Fredrick Douglass Mural ribbon cutting

SALISBURY, Md. – On Tuesday, October 15th, a ribbon cutting took place in front of the Fredrick Douglass Mural in Salisbury, as part of a grant-funded project focusing on African American Heritage here on the lower shore.

The mural on West Main Street depicts Fredrick Douglass in front of the Wicomico Court Courthouse as a reminder of when he gave a lecture in Salisbury in 1880 to raise money for a Methodist episcopal church, now known as the Chipman Cultural Center.

Mindie Burgoyne is the field rep for the Maryland Department of Commerce. She says that highlighting the hidden history along the shore is important. “That’s what the Beach to Bay Heritage Area is all about. Protecting, preserving, and interpreting the heritage of the area. and the African American Story has not been told as much… There’s so many important factors that come together in Salisbury, and this mural kind of interprets that.”

Beach to Bay Heritage Area says they will have at least 3 more murals painted across the city that depict African Americans who have contributed to the Eastern Shore. For more information visit their website.