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For Temple Hills resident Luther Atkinson, the annual celebration of Black History Month in February is not only a chance to revisit black history nationwide, but his personal history as well.

Atkinson, 73, played with the Negro Baseball League in the late 1950s and 1960s and will be sharing his story and talking about the history of the league at 7 p.m. Friday at the Oakcrest Community Center in Capitol Heights and at the Suitland Community Center at 6 p.m. Feb. 18.

"What [Jackie Robinson] did, and what we did, we just don't want it to be in vain. Even though we didn't walk with Martin Luther King [Jr.], I think we played a big part in the civil rights movement and ending segregation," Atkinson said.

Atkinson's talk is one of dozens of free events taking place throughout Prince George's County during February to commemorate Black History Month, and is one of several scheduled for sites around south county that highlight the area's history.

Darnall's Chance House Museum, a historic home in Upper Marlboro, will be offering free tours at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday afternoons in February to highlight the history of black women who were enslaved at Darnall's Chance during the 18th century.

Susan Reidy, museum director at Darnall's Chance, said that while the regular tours of the house include the history of the property's enslaved black men and women, Black History Month offers an opportunity to focus especially on their contribution to the county's history.

"[Prince George's County] was a powerhouse in 18th century Maryland. It was a very wealthy colony in Maryland; we were built upon African-Americans. They contributed to that wealth, that advancement — they contributed to what we are today," she said.

Other south county sites will focus on the history of notable black residents from Maryland and the metropolitan region.

On Feb. 12 at the Surratt House Museum in Clinton, storyteller Bill Grimmette will portray Frederick Douglass, who was born on the Eastern Shore. During the free event, which will begin at 1 p.m., Grimmette will tell the story of Douglass' life in-character and also take questions from attendees.

"Many people probably don't realize that Frederick Douglass was a Marylander," said Laurie Verge, museum director for the Surratt House. "We want our citizens to know some of the important people in their history, in our history, and to appreciate the accomplishments that were made even back then."

This year, the Surratt House is also showcasing an exhibition on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, with a focus on notable events and people from Maryland. The exhibit, "Maryland: A House Divided," will be on display through December and has an admission fee.

On Feb. 18 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Oxon Hill Manor, a home that dates to the 1700s, will showcase the history of the nation's black hospitals, including Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Cynthia Jackson, assistant manager at Oxon Hill Manor, said she is hoping to introduce residents to an aspect of black history they might not know about.

Jackson also helped put together an exhibit that will be on display at the Billingsley House in Upper Marlboro from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays this month about the life of Henrietta Lacks, a black tobacco farmer from Virginia who played an important role in the history of modern medicine.

"We should [celebrate black history] every month," she said.

Black History Month

For information on Black History Month events countywide, visit the Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation website at www.pgparks.com.

ztillman@gazette.net