Save the Memory of Brownsville
Tax deductible
In 1866, Tamar Brown, probably a newly freed slave, purchased property in the small town of Frostburg located in the mountains of Western Maryland.
Brown was the first settler of the burgeoning African-American neighborhood on the outskirts of the town.
By the 1920s, nearly 40 families had resided in Brownsville, which included a schoolhouse, a church, and even family-owned restaurants and businesses run in the homes.
In the 1930s, the Brownsville homes began to be gradually purchased by the state of Maryland in order to expand the campus of Normal School #2 (now Frostburg State University).
Today, the university campus well exceeds the boundaries of the neighborhood, but the memory is fading because few former residents remain alive.
In order to rescue this soon-to-be lost history from obscurity, a group of students, faculty, and community members have teamed up to arrange the placement of a monument (see rough sketch below) in the upper quad of campus, which was the heart of Brownsville.
The project estimate is $10,000. The target date to raise the funds is April 1, 2017. The goal is to hold a dedication ceremony in October of 2017.
Brown was the first settler of the burgeoning African-American neighborhood on the outskirts of the town.
By the 1920s, nearly 40 families had resided in Brownsville, which included a schoolhouse, a church, and even family-owned restaurants and businesses run in the homes.
In the 1930s, the Brownsville homes began to be gradually purchased by the state of Maryland in order to expand the campus of Normal School #2 (now Frostburg State University).
Today, the university campus well exceeds the boundaries of the neighborhood, but the memory is fading because few former residents remain alive.
In order to rescue this soon-to-be lost history from obscurity, a group of students, faculty, and community members have teamed up to arrange the placement of a monument (see rough sketch below) in the upper quad of campus, which was the heart of Brownsville.
The project estimate is $10,000. The target date to raise the funds is April 1, 2017. The goal is to hold a dedication ceremony in October of 2017.
Organizer
Amy C Branam Armiento
Organizer
Frostburg, MD
Frostburg State University Foundation, Inc.
Beneficiary