BEL AIR, Md. — It’s a trip down memory lane for Cassie Stansbury who spots a picture of her late husband, Wardell, dating back to 1957.
A stethoscope on display at the Historical Society of Harford County’s traveling exhibit tells the story of Cassie’s brother-in-law, George Stansbury—-the first African American physician to benefit from desegregation at Harford Memorial Hospital after an infant died for lack of care due to the color line.
WATCH: African American historical contributions in Harford County
“When they came downstairs to tell the mother that the baby had passed, the mother died,” Cassie recalled.
Thus the title of the exhibit, ‘Trials and Triumphs,’ showcasing the hard fought achievements of African Americans in the county’s history.
They range from war heroes and baseball stars to entertainers and one enslaved woman in Bel Air who dared to ask President Lincoln for clarification nearly a year and a half after the Emancipation Proclamation.
“‘Dear President Lincoln, I desire to go…’ She wanted to go visit her relatives, but she was told she couldn’t, so she said, you know, ‘Are we free?’” said Historical Society Executive Director Chris Potts, “That’s the kind of history that’s being uncovered and people can learn about when they come and see the exhibit.”
For Cassie Stansbury, the exhibit represents far more than a celebration of her family and others like them, including memories of the trials, which seemingly came with each triumph.
“I also was up in my bedroom lying down on the sofa when some gentleman, I assume, burned a cross in the back of our house,” she told us.
If you’d like to catch the traveling exhibit, you can do so here at the Historical Society, which remains open Monday through Saturday from 11 to 3, and the exhibit runs through August 1.
