Date: 15 November 2001

Subject: Historic Sites Committee Report for 11.30.01 Commission Meeting

The Historic Sites Committee reported to the Commission meeting of August 7, 2001 on three issues of particular interest. I would like to follow up with an update of those initiatives. First, Derek Gray, the Trust’s National Park Service minority intern, completed his term on August 16th. We were very pleased with his work, which consisted of developing a searchable database for African American sites throughout Maryland. This database will incorporate sites identified by Bakari Johnson for the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture, and will be expanded to include sites identified since Bakari’s project was completed in 1995. This is slow, meticulous work, and Derek was able to complete the basic survey for twelve counties. While we would like to use this project to pursue further sponsorship of minority summer graduate students, the need for a workable inventory is too compelling to delay further work until next summer. For this reason, we will be able to shift existing resources to this project beginning in mid-December, and will continue to expand this resource over the coming months.

Second, the archeological search for Harriet Tubman’s home site in Dorchester County has also made progress. As you know from this committee’s August report, the Trust and Washington College have sponsored a summer field school at the Tubman site at Bucktown. The field phase of this project took place in June and July and included field survey, shovel test pits, and remote sensing surveys with a magnetometer of areas identified by using the Trust’s Geographic Information System to overlay historic maps and modern topographic and aerial images. One important site has been identified thus far—a feature that seems likely to have been a blacksmith’s shop. This is a find of some significance, since we know from the documentary record that there was some ironworking on the plantation where Tubman lived. This project will continue with a second phase of work in 2002.

Finally, I am disappointed to report that all over-the-CPS requests proposed by the Maryland Historical Trust failed to survive the budget review process, not surprising given the economic environment we now face. Included in the over-the-CPS budget was the Trust’s proposal to create a dedicated grant fund that would expand the effort to identify, document and preserve African American resources across the state. While we are disappointed by the current budget situation, we will continue to use our existing grant program to encourage African American scholarship as part of the broader goals of the existing program.