TSP 50TH Jubilee Flyers (1) (1) (1) (1) (2)

Tuckahoe State Park Celebrates 50 Years with Trail-Naming Ceremony Honoring Anna Murray
Douglass and the Sandtown Community
QUEEN ANNE, Md. (November 1, 2025) This fall, Tuckahoe State Park marks a major milestone —
its Golden Jubilee, celebrating 50 years of connecting people to nature, history, and community. On
Saturday, November 1, 2025, park staff, partners, and guests join for a commemorative event that
coincides with Maryland Emancipation Day, honoring both the park’s legacy and the stories that
shaped the land it occupies.
The celebration will be held at the former Hillsboro Armory (3011 Starr Road, Queen Anne, MD
21657) within Tuckahoe State Park and will feature a full afternoon of programs highlighting the park’s
history and its ties to local heritage.
Event Schedule:
1:00 PM – Meet & Greet with tabletop displays and light refreshments
2:00 PM – Presentation of Guests and Keynote Address: “History, Human Rights, and the Power of
One” by Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., great-great-great-grandson of Frederick Douglass and great-great-
grandson of Booker T. Washington. Followed by: Trail Naming Ceremony
3:30 PM – Ranger-Led Hike on the newly named trails
As part of the day’s celebration, two trails within Tuckahoe State Park will be officially named in honor
of Anna Murray Douglass and the historic Sandtown Community. Anna’s Trail pays tribute to Anna
Murray Douglass, a courageous free Black woman born around 1813 in nearby Denton, Maryland. Anna
played a pivotal role in her husband Frederick Douglass’s self-emancipation and in building a home that
became a refuge for freedom seekers and abolitionists alike. Her legacy of quiet strength, resilience, and
love helped shape one of the most influential figures in American history. The Sandtown Trail honors
Sandtown, one of several small African American communities that once thrived within what is now
Tuckahoe State Park. Established in the early 1880s along Tuckahoe Creek, Sandtown was a close-knit
community where Black families owned land, built homes, and fostered a legacy of perseverance. The
Sandtown Cemetery, still active today, remains a testament to this history.

The event’s keynote speaker, Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., continues the powerful legacies of his ancestors
through his work as President and Co-Founder of the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives (FDFI), a
Rochester, NY-based nonprofit dedicated to ending modern slavery and empowering young people
through education. Morris, an acclaimed international speaker and advocate, has shared his message at
the United Nations, on major news networks, and through award-winning documentaries.
“Tuckahoe’s 50th Anniversary provides a unique opportunity to celebrate both our park’s history and
the deeper human stories connected to this land,” said Ranger Jessica Conley. “Honoring Anna Murray
Douglass and the Sandtown Community reminds us that conservation and cultural heritage are
inseparable — both preserve the spirit of place for future generations.”
This event is free and open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to bring comfortable walking
shoes for the ranger-led hike following the ceremony.
For more information about the Golden Jubilee celebration, contact Tuckahoe State Park at
tuckahoe.statepark@maryland.gov or visit
https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/eastern/tuckahoe.aspx
About Tuckahoe State Park:
Established in 1975, Tuckahoe State Park spans over 4,000 acres of forest, fields, and waterways in
Caroline and Queen Anne’s Counties. The park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation,
environmental education, and heritage interpretation along Maryland’s scenic Eastern Shore.