They Called Him Mister Lee

It was standing room only at the Takoma Park Community on February 26 for the screening of the film They Called Him “Mister Lee.” Jointly sponsored by Historic Takoma and the Takoma Park Recreation Department, the event featured the audience singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black National Anthem, led by Lorraine Gibbs and Cammille Taylor from the God Glorified Church of God in Christ on Geneva Avenue.

A panel discussion followed the screening, with community members featured in the film (Patricia Matthews (Lee Jordan’s daughter), Otis Matthews, and Cedric Boatman), oral historian Ali Kahn, and filmmaker Michel Fincham. More about this film and the African American Oral History Project can be found at historictakoma.org. The films from the Project can be viewed on YouTube at They Called Him “Mr. Lee” and Doing Oral History: An Introduction. The City of Takoma Park is producing a video of the February 26 event; a link will be posted on our website when it is available.

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Film Screening: They Called Him Mr. Lee

Join us for a screening of a vibrant new documentary about Lee Jordan—the school custodian, coach, and mentor to Takoma Park’s young people, both Black and White. Jordan founded the city’s Boys and Girls Club and organized Montgomery County’s first integrated sports teams. A tireless advocate for the Black community, he led campaigns to improve the living conditions of African American residents in the face of segregation and racial discrimination.Produced by Historic Takoma’s African American Oral History Project. Discussion to follow with filmmakers Michael Fincham and Ali Kahn, project team members, and interviewees. Event is free and open to all ages.

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African American Oral History Project

In 2019, Historic Takoma launched an initiative designed to collect and preserve the reflections  of older African Americans who had  been longtime residents of our city’s  historically Black neighborhoods – which centered around the “Hill” (Ritchie, Geneva, and Oswego Avenues) and the “Bottom” (Cherry and Colby Avenues off of Sligo Creek Parkway), along with smaller settlements such as the one at the foot of Lincoln Avenue at Maple Avenue – to elevate their voices and stories and share them with the larger community. 

Residents Susan Schreiber (Historic Takoma board member) and Denny May  reached out to local folklorist and oral historian Ali Khan and documentary filmmaker Michael Fincham and assembled a project team including community advisors Patricia Matthews, Dale Jones, Gaynell Catherine, Dianne Bradley (joined later by Joan Francis), and secured initial funding from the City of Takoma Park’s Community Grants Program.  

Over the past three years (with some time out for pandemic delays) the project has conducted and filmed oral history interviews with individuals who shared their reflections on growing up in Takoma Park from roughly the 1940s through the early 1960s, and  how parents and community leaders came together to build a vibrant and resilient community for their families in the face of racial and economic challenges.   Both the filmed interviews and written transcripts will be accessible to researchers, students, and the general public through Historic Takoma’s archives, along withl links for each of the project films. Read More

The principal focus of the project has been the production of documentary films based on these oral history interviews.  Completed recently, They Called Him “Mister Lee,” tells the story of the legendary Lee Jordan, the school custodian who had a huge influence on Takoma Park youth, both Black and white, as mentor and coach, including breaking racial barriers by organizing the first integrated sports programs in Montgomery County and founding the city’s Boys and Girls Club. Lee Jordan’s advocacy on behalf of African American residents sheds light on the challenges faced by the Black community during segregation and the decades that followed. 

The initial public screening of “They Called Him “Mister Lee” will take place Sunday, February 26, 3:30-5:00 in the auditorium of the Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue in an event co-sponsored by Historic Takoma and the Takoma Park Recreation Department.   

Following the screening, Ali Kahn who conducted the oral history interviews, and Michael Fincham, who created the film, as well as   individuals  who shared their oral histories will be on hand for a discussion and questions and answers.. This event is co-sponsored by Historic Takoma and the Takoma Park Recreation Department.

After viewing “They Called Him “Mister Lee,”  Tracy Oliver-Gray, Social Studies Supervisor for Montgomery County Public Schools decided to circulate the film to educators across the county as a resource for Black History Month, saying “One of our goals in social studies is to help students to become change makers. Mr. Lee’s commitment to social action is a fantastic example of what it means to be a change maker.”

The project has also produced Doing Oral History: An Introduction, in collaboration with the media department at Montgomery Blair High School, which has been shown in secondary school classrooms across the county for over a year.  Currently under production, a third film focuses on community life, including daily activities, work, the importance of  Parker Memorial Baptist Church and the Black school funded in part by the Rosenwald Fund, both up on the Hill, and the transition to white schools beginning in 1955. 

And be sure and stop by our building at 7328 Carroll Ave. to see the exhibit in our window about the Takoma Park African American Oral History Project, featuring a 1954 photograph of the young Roland Dawes (longtime businessman, former city council member, and owner of Roland’s Unisex Barbershop up in the next block) and his wife Catherine, along with other images of people and neighborhoods. 

Historic Takoma’s African American Oral History Project has been made possible by generous support from the City’s Community Grants Program, Maryland Humanities, Preservation Maryland, and the Takoma Foundation.

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Maryland Property Research Workshop – November 6, 2022, 2 PM

This is a hands-on technical workshop geared to exploring the details of property research in Maryland. The first hour will walk participants through access to Maryland land records and how to use them to trace property history. The second hour will be an open session to answer specific questions and provide one-on-one assistance.

This workshop will be held at Historic Takoma’s Reading Room, 7328 Carroll Avenue in Takoma Junction

Prior to the Workshop:

• Create a free online account at mdlandrec.org
• Read or review Introduction to House History and Research Guide for Montgomery County. (Those with houses that were originally in Prince George’s County should also review this guide.)
• Familiarize yourself with the SDAT real property data search website, the Montgomery County Atlas (MCAtlas), and logging in to the mdlandrec website
• Prepare questions to bring to the workshop

At the Workshop

• Bring a laptop or tablet – we will be logging into and using the property websites
• Paper and pencil are helpful for jotting notes about information on the websites

Questions?

If you have questions prior to the workshop please send a note to Jim Douglas at sixmilesfromwashington.com

About the Historic Takoma Reading Room

The Reading Room is open the first and third Sundays of each month, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

7328 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park – in Takoma Junction

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Introduction to House History Research – October 16, 2022

Come to Historic Takoma’s Reading Room on Sunday, October 16, for an introduction to resources and tools for researching the history of your house and the families that lived there. Learn about property records, census data, newspapers, maps, pictures, archives, and more. This is an opportunity to ask questions and become familiar with resources that Historic Takoma has along with those from other organizations.

Bring a laptop or other device to learn how to access various online resources.

The Reading Room is open the first and third Sundays of each month, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This session will begin at 3:00 PM.

7328 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park – in Takoma Junction

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Historic Takoma at Takoma Park Street Festival – CANCELLED

NOTE: Due to the forecast associated with Hurricane Ian, Sunday’s Takoma Park Street Festival is canceled. The organizers are working on coming up with an alternative date.

Join Historic Takoma at the annual Takoma Park Street Festival on Sunday, October 2. Our booth is near the Gazebo. Stop by to chat about Takoma Park history and learn about Historic Takoma’s programs and activities. We’ll have historical maps and other materials on hand to illustrate the changing Takoma Park community.

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Historic Takoma at Takoma Park Street Festival – Now October 23

Join us on October 23 for the rescheduled Street Festival

Join Historic Takoma at the annual Takoma Park Street Festival on Sunday, October 23. Our booth is near the Gazebo. Stop by to chat about Takoma Park history and learn about Historic Takoma’s programs and activities. We’ll have historical maps and other materials on hand to illustrate the changing Takoma Park community.

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Reflections on Unification: 25 Years Later

UPDATE: Watch the recording of Reflections on Unification: 25 Years Later , thanks to Takoma Park City TV.

On Sunday, September 18, Historic Takoma and the City of Takoma Park present a program “Reflections on Unification: 25 Years Later.” The City of Takoma Park was unified into Montgomery County in 1997 after more than 100 years of being divided between Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. Join us at the Takoma Park Community Center (7500 Maple Avenue) for a program featuring local residents and City officials who were behind the successful campaign to become One City – One County.

Mayor Stewart will open the event, followed by a short presentation on the history of the unification effort. Historic Takoma will moderate a panel consisting of Ed Sharp – former Mayor, City of Takoma Park; Co-Chair, One City-One County; Beverly Habada – former City Manager, City of Takoma Park; Bruce Williams – former Mayor, City of Takoma Park; Tom Gagliardo – former Corporation Counsel, City of Takoma Park; Co-Chair, One City-One County; Kathy Porter – former Mayor, City of Takoma Park; Jan Schwartz – Citizen Activist; and Chris Fitzgerald – Citizen Activist.

We encourage members of the audience to join by sharing their experiences and memories.

For more of the story, check out the window display at 7328 Carroll Avenue and historictakoma.org/unification/ which has links to additional resources.

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In Honor of Veterans Day

This presentation details how a Boy Scout camp, Camp Schmitt, was created in honor of the eight men in 1959. Adult leaders and scouts gave of their time and talents and worked together to build the camp that is serving the Takoma Park scouting community today. Photographs of the building of the camp help tell the story.

About the Presenter: Kevin Patti, a former member and Eagle Scout from Troop 33 is the son of the late Donald Patti who served as scoutmaster between 1973 and 1994. Kevin grew up enjoying, forming friendships and learning from Camp Schmitt. Professionally, Kevin has worked in public history as a park ranger for the National Park Service for twenty-eight years. His scouting experience led directly to his career.  

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