Freetown Education Research and Cultural Center

06/03/2026

📚 Faces of Our Community: Ms. Ruby & Mr. Elwood Waters

Some people teach from the front of a classroom. Others help guide children safely on their journey each day. Together, Ms. Ruby and Mr. Elwood Waters did both.

Born in Snow Hill in 1911, Ms. Ruby Waters dedicated her life to education. After attending local schools and continuing her studies, she returned home to teach generations of children in Worcester County. In a 2005 oral history interview, she shared memories of attending and teaching in one-room schools, traveling by horse and buggy, and watching her community change over the decades.

Alongside her was Mr. Elwood Waters, a well-known school bus driver whose familiar face greeted countless students over the years. For many local families, Mr. Elwood was a trusted part of the school day, helping children get safely to and from school.

Together, they represent a generation whose commitment to service helped shape our community. Whether in the classroom or behind the wheel of a school bus, their impact reached far beyond a job title.

As we prepare for this year’s Juneteenth Freedom Walk, we are honored to remember educators and community leaders like Ms. Ruby and Mr. Elwood Waters, whose legacy continues to inspire us today.

Do you have memories of Ms. Ruby or Mr. Elwood? We’d love to hear them in the comments. ❤️

📖 Source: Oral history interview with Ms. Ruby Waters, conducted March 18, 2005 through Salisbury University’s Enduring Connections Project.

05/25/2026

Memorial Day is a time to pause, reflect, and remember.

Behind every name is a story.
A family.
A legacy.
A sacrifice that will never be forgotten.

Today, we honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.

If you have a loved one you’d like to honor this Memorial Day, please share their name and photo in the comments so our community may remember and honor them together.

❤️🤍💙

05/02/2026

In collaboration 🌱

Let us know if you’re coming so we can plan how much food and supplies we need

04/30/2026

Last Friday we had the opportunity to attend the Lower Shore Nonprofit Summit hosted by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.

We took notes on funding larger projects like our future museum, how to use AI while keeping privacy and security in mind, and what it really looks like to ask for more. Especially when the work matters.

It was also good to connect with other organizations across the Shore and see what growth can look like over time.

We’re taking what we learned and thinking through how it applies here at home in Snow Hill.

As we prepare for this year’s Juneteenth Freedom Walk & Celebration, we’re thinking about how to build something that lasts.

Back to work.

04/12/2026

✨ It was a great night connecting with our community!

The African American Heritage Society of Snow Hill and Surrounding Areas was honored to participate in Snow Hill Middle School’s Family Showcase Night. Students and families stopped by our table to explore local history, ask questions, and learn more about the stories that shaped our area.

Seeing young people curious about the past is always inspiring. Thank you to Snow Hill Middle School and everyone who took the time to visit with us.

📚 Preserving our history, together.

03/14/2026

Check out a recent article we completed for Women's Month!

A Voice of Poetry, Art, and CommunitySome journeys begin quietly. For Valerie Ayres Wallick, it started with a simple act of courage. As a young writer from Snow Hill, Maryland, she submitted an editorial to five local newspapers, including one in her hometown. That small step opened a door she coul...

02/28/2026

Thank you for attending Tracing Our Roots:Where does our family come from? Thank you to our guests Ian Post from the NAAB Center and Orlando Dennis, Community Researcher, for awesome insight on tracing families in Delmarva.

02/28/2026

Yesterday we had the opportunity to participate in the Black History Month Symposium at Wicomico High in Salisbury, MD. 📚

Students stopped by our table, asked thoughtful questions, and showed genuine interest in the history of the Lower Eastern Shore and the legacy of Negro League baseball. ⚾

We were especially encouraged by the number of students who signed up to volunteer and support future community events. 🌾
It’s always meaningful to see the next generation engaging with history and community in real ways.

Thank you to WiHi for creating space for this important conversation.

02/27/2026

The Lower Eastern Shore is filled with stories of family, faith, and community.

These photographs reflect generations who worshipped together, built together, and grew together.

This Saturday, we invite you to learn how to begin tracing your own family history.

Every family has a story worth sharing.

Register today 🔗 https://forms.gle/rFu77DyE35sN8QLq8

02/10/2026

Welcome.

Freetown Education, Research, and Cultural Center of Snow Hill, INC is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing African American history on the Lower Eastern Shore.