She Fought for Equal Access

Lucretia Kennard arrived in Queen Anne's County in 1903 and was appalled by the poor quality of education for black students. At that time, schools were segregated by race, black students received only books discarded by white schools, and high school was unavailable to the black population. As County Supervisor of Colored Schools, Kennard dedicated her life to changing this situation and successfully raised money to purchase land for a black high school, but she died before her dream became a reality. In 1936, Centreville's high school for black students, named Kennard High School in her honor, was ready to open. It took another thirty years for the county to integrate its schools and provide equal services for all students, regardless of color. After integration, the building fell into disrepair, but a committed group of alumni has worked to create a community arts center for Queen Anne's County through an ongoing restoration project that reflects the power of community and heritage preservation.

Centreville, Maryland · United States