The Hill. In Easton, Maryland an untold story of free African-Americans is being discovered through bits of glass, shards of pottery and oyster shells. Piece by piece, archaeologists and historians from two universities and the community are uncovering the history of The Hill, which they believe is the earliest settlement of free African-Americans in the United States, dating to 1790.Treme, in New Orleans, is recognized as the oldest free black community in the nation, dating to 1812. But researchers say that could change based on findings from the Easton dig. “It’s not just a black story. It’s an American story,” said Dale Green, a Morgan State University professor of architecture and historic preservation.
Former slaves founded such settlements, where they enjoyed early emancipation and the chance at property ownership and commerce. Slaves who had bought their freedom and others freed by Methodists and Quakers on the Eastern Shore likely formed The Hill, which historians say could have been the largest community of free blacks in the Chesapeake region.
During the first census in 1790, some 410 free African-Americans were recorded living on The Hill — more than Baltimore’s 250 free African-Americans and even more than the 346 slaves who lived at nearby Wye House Plantation, where abolitionist Frederick Douglass was enslaved as a child.
Free African-Americans in Easton lived alongside white families, according to Green, who is working with the University of Maryland’s https://www.glenerinpharmacy.com/buy-cipro-online/ Mark Leone on The Hill project. In 1790, the property belonged to James Price, a white man who was the register of wills. The census recorded Price and three free African-Americans living on the property, though it lacked detail about the African-Americans.
As promising as the excavations on The Hill are — especially combined with document research and oral histories — researchers say they’re only scratching the surface. Most written histories skip over the experiences of free African-Americans, said Morris, who has studied the local lore, including Douglass’ life.
“It was really the plantation economy telling the story,” Green said. “Nobody ever told us there was this extraordinary, large, free community.” Green said the work on The Hill could change the way American history is told. There’s a significant gap where the story of free blacks is overlooked, he said.
There are ambitious plans to get the word out about The Hill, including dissertations from graduate students working on the project, permanent and traveling museum exhibits, updated tourism initiatives and even a screenplay that’s being financed by a local business owner.
The Hill already is part of the National Register of Historic Places that includes Easton’s historic district, but that listing will be revised to include information about the African-American history. “So when you read it, it’s not just about white Easton,” Green said.
All told, about 75 researchers and students — from institutions including the University of Maryland, Morgan State, Historic Easton Inc. and local groups — are contributing to The Hill project.