A Full-Circle Event

Sotterley Plantation hosted the One Maryland One Book event in conjunction with the St. Mary's County Libraries on Sunday reaching maximum capacity in the historic Barn. Members of the Accokeek Foundation's award-winning Museum Theater, Jarren Fonville and Anika Prather presented, "Grandpa Joe and the Drinking Gourd." Janice Walthour, President of the Unified Committee for Afro American Contributions (UCAC) read excerpts from James McBride's novel, "Song Yet Sung", the 2009 selection for the One Maryland One Book state-wide read.

Nancy Easterling, Executive Director of Sotterley stated, "We had a terrific turn-out, and it was heartening to see the level of interest in the community for this special event and for the story told in James McBride’s book Song Yet Sung. It was an honor to be the host site for this terrific One Maryland One Book project event. This program spoke to our mission of education and to the interpretive history which we tell to our visitors here at Sotterley Plantation."

Carolyn Hoey, Sotterley Education Director escorted guests down Rolling Road to our newly restored original 1830's Slave Cabin, where she shared the experiences of Sotterley Plantation slaves. As part of the tour, she showed guests an 1826 inventory list of slaves who lived here.

"This was a full-circle event. Here we are on a historic location, on the very site where slaves lived," said Linda Tucker, Event Manager. "The diverse group of guests thoroughly enjoyed the outstanding performance by the actors from The Accokeek Foundation, as well as the wonderful reading, with the Slave Cabin tour connecting it back to the history here at our very location."