Sunday, September 14, 2003

By Sylvia Cavallo

When Bill Keene began studying the Washington County Historical Society's archives about six years ago, he was disappointed to discover a noticeable lack of African-American history in the county.

His realization inspired him to begin a genealogy study of the African-American population, but even after six years of research, Keene's findings have been minimal.

That's why Keene, six-year chairman of the African-American Roundtable of the Washington County Historical Society, and Jim Walsh, historical society director, have been working since January to promote the first African-American Cultural Festival.

The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in the LeMoyne Multi-Cultural Community Center on Forest Avenue in Washington.

A full schedule of activities is on tap to help celebrate black American history, including entertainment with performances by various gospel choirs and the Joyce Ellis Dancers. Food vendors will cook up some favorite African-American dishes, and there will be hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken wings and potato salad, kielbasa and ribs. Vendor booths also will feature baked goods and African drawings, jewelry, limited edition and original African-American prints.

"We are trying to draw enough people together to spark an interest in African-American culture and to stimulate people to come forward and share with us information they have about their ancestors. Every little bit helps," Keene says.

Even small details can help trace interesting anecdotes to Washington. Just like the story Keene tells of the late Alfred Crockett, an African-American baby born in 1829 into slavery in Frederick, Md. According to a newspaper article published in the Washington News in April 1914, Crockett grew up on a plantation owned by a woman near Baltimore. The woman was said to have treated her slaves kindly, allowing them to choose material for a new suit each year and ending their weekly work at noon Saturdays, not making them resume chores until early Monday morning. That little bit of freedom enabled most of the slaves to attend church each Sunday morning.

It was at worship services that Crockett is said to have met Margaret Lanning, a free woman they called "Muddy." Crockett secretly married Lanning one weekend and the couple had three children. But Crockett's life changed drastically when the plantation owner died. Fearing that the next plantation owner would treat them poorly, Crockett and the other slaves fled, most likely by way of the Underground Railroad. Crockett was forced to leave Muddy and the children behind when he fled north, where he purchased freedom in Washington.

In 1864, he enlisted in the U.S. Colored Troops Company G, Regiment 32, where he served for 18 months. The article states that in 1865 he received an honorable discharge and, after earning enough money working in a local restaurant, sent for his family and purchased a home at 130 E. Walnut St. in Washington. The couple is said to have raised a total of nine children in the home, which remained in the family for decades.

Keene says the home has been completely refurbished but still stands and remains an anchor for African-American history for the area.

"It is stories like this one that would add life to our archives," Keene says. "We hope that through this event, we will be able to achieve a better relationship with the African-American population of Washington and bring everyone from all races under one umbrella. We want people of all backgrounds to join us for this event."

Sylvia Cavallo is a freelance writer.

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