Political Representation in Ward Three, Parole

Political Representation in Ward Three, Parole. African American Aldermen. , Blacks first became eligible to vote and hold office in 1870 in the City of Annapolis. Since that time only 24 or 14% have been Black elected officials. Of those 24, only 7 have served the Parole Community in Annapolis., The predominantly Black Community of Parole, settled after the Civil War and named after Camp Parole, was annexed to the City of Annapolis in 1951. In 2007 the City of Annapolis approved a Resolution which stated, "…the faith, perseverance, hope and triumphs of African Americans and their significant contributions to the development of Annapolis and the nation should be embraced, celebrated and retold for generations to come", 1873 - 1875 , William H. Butler, Jr. was born a slave in Maryland, c. 1842 and freed in 1849 by his owner, K.H. Snowden, of the fourth district in A.A. County. Butler married in 1863 and bought his home at 148 Duke of Gloucester Street. He became the first African American and former slave to be elected to public office. His son, a teacher, served in another ward from 1893 - 1897. The senior Butler died in 1892, a wealthy landowner in Annapolis. His family owned their house until 1922., 1897 - 1899 , Wiley H. Bates was born in Wageburrough, North Carolina, August 1, 1859. He moved to Annapolis, Maryland c. 1871. Bates' popularity and leadership skills earned him a seat on the City Council in July 1897, when he was elected the third Black Alderman representing Ward Three. Far from being a passive member of the council, Bates took a leading role as an advocate for city Blacks from his earliest days on the Council. In early October 1897, he spearheaded an effort to petition the legislature for funds to build the city's first public school for "colored" children., 1925 - 1942 , Charles Lancelot Spriggs was born in Annapolis. As a Republican, he was elected Alderman of Ward 4 for the next seventeen years. His concern was housing for Black families in Annapolis. On February 10, 1942, Spriggs declared "that four or five families were living in a four-room house and school teachers could not find quarters here and took rooms in Baltimore or Washington". Upon his death, the City Council passed a resolution honoring the late Alderman as a "pioneering, and useful citizen, who served with fidelity and distinction.", 1957 - 1967 , Thomas Norwood Brown was a native of Parole and elected Alderman in Ward 7. He also became the first Camp Parole Postmaster in 1961 and later opened a fast-food store adjacent to the West Street Post Office. Brown resigned from the City Council in 1967 to take a position with the Urban Renewal Authority., 1967 - 1986 , John Thomas Chambers, Jr. a native Annapolitan, lived in Camp Parole. After filling Alderman Brown's seat in Ward 7, he was elected to Ward 3, one of the City's new Wards. He introduced the ordinance to make the mayor's job full time as chief executive. Chambers became the first African American mayor of Annapolis upon the death of Mayor Akerland, in 1981. Chambers advocated for the large African American population in his district and helped to establish rent control. He placed a plaque at the food of Main Street in honor of Alex Haley's ancestor, Kunta Kinte; made Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a city holiday, and led the fight to save the Annapolis Youth Service Bureau., 1981 - 2001 , Samuel Gilmer spent a lifetime serving the community; from the early civil rights struggles to 20 years as the Ward 3 Alderman on the City Council. He was 59 years old when first elected. He helped to organize Anne Arundel County's NAACP chapter. He was honored by his Council colleagues by renaming the Transportation Building for him., 2001 - , Classie Gillis Hoyle, Ph.D. a retired professional educator of more than forty years, was elected to the City Council to represent Ward 3. She has been a voice for affordable housing issues; introducing the bill that requires moderately priced dwelling units to be included in all large new developments. Hoyle serves as the Council's Chair of the Finance Committee and as member of the Rules and City Government Committee.