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St. Mary’s County Library

 

The St. Mary’s County Library connects people with ideas and information in a diverse community, valuing opportunity and education for all. We provide physical and digital books and media for education and entertainment that are diverse, inclusive, and accessible to all. We have community spaces for groups to collaborate and programs for all ages to learn, have fun, and connect with community.

A priority of the library is to provide diverse programs and reading materials. We collaborate with local history organizations to provide programs that illuminate the role of BIPOC people in Southern Maryland and beyond. Our Maryland collection at the Leonardtown Library includes materials for BIPOC genealogy as well. All of our resources are free and open to the public.

Contact/Location

37600 New Market Rd., Charlotte Hall, MD / 23630 Hayden Farm Lane, Leonardtown, MD / 21677 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park, MD 20653
301-863-8188

https://www.stmalib.org/

Hours of Operation

Visitor Center

Wednesday-Sunday 10am-4pm

Offices and MAC

Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm

Park Grounds

7 days a week, dawn to dusk

Monday – Thursday 9 AM – 8 PM, Friday – Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM, Sunday 1 PM – 5 PM (Lexington Park location only)

Highlights

Provides information and resources regarding the history of Black, Indigenous and Other People of Color in a variety of formats:

A priority of the library is to provide diverse programs and reading materials.  We collaborate with local history organizations to provide programs that illuminate the role of Black, Indigenous, and other people in Southern Maryland and beyond. 

Archaeological sites with interpretive panels. These sites and panels are accessible on Park trails.

FAQ Archaeology Exhibit in the Visitor’s Center includes segments on pre-contact period sites and on Sukeek’s Cabin site.

JPPM Library has over 15,000 titles relating to all aspects of Maryland’s history. Books do not circulate, but an online catalog is available. Southern Maryland Regional Files are also housed in the MAC Lab.

Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab has over 10 million artifacts spanning from 10,000 years ago until the early-mid 20th century. Portions available online; physical access upon request during MAC Lab hours. Qualifying institutions can borrow artifacts for display or study.

Audio and transcripts of oral histories of local Black families. Available upon request.

Portraits, daguerreotypes, and primary documents of local Black families. Available to view upon request.

Through Ebony Eyes digital exhibit can be viewed on large screendisplay.

Field trip programs for school age children on rural life and sharecropping are scheduled through the Education Department.

Park-wide special events like Discovering Archaeology Day and American Indian Heritage Day are free and open to the public.

Educators, docents, and archaeologists give tours, talks, and participate in outreach programs upon request.

JPPM hosts Calvert County’s NAACP Family and Community Day each June

Explore Resources

St. Mary’s Library: Sotterley her people and their worlds (book)

Description:
Book Sotterley : her people and their worlds Three hundred years of a Maryland plantation
Read More
Themes:
African American People and Culture, Rural Life in Southern Maryland
Access:

In print at

https://catalog.somd.lib.md.us/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=17.1033.0.0.1&pos=2&cn=205609

St. Mary’s Library: Sotterley Plantation (book)

Description:
Book Sotterley Plantation Photos of the Sotterley Plantation’s history and people who lived and were enslaved there.
Read More
Themes:
African American People and Culture, Rural Life in Southern Maryland
Access:

In print at https://catalog.somd.lib.md.us/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=17.1033.0.0.1&pos=3&cn=353682

St. Mary’s Library: Justice Rolls Down (book)

Description:
Book Justice rolls down : the St. Joseph’s Parish housing project, McCauley, Michael. (2014) Justice Rolls down is a book that chronicles a pioneering, post World War II, African American housing development located in the Morganza and Oakville communities of St. Mary’s County....
Read More
Themes:
African American People and Culture
Access:

In print at

https://catalog.somd.lib.md.us/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=17.1033.0.0.1&pos=3&cn=353682


















St. Mary’s Library: In Relentless Pursuit of an Education (book)
Description:
This book, In relentless pursuit of an education : African American stories from a century of segregation (1865-1967), documents through pictures and stories the state of Black Education before and after desegregation....
 Read More
Themes:
African American People and Culture, Rural Life in Southern Maryland
Access:
In print:


https://catalog.somd.lib.md.us/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=17.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=136444


or online at


https://www.stmalib.org/pdfs/InRelentlessPursuit.pdf


St. Mary’s County Library
Description:
The St. Mary’s County Library connects people with ideas and information in a diverse community, valuing opportunity and education for all. A priority of the library is to provide diverse programs and reading materials.  We collaborate with local history organizations to provide programs that illumi...
 Read More
Themes:
African American People and Culture, Civic Ideas and Action, People, Places, and Our Southern Maryland Environment
Access:
Monday – Thursday 9 AM – 8 PM, Friday – Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM, Sunday 1 PM – 5 PM (Lexington Park location only)



				

				

				

				

					

						

				
				

		

				

				

			
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Early to mid-20th century
						

				

				

		

				

				

			
Themes:
		

				

				

		

				

				

							
African American People and Culture, Indigenous People and Culture, Diversity in Southern Maryland, People, Places, and Our Southern Maryland Environment, Women’s History
						

				

				

		

				

				

			
Access:
		

				

				

		

				

				

							
During open hours for JPPM Visitor Center: Wed-Sunday, 10am-4pm. Contact Visitor Center at [email protected] or 410-586-8538.
						

				

				

		

				

				

			
Description:
		

				

				

		

				

				

							
Located at the Visitor Center, this exhibit shows a number of archaeological artifacts from across the state of Maryland, with detailed panels on a pre-contact period site (and its environment) and on the Sukeek’s Cabin site.
Visit Website
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Join us to discover a hidden chapter in history.
		

				

				

				

					

			
			
			

							
			
			

								

												
														
											

								

					
				

			

		

				

				

					

				

				

				

				

			

		

					

		

		

				

				

			
Southern Maryland
Equity in History Coalition
		

				

				

				

			
The Southern Maryland Equity in History Coalition is a transformative collaboration of local organizations and educational institutions, committed to elevating the history of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color in our region.
		

				

				

		

				

				

						
						
				

				

				

		

				

				

			
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Maryland Heritage Areas Authority

													

				

				

				

					

				

				

		

		

					

		

				

				

							This project has been financed in part with State funds from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, an instrumentality of the State of Maryland. However, project contents or opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.						

				

				

		

				

				

			
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