MD. This is in addition to hosting year-round black history events. Abraham Hall has served as the permanent office for the program since 2008.
First Tuesdays – BHP@AH hosts an event each month on the first Tuesday. It can be a course, a presentation, discussion, etc. It’s not all history. The events are free and no pre-registration is required. Join the program’s mailing list (blackhistory@pgparks.com) to get the details each month.
BHP@AH works with other organizations to host a Juneteenth Festival (June 2018) and black history activities during Black History Month (February 2019).
Are you a black history buff? BHP@AH is looking for volunteers. Give them a call (240-264-3415).
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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
Abraham Hall, 7612 Old Muirkirk Road, Beltsville, MD (Prince George’s County) | 240-264-3415 | free parking | free admission | Open Weekdays | Website | Call for hours, event schedule, workshops and volunteer opportunities.
See my first post – Abraham Hall in Photos (Beltsville, MD)
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Abraham Hall | 7612 Old Muirkirk Rd, Beltsville, MD 20705 | 301-454-1780
A Maryland African-American Heritage Site
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