African-American History & Heritage

African-American history in Maryland begins in 1634 with the arrival of indentured servant Mathias de Sousa, one of the 140 settlers who first traveled here and established Maryland.

While de Sousa’s story is inspiring - he voted in the early legislature - as tobacco became the basis of Southern Maryland’s economy, slavery became entrenched.

Explore African-American Heritage Sites

Our historic sites and museums such as Historic Sotterley, the United States Colored Troops Memorial Monument, and Drayden African-American Schoolhouse, tell the story of our rich African-American history while mirroring the larger struggles of our nation. Visit an 1830s slave cabin, a Segregation Era schoolhouse, Civil War-related sites and AME churches.

Enjoy African-American Cuisine: Stuffed Ham

St. Mary's County has been designated the official birthplace of stuffed ham! According to a longstanding oral tradition, the dish stuffed ham was born of necessity, created by enslaved people in the county during the early 18th century. Ever since, descendants have passed down recipes for stuffed ham from generation to generation by word of mouth. Families have developed individual variations of the recipe over time, and stuffed ham has become a cherished local dish that continues to be enjoyed and celebrated by the residents of St. Mary’s County. It is made with corned ham, cabbage, kale, onion and various spices.

You can enjoy stuffed ham at restaurants throughout St. Mary's County or you can make it yourself! Try one of the earliest recorded stuffed ham recipes found in the "Three Hundred Years of Black Cooking in St. Mary’s County" cookbook.

Three Hundred Years of Black Cooking in St. Mary’s County Cookbook

African-American History and Community, St. Mary's County

View a video produced as a student independent study project within the St. Mary's College of Maryland Theater, Film, and Media Studies Department, in conjunction with the Spring 2015 Anthropology of Tourism class.

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Underground Railroad Sites

St. Mary's County has several National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom sites that played a part in the Underground Railroad in Maryland....

Museums & Historic Sites

Drayden African-American Schoolhouse

One of the best-preserved African-American schoolhouses in the country, the one-room schoolhouse still occupies its original site and has not been...

St. Mary's Heritage

United States Colored Troops Memorial Monument

During the Civil War 180,000 African Americans comprising 170 regiments served in the Union Army and 29,511 served in the Union Navy. Army regiments composed...