BALTIMORE, MD—A new historical marker honoring a northeast Baltimore neighborhood was unveiled this week.

The Morgan Park neighborhood was established in 1917 by W.E.B. Du Bois, renowned educator, author, and civil rights activist. The 27-acre residential subdivision was originally built for Black faculty and professionals who were barred from purchasing homes in white neighborhoods due to Jim Crow segregation laws. Many notable residents of the neighborhood, including Carl J. Murphy, the transformational publisher of the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper, and Rebecca Carroll, the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from the University of Maryland College Park, are commemorated on the marker.

The marker was unveiled by members of the Morgan Park Improvement Association and the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is part of the Maryland Roadside Historical Marker program, which aims to educate the public on Maryland history.

“My primary motivation for seeking a state historical marker for Morgan Park was the potential loss of our neighborhood’s legacy,” said Leonore Burts, co-chair, Morgan Park Improvement Association, History Committee. Burt’s parents purchased their Morgan Park home from W.E.B. DuBois, renowned educator, author and civil rights activist of the 20th century in 1949. “Homes of notable residents, who have died or moved, were being sold to families and individuals who were unaware of the rich heritage of the community and its significance to local and national history. The marker addresses our equal concern that young Morgan students learn of our legacy and appreciate their connection to our community.”​

“The Maryland Department of Transportation is proud to help honor the Morgan Park neighborhood’s legacy with an historical marker,” said Assistant Secretary Jawauna Greene. “The Morgan Park historical marker is the latest in a series of markers that will highlight our shared history and help inform generations to come.”

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo via MDOT State Highway Administration