Local History in Prince George's County
From
1982 to 1989, I served as manager of a new project in Prince George's
County that chronicled the history of the African-American Experience.
During that time, I researched the colonial and ante-bellum periods, documenting
the various relevant remaining physical sites, interviewing older residents
about specific churches, schools and neighborhoods, and chronicling the
history of specific families whose lineages began in the county. From
2000 to 2009, my local history research focused on one specific place
provided a unique view of the county's history, from the colonial plantation
through to the era of the Great Depression. The preservation of local
history is important because it "keeps the story" of man's existence in
a place - alive for future generations. Local history and preservation
is not about "living in the past" but rather about the continual building
process that is based on an appreciation of early accomplishments, lessons
learned from trials and tribulations, and understanding the evolution
of humanity. If done well, it is the uninterrupted storytelling of the
lives of a people..