Morgan Park

Morgan Park. The first planned Black suburb with a covenant and lot restrictions in Baltimore.. , In 1917, Morgan State College (now University) moved to its current location. Dr. John O Spencer, the fourth University President, had a vision of a community for Morgan faculty and other Black professionals. At the time, restrictive Jim Crow laws in the form of racist, whites-only housing covenants barred Black people from purchasing homes in white neighborhoods. The Morgan Park community faced many challenges. Surrounding neighborhoods resisted the development of this community. Supports of Morgan Park prevailed by winning two court battles and seral legislative actions, clearing the way for its establishment., In 1918, The Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper announced the opening of Morgan Park. This community included modern homes of various styles with gas, city water and sewer service and electricity in a lovely park-like setting with wide boulevards and green spaces. Morgan Park is the only community specifically built for the faculty of a Historically Black College and University that still stands., Today, the Morgan Park Improvement Association hosts events such as an annual cookout and neighborhood activities to ensure the welfare and satisfaction of its residents. Welcome to this historic community, where homeowners take pride in their homes, gardens, and lawns, and where residents look out for and respect each other., Some of our memorable Morgan Park Residents , Dr. Roland McConnell , Historian and Morgan State University Professor, he documented U.S. African American history and slavery. He is the author of The History of Morgan Park 1917-1999., Coach Edward Hurt , Athletic Director and Coach at Morgan State University. The University's gymnasium is named for him. He was a member of the coaching staff for the Tokyo Olympics U.S. Men's Track and Field Team and the USA-USSR dual track meet in Kiev, Russia., Dr. Rebecca Carroll , The first African American female Baltimore City Schools Deputy Superintendent and recipient of the first doctorate conferred upon an African American female by the University of Maryland., David and Tonya Harvey , Creators of an African American Flag in 1991. The flag is a nonpolitical symbol of Black Culture packed with positive messages. Several African American churches, schools, businesses, homes, and universities all over the country display the flag., Dr. Carl J. Murphy Publisher of AFRO, the oldest family-owned Black newspaper in the United States. Murphy carried the paper to national prominence and received the NAACP's Springarn medal as a dedicated editor, publisher, and far-sighted civil rights leader., Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois , A founder of the NAACP, civil rights activist, sociologist, and prolific author who was Harvard University's first African American doctorate., Morgan Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. Morgan Park is a point of interest within the Baltimore National Heritage Area. The W.E.B. Du Bois house was listed as a Baltimore City landmark in 2008., This project has been financed in part through funds from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and managed by the Baltimore National Heritage Area. The heritage area works to promote, preserve, and enhance Baltimore's historic and cultural legacy and natural resources for current and future generations. This sign was developed by the Morgan Park Improvement Association in partnership with HLMS. Land for this community garden was donated by Dale Webb. Du Bois photos by permission: W. E. B. Du Bois Papers (MS 312), Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center, UMass Amherst Libraries. W. E. B. Du Bois, director, Special Research, NAACP, 1946 and Du Bois, W. E. B. .1868-1963-Homes and haunts.