Highland Beach in Anne Arundel County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Dr. Mary Church Terrell
Unceasing Militant
"Born into slavery during the Civil War, Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954) would become one of the most prominent activists of her time, with a career bridging the late nineteenth Century to the civil rights movement of the 1950s. The first president of the National Association of Colored Women and a founding member of the NAACP, Terrell collaborated closely with the likes of Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, and W.E.B. DuBois. Unceasing Militant is the first full-length biography of Terrell, bringing her vibrant voice and personality to life." Alison M. Parker, Unceasing Militant, The Life of Mary Church Terrell.
Villa Aloha, constructed in 1915, was the summer home of Dr. Terrell and husband, Harvard educated Robert H. Terrell, who in 1910 became the first Black municipal judge in the nation. The Terrell and Douglass families were long-time friends, and their former home is located next door to the FDMCC that was constructed to be the Douglass' summer cottage. A daughter, Mrs. Phyllis Langston, became one of a growing number of year-round residents in Highland Beach, as have her descendants, who currently live at the home named Villa Aloha, two doors down from this pavilion.
Dr. Terrell practiced the advice she gave to others, "Lifting as we climb."
Topics. This historical marker
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Location. 38° 55.778′ N, 76° 27.843′ W. Marker is in Highland Beach, Maryland, in Anne Arundel County. It is on Wayman Avenue north of Douglass Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3210 Wayman Ave, Annapolis MD 21403, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Maryland. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dr. Millard R. "Buddy" Dean (a few steps from this marker); Highland Beach Maryland (within shouting distance of this marker); Twin Oaks (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Twin Oaks (within shouting distance of this marker); Major Charles and Laura Douglass Town Hall at Highland Beach (approx. Ό mile away); Highland Beach (approx. Ό mile away); Venice Beach (approx. Ό mile away); Arundel-on-the-Bay (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Highland Beach.
Additional keywords. NACW
Harris & Ewing, photographer (courtesy of Library of Congress), circa 1920
3. Mary Church Terrell, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front
Credits. This page was last revised on November 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 16, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 55 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 16, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on November 16, 2025.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A photo of Villa Aloha (only with permission of the current homeowners) • Can you help?
