Possible African American Schoolhouse?, Church Hill, Rd., Centreville, MD

This building literally stopped me in my tracts. My gut says "old African American School." Need to look into this...

Town of Centreville, MD

Mental note: make time to have a proper look at this sweet place next time in area.

New Life Community UMC, Centreville, MD

Originally the Charles Wesley UMC.

Old Starr Methodist Church, Starr, MD

Also once known as the Richard Asbury Methodist Church. Originally, a predominantly white congregation, I believe the current congregation is mostly, if not all, African American.

One of only two remaining churches in Queen Anne's County, MD to have a separate entrance for slaves. This side entrance went directly to the stairs that led up to the slave gallery.

At first I thought that the stairs to the slaves entrance was no longer standing (see attached photos: the side entrance is a good 3-4 feet off the ground), but I have since read accounts that the practice was for the enslaved folks to transition directly from the carriage to the entrance.

I am utterly fascinated that these bits of history still remain on our landscape.

Dudley's Methodist Chapel, Sudlersville, MD: The Interior

I was incredibly lucky to have been allowed into the Chapel to take photos. There is no electricity and the slave gallery is still intact.

Slave gallery:

Where the stairs leading to the gallery were:

Dudley's Methodist Chapel, Sudlersville, MD

View of the Chapel from the segregated African American burial area:

Segregated African American burial area:

White burial area is all around the Chapel:

There had once been an addition on the back of the Chapel:

Beautiful witness tree that guards the African American burial area: