A Child is Born!

On Monday, March 8, 2010 at 4:21pm, my wife and I welcomed our third child into the world. Julian Luke Waller arrived weighting 6 pounds even with a height of 19 1/2 inches and all of his fingers and toes. After the delivery, I had the nurse put his footprints on my "doctor clothes," as she did her work in the delivery room. As an archivist, you know I am going to place these clothes in an archivally safe box for the viewing pleasure of future generations.

Robert Jones: An American Patriot

The Manuscript Collection of the Sylvia Gaither Garrison Library at the Banneker-Douglass Museum contains letters, rare documents, and ephemera which elucidates Maryland's African American history and culture. For Black History Month, we are featuring a rare document concerning Robert Jones, an African American Civil War veteran.

Heeding the call of Frederick Douglass, Robert Jones enlisted in the United States Colored Troops on November 5th, 1863 in Somerset County, Maryland. After Jones helped save the Union, Maryland paid his owner, Robert Patterson, $100 for allowing him to fight in the war. Maryland freed Jones when the State changed its constitution in 1864, leading the effort to extend freedom to all Americans.

Do you desire to learn more about Robert Jones and many other African Americans like him? Then make it a point to stop by the Sylvia Gaither Garrison Library and the Banneker-Douglass Museum.

SGGL’s New Volunteer: Tola Ajay Lends His Writing & Production Skills to Two Major BDM Projects

The SGGL is excited to have Ahmed “Tola” Ajayi volunteering for a three-to-six month stint. The grandson of Friends of the Banneker-Douglas Museum member, Dr. Mary Hunt, Tola is working part- time while honing his skills in writing,
photography, and filmmaking.

This graduate of Broadneck Senior High School and Morgan State University (Economics) is planning for a career in audio visual production. Fittingly then, he is working on both preserving and registering the Banneker-Douglass Museum Photo Archives and writing portions of the Banneker-Douglass Museum Foundation’s 25th Anniversary souvenir booklet.

Want to work on a project that matches your interests or goals? Contact BDM Volunteer Coordinator at BDMlib@goci.state.md.us.