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Researching Montpelier Mansion’s Enslaved People

8/31/2021

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by Melba Brown

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​I moved to Laurel, Maryland in 1999. New to the area, I soon discovered Montpelier Mansion (now Montpelier House Museum). Over the years, I would often visit with my young daughter to walk the tranquil grounds. We would smell aromatic herbs in the garden, peer into the Summer House windows and sprint through the Boxwood maze. The Kitchen Exhibit would always capture our attention as it clearly depicted the stark contrast of the enslaved people’s experiences compared to the lives of the Snowden family within the elegant Mansion walls. While taking one of the tours, I learned more about the Snowdens. The enslaved people were mentioned and I distinctly recall the hidden staircase that the servants ascended to tend to the residents. This moment delivered a visceral experience of ‘their place’ within the home. The steeply winding staircase looked frightful. While roaming through the Mansion, entering the same rooms and climbing the same steps as they did, I   felt a sense of sadness considering what life was like for the them.
 
In the summer of 2013, I took an on-line art class. The final project was to create an art installation. I decided to create an installation on the grounds of Montpelier in homage to   the enslaved people who lived and worked there. The branches represented their ascendent spirits and the colorful fabric swatches represented their freedom. There was an audience of one…my daughter. I used this artistic expression as a teachable moment for her. I wanted  her to be ever mindful that even though we enjoy the grounds today, the enslaved people  who lived and worked there should be recognized and honored.



In the summer of 2019, I enthusiastically answered the call to volunteer as a Research Assistant for Holly Burnham, Historian/Museum Educator at Montpelier Historic Site. The task was to research the enslaved people at Montpelier Mansion. It was a tremendous opportunity to acknowledge the full scope of people who toiled on the grounds and to learn more about the individuals who were the enslaved and help bring to light their humanity, which undoubtedly was always present.

 


At the initial meeting with Holly, I was given copies of inventories of the enslaved people owned by Major Thomas Snowden and Nicholas Snowden, with the years ranging from 1804 - 1831, Snowden family genealogy and other relevant documents. I was informed that Major Thomas owned 169 people and Nicholas owned 65. A great on-line resource that I was introduced to was the Maryland State Archives.  It was thrilling to delve into  Maryland’s on-line resources in search of any pertinent information related to people on the lists. My goal was to try to match names and dates on the list with on-line documents.  It  was fascinating to see Certificates of Freedom and review Slave Statistics from the 1800s.
 
The task at hand quickly proved to be challenging in a number of ways. First, the legibility  of the recorders of that time was sometimes difficult to decipher. Also, I would see a reference in one location and the details would be different in another location. So, accuracy was in question at times as well.  To give an example, one enslaved person would be listed  as a female in one document and the same person would be listed as a male in a different document.  An interesting fact that I learned was, at times, enslaved people would be  dressed as the opposite gender in order to garner a higher selling price.
 
With the encountered hurdles, the most challenging one involved names. For example, on the 1831 inventory list of Nicholas Snowden, there is the name Suky, age 24, price $225.00. I have encountered references to Suck, Suky, Sucky and Suckey. Could any of them be this person, I wondered? I came across a manumission document that listed a Sucky Bacon.
Upon further inspection, I read that this female was 33 years old, a mulatto and freed by Elizabeth W. Snowden in September 1840. Witnessed by Mrs. Chas Hill, September 28, 1843. Elizabeth W. Snowden was married to Nicholas Snowden.

​The documents below illustrate a difference in the spelling of her name. This one reads,

Identity of Negro Suckey Bacon by Mrs. Chas Hill, 2 June 1846.
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This document reads, This woman Suky Bacon was liberated by (?) Mrs. Elizabeth W. Snowden September 1840. Mrs Chase Hill September 28th 1843
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These documents are from the Prince Georges County Court Freedom Affidavits - MSA Citation: C1150-1, Date 1810-1850; Location: 01/21/11/018 MdHr No. 40238-1/22
 
Sucky’s age, the date and names on the documents were proof that this was the same Suky on the 1831 inventory, which listed her age as 24.  This was a thrilling moment to connect the dots. Suky had a last name and she was freed. I shared the information with Holly and the staff and they surmised that the name Bacon could possibly have been related to her job, as there was a meat house on the grounds of Montpelier Mansion at that time.
 
Over the summer, I spent many hours pouring over documents and after each day of research, I had more questions. There were numerous enslaved people with the last name Snowden, some of them listed as mulattos, some enslaved and some listed as born free. It begs the question…did the Snowden men father countless offspring with enslaved women? American History tells us that this possibility could be extremely high. Also, there is a strong presence of African-American Snowden’s in the District of Columbia and Metropolitan Area. Could any of them be related to the Snowden’s of Montpelier? DNA testing could certainly confirm this possibility.
 
To do this kind of research is both rewarding and at the same time disturbing.   It is rewarding to uncover history buried in a deep sea of documents that shed additional light on the enslaved individuals working at Montpelier. It is disturbing to read about slavery experiences in Maryland and the mindset and actions of the slaveowners. To become immersed in documented accounts of brutality and indignities experienced by humans was, at times, too much to fully comprehend.  This research experience led me down several  roads of exploration as far as the life of enslaved people in Maryland. In addition to the many Snowden’s mentioned in the Maryland Archives and other resources, I encountered other names of slaveowners in Maryland. One slave-owning family, in particular, stood out to me…the Contee family. This family had a tobacco plantation in Prince George’s County. Richard, Charles, William and John Contee are all documented in Maryland’s history.
Contee Road is a main thoroughfare in Laurel, Maryland and it is named after this family.

When I drive on Contee Road, I think of the slaveowner who was notorious for branding the faces of his escaped servants who were apprehended with the letter ‘R’, (perhaps for ‘runaway’) according to an interview with Mr. Dennis Simms in 1939. Dennis Simms was an ex-slave on the Contee Plantation. His entire interview can be read, along with other accounts, in the Work Progress Administration’s publication: In the Words of Ex-Slaves, Maryland Slave Interviews:A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves by Joe H. Mitchell in 1941. Additionally, countless slave advertisements can be seen on-line. Here is just one from John Contee:
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The remnants of slavery are all around us. It is an enormous part of this country’s history. The United States is having a moment…a moment for acknowledgement, accountability and progress. The wrongs of the past cannot be undone, but the future provides us all with endless opportunities to treat each other with dignity, respect and to acknowledge our shared humanity.

I continue to seek out information on Sucky Bacon and the other enslaved people on the inventory lists. If you have never visited Montpelier House Museum, you are missing a great opportunity to see the spaces inhabited by the Snowden family and their enslaved servants. With a renewed sense of telling a more complete story of everyone who passed through this historic site, the experience will be well worth it.
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Read about uhuru in country Woman Magazine Aug/Sept Issue

7/16/2021

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The next time you're out and about grab the August/September issue of Country Woman Magazine to read about Uhuru in their "Camaraderie Among Quilters" article. Head over to our Facebook group and let us know what you think. 
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Montpelier Summer Exhibit Uhuru Quilters Guild

7/16/2021

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PRESS RELEASE

Uhuru Quilters Guild Exhibit
What:                
Montpelier House Museum is honored to present the latest creations of the Uhuru
Quilters Guild.  We invite you to see these beautiful works, a mix of full size and
challenge size quilts featuring traditional as well as original designs. 
                               
The Uhuru Quilters Guild seeks to promote the work and accomplishments of
African American quilters and to preserve the tradition, culture and history of
quilting.  
For more information on the Uhuru Quilters Guild, visit their website
at http://www.uhuruquiltersguild.org/.  To see photos of Uhuru quilts from
past exhibits at Montpelier, sign up for our e-newsletter at:
history.pgparks.com/3044/Montpelier-House-Museum

             
Where:  
Montpelier House Museum
9650 Muirkirk Road 
 (Muirkirk Road at Route 197)
Laurel, Maryland 20708
Contact:        
Tel.: (301) 377-7817, TTY: (301) 699-2544 
montpeliermansion@pgparks.com
Montpelier House Museum | MNCPPC, MD   
When:               
Opens Saturday, July 17, 10 am – 4 pm.   
Exhibit will be open Thursdays – Mondays, 10am – 4 pm, through Sunday, August 29.
Cost:    
Free

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January Coordinator's Corner

1/8/2021

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In one of the last official acts for the Uhuru Quilters Guild in 2020, you decided to cast your vote for me to become your next coordinator. With that said, let me begin by saying a very heartfelt “thank you”.
On behalf of the entire Guild, we would like to express our gratitude to Maxine Morgan for her dedicated years serving as Uhuru’s Coordinator.

Let us begin by recognizing that 2020 was a challenging year for all of us. Thanks to Cornelia Carter-Sykes, for taking us forward into the era of Zoom, a new technology which we will continue to utilize until we can meet in person again. We will continue to develop new and exciting ways to meet and exchange ideas, and new projects while serving the charitable needs of our community.

We have made through 2020, and look forward to all that 2021 has to offer. I wish you all a warm and Happy New Year.
Azalia O. Butler
Uhuru Coordinator
 
How about a quick trip?
https://www.virtualyosemite.org
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"Quilts and the Stories They Tell" exhibit at Sandy Spring Museum

1/5/2021

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​The upcoming exhibit "Quilts and the Stories They Tell"  looks at fabric narratives as told by Sarita Brewer, Sandra Ealy, Cathy Fink, Shirley Hodge, Lauren Kingsland, Angela Lanier, Maxine Morgan, Tammie Morrow, Winifred Wallace, Carol Williams, and Katherine Wilson.  Curated by Lauren Kingsland in partnership with Sandy Spring Museum, with support from the Maryland State Arts Council.  Hope you can visit the show in person or virtually.   Registeration for virtual programs is through SandySpringmuseum.org.
Virtual Exhibit Programs
One Snip Stars for Quilters
January 16 at 3:00 pm
Hands-on virtual workshop on how to construct a 5-pointed star with a clever fold and just one snip of
the scissors. Led by Lauren Kingsland.

Make a Flash Story Quilt
February 2 at 10:30 am and 7:00 pm
Hands-on virtual workshops on telling a simple story in fabric led by Lauren Kingsland.

Behind the Quilts: A Virtual Musical Experience
February 18 at 7:30 pm
Featuring music from Grammy-winning duo Cathy Fink and Marcie Marxer, spoken word by curator
Lauren Kingsland, and shared stories by members of the Uhuru Quilters Guild.

HerStory Through Quilts
March 6 at 11:00 am
Virtual presentation focusing on the anatomy of a story quilt and highlighting story quilts created by a
diverse group of women. Led by Angela Lanier.
quilts_and_the_stories_they_tell_press_release.pdf
File Size: 879 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Sandy Spring Museum

12/16/2020

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The Sandy Spring Museum will exhibit our story quilts virtually and physically in January. Below please find links for more information and reservations.

Uhuru members will join master quilt artist Lauren Kingsland and Cathy Fink for in an 
exhibit "Quilts And The Stories They Tell". The exhibit will run January 8- March 12, 2021; open Mondays and Wednesdays 10am - 4pm and Fridays 10am - 8pm and will be closed on President's Day. There are capacity limitations so reservations are encouraged.  Learn more and make a reservation here: https://www.sandyspringmuseum.org/quilts/

Save the date and reserve your spot for Angela's virtual presentation, HerStory Through Quilts, March 6 11am - 12:30pm. https://www.sandyspringmuseum.org/event/virtual-herstory-through-quilts/​

Please share with your friends, family and quilt lovers.
​
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We Are The Story

9/26/2020

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“Justice Flatlined”
Donnette A. Cooper 

“Like countless others, I was transfixed as I watched in disbelief the replay of the casual, yet methodical, manner in which George Floyd's breath was arrested and his vitality extinguished by the police.  Despite centuries of ancestral memory,  I was not prepared to face the urgent hate that led to this act--executed over eight minutes and forty-six seconds.

Justice is not available to all in America. Like hope, it sometimes dies unborn. As Mr. Floyd's vital statistics flatlined on the streets of Minneapolis, so did Justice for millions of others.

My quilt expresses graphically Mr. Floyd's lifeline permanently interrupted by the systems and agents of oppression.” 

“Inspangered”
Angela Lanier 
​

I had been struggling with both how to deal with my anger about what seemed like endless incidents of police brutality and social injustice. I wanted to do something and find a way to contribute to the conversation. This exhibit gave me the opportunity to do that.

“Inspangered” is my creative response to the numerous unjust murders of so many unarmed African Americans. It simply means “inspired by anger.” When I designed the quilt in my head, I had just watched a Faith Ringgold lecture on YouTube and thought of her painting, “The Flag is Bleeding.” The flag reference became essential to my design. So did the blood. 

See We Are The Story for more information.
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Katherine Wilson

4/3/2020

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Katherine Wilson's quilt False Advertising, was one of 31 quilts selected for  the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Beyond the Mirror exhibit that will be on tour through 2023.  It will debut at International Quilt Festival in Houston October 2020. Click here for more information.
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Katherine Wilson

3/23/2020

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​Katherine Wilson’s quilt Prayer Warriors is currently hanging in the exhibit Working with the Muse at Strathmore Mansion in Bethesda, MD. Click on the link https://www.strathmore.org/visual-arts/exhibitions/quilts# for a virtual tour of the exhibition. Enjoy. 
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March COORDINATOR'S Message

3/9/2013

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Practice, Challenge, Improvement

Have you noticed a theme yet in my monthly messages? Certainly not my intent, just what I hope is a happy evolution.  I find myself repeating the advice my dad gave me to my nine year old almost weekly... Practice, Practice, Practice, the classmate who aces the quiz or the opponent who defeats you only did so because they practiced more than you. It was really unpleasant to hear then, as I’m sure it is for my son today, but I wish I could hear those words again from my dad. My free motion quilting is absolutely awful and I know the only thing that is going to matter now is practice. And more practice. And still more practice.

For example, I've seen Bernadett's long arm quilting improve over the last year or so and I’d bet a yard of fabric, she’d say that it is because she is quilting more and trying new things. I think that is the second step in improving your skills; challenging yourself. The Guild’s March Challenge, to take on a difficult block, one you have avoided in the past or wouldn't even dare to try, is a challenge to practice, to improve. I hope that you've attempted this month's challenge and learned something new...a new technique or discovered something new in you.

Happy 19th Birthday Uhuru! Happy National Quilting Day! Here's to a year of practice and improvement.

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