On Black History Month and The Future of This Chamber

This year, as we celebrate the amazing contributions Black people have and continue to make to the Frederick community, our President and CEO, Rick Weldon, wanted to take a moment and share some thoughts on the history and future of Black Americans in Frederick County.

A message from Rick Weldon, President & CEO of Frederick County Chamber of Commerce on Black History Month

As a 62 year-old nonprofit CEO and former state politician who just happens to be white, you’re perfectly justified to ask about my bona fides to write about matters of race and equity. I’m admittedly not the subject matter expert on the monumental and historic achievements of Black Americans, Marylanders and Fredericktonians.

It’s the last sentence of the paragraph above that I’ll depend on to make my case.

Our national history demonstrates both of the competing legacies that we continue to deal with today, even right here in Frederick County.

Our Nation’s founding documents cite our aspiration to equal treatment for all while also harboring an unspoken embrace of fundamental inequity. Hours of debate leading to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence centered around the issue of slaves, from the economic interests of slave-holding states to the international triangle trade that brought captive African’s to America’s shores.

How, on one hand, could our Founders design and celebrate equal treatment for all while turning a blind eye to the practice of slavery? Buried deep within the American psyche, that dichotomy would determine more than a century of government-backed, or at least ignored, racial inequity and disparate treatment.

Many Black Marylanders can trace their roots in America back to the docks of Annapolis, our own historic Capital City. They were led, shackled together, from the dock to the steps of the State House along the cobbled streets of Annapolis. Not to petition their new government, but to be an unwilling part of the Slave Markets.

In the intervening years, the names of personalities so important to our future include prominent black citizens. Bourne, Tyree, DeLauter, Nickens, Lee, Dorsey, Onley, Hall and Rollins are merely a few of the names we revere for their passion, their commitment and their sacrifices, many continuing through the lives of their heirs and into the present and future. In business, education, agriculture, and government, our black neighbors have led with dignity, purpose and major accomplishments. Black Fredericktonians are to be equally credited with all that we cherish and love, and it will only be through common understanding and shared values that we overcome our past history and advance our society.

The simple point that we, as Fredericktonians, have so much to celebrate when it comes to our vibrant local economy, our rich culture and our amazing history in large part BECAUSE of the numerous contributions of black business owners, teachers, public servants and faith community leaders who’ve fought the ignorance of racism, labored against laws designed to limit their success and voted, despite barriers to deny them access to a ballot.

So why share a Chamber executive’s thoughts on matters of race and Black History Month? The simple answer is that if not for Black History, Frederick County’s business community would have no meaningful history to tell.

The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce isn’t satisfied to issue a statement of recognition of the value of diversity, equity and inclusion.

We’re committed to our role in building a more fair, diverse and inclusive community for all. Our own Racial Equity Leadership Council has been quietly but enthusiastically working over the last year examining our own attitudes, insights and perceptions about race. Councilmember’s have each shared our own stories, some very painful, of overcoming obstacles and barriers, and we’ve heard inspirational insights from members about heroes and heroines who not just persevered, but have thrived through faith and persistence.

Now our Council will turn to the work of measuring the progress we’ve made together, as well as the work that remains yet undone.

We’re focused on building our minority-owned businesses through expanded procurement opportunities. We’re going to examine housing, employment, education, healthcare and justice. Our Council, diverse, focused and committed to an inclusive society, sees this work as essential to the Frederick community we want to turn over to our successors.

Black History Month is critically important as an opportunity to look back with respect and admiration to the men and women who sacrificed, motivated and inspired future generations.

We stand on the shoulders of giants, and we need to act boldly and think big in order to honor their important legacy as we move toward a future that will be beneficial for all.