Maryland's African-American Roots Run Deep in Laurel
A new Laurel Historical Society exhibit and upcoming talk explore the lives of Laurel mill workers and related roles of Maryland African-Americans in the post-Civil War period.
Despite the difficulties of life during the Reconstruction Era, African-Americans in Maryland built vibrant communities, establishing churches, registering to vote in record numbers and building a remarkable number of schools, says a Maryland historical researcher. These are some of the findings of researcher Krystal Appiah, discovered while she did research in the Maryland Archives at the Maryland Historical Society. Appiah, an Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS) fellow, will present her findings in a free talk at the Laurel Historical Society and Museum next month entitled, "Life After Freedom." The talk focuses on African-American Life in Prince George's County and throughout the State of Maryland in the 1870s and 1880s, …
