Sandy Spring Slave Museum pictured above.

by Ziv Golan ‘26

Sandy Spring Maryland, home to Sherwood High School, is filled with historical significance. The town, originally founded in the 18th century as a Quaker settlement, played a large role in the Civil War era as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The abolitionist views held by the Quaker community made the town a safe haven for those fleeing slavery. The Sandy Spring Slave Museum, opened in 1988, works to inform the local community about the history of the area.

“The Sandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art Gallery preserves shares, like a griot, the stories of the African American journey from slavery to freedom, celebrates the richness of African art and culture, and fosters dialogue, learning, and understanding across generations. Through tech-forward exhibits, education, and community engagement, we honor the resilience of the past and inspire a more just and inclusive future,” reads the museum’s mission statement.

The museum hosts several community oriented events throughout the year. This includes an Afro-Latin Caribbean Day celebration and a college fair featuring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The museum also opens its doors to school visits, engaging student visitors in a presentation detailing ‘hidden black history’ within their own communities.

The Olney/Sandy Spring area today has been influenced to a great extent by the region’s African American population. “Although Sandy Spring is now a sprawling suburban community, it was not long ago a rural one and its transformation is rooted in stories many young people have never been taught,” explained Museum co-director Troy Boddy. “The diversity they enjoy today, and may take for granted, is in large part due to the leadership of black educators who lived and worked in this community.”

Boddy’s own father aided in drafting a plan to desegregate MCPS schools, and many of the students who integrated those schools are still living. The history of the community, and legacy of slavery, is still very much alive and the museum hopes to connect locals to the stories that played a large role in shaping the place they now live.
Sherwood social studies teacher Caitlin Thompson has taken her AP US History students on a field trip to the museum since 2022. She believes strongly in the importance of bridging the knowledge gap that Sherwood students have when it comes to being informed on the history of the area.

“I think understanding where we come from is key to understanding where we want to go next,” said Thompson. “This community has a rich and diverse history. Remembering that, learning about it, can help connect kids to their hometown. In a larger sense, understanding the often-complicated history of our country can help us own the present and strive for a better future. Racism, hate and inequity are all very real parts of American history. They must be acknowledged and understood so that we can work to build a future that learns from the mistakes of its past and builds a better future for its next generation.”

Museum staff conduct significant outreach work to reach students in any way possible. “In addition to hosting school groups, our museum staff also travels into classrooms to teach Black history directly,” said Boddy. “I co-wrote a children’s book about the museum with my cousin titled A Proud History for Alex, which follows a third grade student on his first visit. I often use the book as an engaging way to introduce the museum and its themes to students in multiple educational settings.”