African American Heritage Society of Snow Hill and Surrounding Areas

10/22/2026

Good Afternoon, we have extended the deadline for both contests to this Saturday.

Any child who wears baseball attire will earn a chance for a prize!

10/17/2026

⚾ A SNOW HILL LEGEND. A LEGACY WORTH CELEBRATING! ⚾

Did you know that one of baseball’s greatest third basemen was born right here in Snow Hill, Maryland? 🌟

Join the African American Heritage Society of Snow Hill & Surrounding Areas for Judy Johnson Day 2026, a community celebration honoring William Julius “Judy” Johnson, Negro Leagues legend and 1975 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee!

📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
🕐 1:00–4:00 PM
📍 Snow Hill Train Station | Snow Hill, Maryland

Bring the whole family for an afternoon of history, baseball, creativity, and community!

⚾ Historical baseball exhibits, photographs, and memorabilia

🏆 Youth Art Contest (Grades 3–6) — $50 prize

✍🏾 Youth Essay Contest (Grades 7–12) — $50 prize

🎁 Children wearing baseball attire will receive a prize!

🍿 Refreshments will be served!

🎨 CALLING ALL YOUNG HISTORIANS & ARTISTS!

There’s still time to participate! Youth art and essay contest submissions are due Thursday, October 22, 2026. Winners will be announced during the celebration.

See the attached flyers for contest guidelines and submission details.

⚾ JOIN THE CELEBRATION!

Whether you’re a baseball enthusiast, history lover, or simply looking for a fun and meaningful family outing, come celebrate a hometown hero whose legacy reached far beyond Maryland’s Eastern Shore!

📲 Visit our Judy Johnson Day 2026 Facebook Event and select “Going” or “Interested” to stay updated!

👉 https://www.facebook.com/share/1DmrU61gFo/

💚💛 Honoring Our Past. Inspiring Our Future.

📧 [email protected]
📱 Facebook & Instagram:

📣 Help us spread the word! Share this post, invite your friends, and bring the family. Let’s come together to celebrate Snow Hill’s rich African American heritage and inspire the next generation!

08/17/2026

Such awesome news for the Town and surrounding areas! Congratulations and wishing you all much success! Beauty and Splendor Beauty Supply & Hair Salon

08/10/2026

We are honored to be selected as one of BECF’s August 2026 grant recipients! 🎉

This $750 award will support the African American Heritage Society of Snow Hill & Surrounding Areas as we continue preserving, documenting, and sharing the African American history and culture of Snow Hill and lower Worcester County.

We are grateful to BECF for recognizing the importance of community-based preservation and investing in the work we are doing right here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Thank you for supporting our mission and helping us keep our history alive for generations to come. ❤️

08/05/2026

Some of the most important pieces of history are shared around a kitchen table, not found in a textbook.

We are saddened by the passing of Mrs. Elsie C. Purnell, whose funeral was held this past weekend. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.

Several years ago, we had the privilege of sitting down with Mrs. Purnell to record her memories as part of our oral history project. Looking back, we’re especially grateful we took the time to preserve her voice.

She spoke of growing up in Girdletree, walking miles to a one-room schoolhouse where one teacher taught seven grades. She remembered traveling by horse and carriage, helping harvest potatoes in the fields, and living through segregation with quiet honesty.

When asked what it was like living under Jim Crow, she simply said:

“We knew it wasn’t fair… there were certain things you could do and couldn’t do.”

History isn’t only made in famous moments. It’s found in the everyday lives of people like Mrs. Purnell, who witnessed tremendous change and shared those memories so future generations could understand where we came from.

Today, we are honored to share her interview once again. We hope you’ll take a few moments to hear her story in her own words.

🎥 Watch her oral history interview here:
https://youtu.be/P9-KNBggoRs

Thank you, Mrs. Purnell, for trusting us with your story. May you rest in peace, and may your voice continue to educate and inspire generations to come.

06/30/2026

06/19/2026

Today, on Juneteenth, we celebrate freedom, resilience, and community.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 6th Annual Snow Hill Juneteenth Freedom Walk & Celebration. Seeing families, friends, neighbors, visitors, volunteers, vendors, and community partners come together made this year’s event truly special.

We are especially grateful to our sponsors and supporters, including Worcester County Arts Council, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the Town of Snow Hill, our community partners, volunteers, and the many individuals who worked behind the scenes to make the day possible.

Your support helps us continue our mission of preserving, sharing, and celebrating African American history in Snow Hill and the surrounding area.

Thank you for celebrating with us and helping keep these stories alive.

Happy Juneteenth.

06/19/2026

Happy Juneteenth!

Today, is celebration, reflection, and time of community. June 19th marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, bringing the delayed news of freedom to the last remaining enslaved Black Americans—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

As we honor this monumental turning point in American history, we find the deepest alignment with our mission at the Black Excellence Community Fund: Preserving Our Heritage, Charting Our Future.

The Juneteenth flag. Created by Ben Haith in 1997, every detail tells our story:

The Colors: The red, white, and blue remind us that African Americans were, and are, an undeniable part of the fabric of this nation.

The Curved Horizon: Represents a brand-new dawn and a horizon of endless opportunities.

The Star & Nova: The central star represents Texas (The Lone Star State), but the surrounding 12-pointed burst—the nova—signifies a new star rising on the horizon, bursting with freedom and a bright future.

PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE
From the very moment liberation was realized, Black philanthropy was born out of necessity, love, and a commitment to collective care. Long before formal foundations existed, our ancestors pooled resources, shared meals, funded schools, and built communities from the ground up. This beautiful tradition of collective giving—sharing our time, talent, and treasure—is how we have preserved our heritage through every generation.

CHARTING OUR FUTURE
Freedom was the beginning; true equity is the ongoing journey. By investing today in our local leaders, grassroots initiatives, and the next generation of changemakers, we are intentionally charting a future rooted in prosperity, ownership, and undeniable Black excellence.

Let’s keep building, keep giving, and keep rising together.



https://www.cfes.org/becf

06/14/2026

Regina Blake is proudly reping Hilltop with Rev. Dr. Roxie Dennis !

That being said, we are accepting preorders for Hilltop Juneteenth Shirts until Monday June 15!

$25 a piece. We accept Zelle, PayPal, ApplePay, CashApp, and Cash if your local.

DM us by Monday evening if interested!

06/13/2026

Come on and get you something good to eat down at Bird Park.