24 Feb 2016 – Baltimore Sun

Alicia Byrd, director of the St. Stephen’s Economic Development Corp., will present an overview of the historic African-American community clustered at Mayfield and Meadowridge avenues Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Elkridge Branch Library in honor of Black History Month.

Byrd, who is a former pastor of St. Stephen’s AME Church, will share anecdotes and stories passed down from previous generations about life in Elkridge dating to the mid-19th century as well as from more recent times.

“These are the stories that didn’t make it into the record books but that make history come alive,” she explained about the town that began as a farming community.

The church, which was built on donated land owned by former slaves, she said, played a pivotal role in the community in the early years.

“People had to walk along a muddy clay road to get to church on Sunday, so they would carry their shoes, and sometimes their clothes, to keep them clean, and then put them on when they arrived,” she said.

The original building, which also served as a school, no longer exists, she said.

Some of the earliest residents of Elkridge were the Nelson, Fields, Snell and Sparrow families, and many of their descendants still live in the area, she said. Most of the church’s members grew up in the community.

“But once massive development began, the community began changing,” she said.

The economic development corporation, which was formed in 1998 “to take the work of St. Stephen’s to a higher level,” Byrd said, remains deeply involved in assisting the community by offering day care, housing counseling and services for veterans and low-income families on a sliding scale.

“Together we are working to make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.

To register for Byrd’s presentation, go to hclibrary.org or call 410-313-5077.