Although I’m a medievalist by training and have published mostly on medieval English topics, my current research focuses on African Americans in western Maryland in the era of slavery. This is local history for me; I’ve been working on it since about 2010 and am now publishing on it, as well as speaking frequently on it at local venues and working with local historical, church, and community groups on related public history projects. My current book project, with the working title Black Antietam: African American Experiences of the Civil War in Sharpsburg, is scheduled for publication in summer 2022.
Below are links to some of my writing on black history. Check out my Teaching page for relevant course syllabi and other teaching resources.
Reports and Articles
Slavery at Fountain Rock and St. James (near Hagerstown, Washington County, MD)
Slavery at Rose Hill Manor, Frederick
Lectures
Ebenezer’s Lost Cemetery (Online talk given May 5, 2021, about Bethel/Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, Hagerstown, MD)
Remembering Africa in Western Maryland, 1750-1865 (Talk given on Feb. 23, 2017 at Hood College.)
Blog Posts
Hearing the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
The Veterans Buried at Halfway African American Cemetery
Teaching about Slavery: Some Resources for Teachers
Seven Myths about Slavery in Western Maryland
Slavery and the Roots of Hood College
Slavery at Fountain Rock and St. James
The Halfway African American Cemetery: A Lost Burial Ground
Slave Resistance at Antietam Iron Works
Using Census Records for Black Family History before 1865
Finding Otho: A New Book about African-American Genealogy
Civil War Christmas at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, Hagerstown
An African-American History Tour of Washington County
Irvin Sullivan, Black WWI Veteran from Washington County
Finding Local Black Ancestors: A Genealogy Road Map
Seven African-American History Books to Change Your Perspective
African American History at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
