Celebrating community with Rockville Mayor Ashton at Farmstead District

We were honored to welcome the Mayor of Rockville, Monique Ashton, to a special celebration at Farmstead District. As part of the event, the individuals whose names are reflected throughout the community's new streets (African American residents who championed access to quality education in Rockville and Montgomery County) were honored by sharing their legacies and celebrating their contributions that continue to shape the community. Family members and former students of these individuals attended the event, along with Farmstead District residents and community members. 

From the initial planning of the Farmstead District community, EYA worked in conjunction with the City to give thoughtful consideration to the naming of the new streets. Five of the community's new streets are named in honor of African American trailblazers who worked to bring access to quality education for ALL Rockville and Montgomery County residents.

At the event, Mayor Ashton highlighted the legacies and contributions of these trailblazers and said, "As you walk down Henson Norris Street, remember that Henson Norris was born into slavery in 1817...and two years after emancipation, he and his neighbors petitioned to create a school for African American children. A bold move at that time."

The Mayor highlighted the contributions of Dr. George B. Thomas Senior, who founded the Saturday School, dedicated to helping students grow in confidence and knowledge, and wrote the book, "Education, The Great Equalizer." 

Family members and former students of these individuals attended the event and shared stories such as:

• "His [Dr. George B. Thomas Sr.] theme at Saturday School was 'I believe in me' because he was getting everybody to believe in themselves. And he really believed in them. He was insistent that the Saturday School was for the entire community, not just the black community, or the Hispanic community, or the Asian community. Every community he wanted there."
• "As she [Nina Clarke] grew older...education was always key, for her children and her grandchildren...and it had always been an honor to serve, not just the African American community, but everybody."

Mayor Ashton provided a proclamation of the street names to the family members and noted, "The Farmstead District at King Farm is more than bricks and mortar, it's a promise. A promise that Rockville continues to be a city where history is honored. Where community is cultivated. And where honoring our diverse history is more than just words. They are values that we live by." 

She noted that during the initial planning of the neighborhood, she (then a councilmember) worked closely with EYA on the vision for the neighborhood: "We asked them [EYA] for some things...we asked them for more green, we asked for more affordable and yes we asked them about the street names. And they said yes, we can work with you on that. And I want to thank you...it speaks to your commitment not just to this one point in time but helping to build a community."

EYA's President and CEO, McLean Quinn, closed the ceremony by saying, "Naming these streets is not just about remembering, but its about inspiring... We think about the hundreds of children being raised along these streets named in honor of your relatives, these inspiring leaders, and they are going to ask questions. They are going to learn about the the importance of education and the importance of this history."

Click here to learn more about Farmstead District in Rockville, MD.