Agnes Kane Callum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Agnes Kane Callum
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Agnes Emma Kane
February 24, 1925 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Died | July 22, 2015 (aged 90) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | B.A. social sciences, 1973 M.A. social sciences, 1975 |
| Alma mater | Morgan State University |
| Occupation | Genealogist |
| Spouse(s) | Solomon Melvin Callum |
| Children | 5 |
Agnes Kane Callum (born February 24, 1925 – died July 22, 2015) was a special kind of historian. She was a genealogist, someone who studies family histories. Agnes was famous for her work on African-American history in Maryland. She helped start the Baltimore Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. She also wrote many articles for The Catholic Review. Agnes was the first editor of a journal about black family history called Flower of the Forest. In 2014, she was honored in the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.
Early Life and Education
Agnes Emma Kane was born in Baltimore, Maryland. This was in 1925. She was the fifth of 12 children. Her parents were Phillip Moten Kane and Mary Gough Kane. Agnes's grandfather, Henry Kane, was born into slavery. This happened at Sotterley Plantation in St. Mary's County, Maryland.
Agnes went to public schools in Baltimore. After school, she worked many different jobs. She sold makeup for Beauty Queen Co. She was also an insurance agent. She worked as a nurse at Rosewood Hospital. Later, she was a night clerk for the United States Postal Service. Agnes was very active in her community. She joined the Eastside Democratic Organization. She also started a neighborhood club. It was called "Clean Up for a Better Neighborhood." She even organized fun trips for local kids.
When she was 44, Agnes went back to school. She earned a master's degree. This was in social sciences at Morgan State University. In 1973, she received a special scholarship. It was called a Fulbright-Hays Scholarship. This allowed her to study in Ghana, Africa. She became interested in her own family history. This happened while she was still in college. She wrote a paper about how free black people bought land. It was about land in St. Mary's County, Maryland.
Her Work as a Genealogist
In 1979, Agnes published her first book. It was called Kane-Butler Genealogy: History of a Black Family. She wrote many more books after that. These books showed the connections between enslaved people and slave holders in Maryland. She also wrote about U.S. Colored Troops in Maryland. These were African-American soldiers who fought in the Civil War. Agnes also wrote articles for the Catholic Review. These articles talked about the role of African-Americans in colonial Maryland. One person she wrote about was Mathias de Sousa.
In 1982, she gave a presentation. It was about the family history of enslaved people. This was at a big conference. It was for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). In the same year, she started a journal. It was about black family history. The journal was called Flower of the Forest. This name came from a piece of land. The Butler family had owned it for 125 years. Agnes edited and published this journal for 25 years. She was still publishing her research online in 2014.
Agnes was a member of the Board of Trustees for Sotterley Plantation. She also helped start the Baltimore chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. She was also a founding member of a special commission. This group studied the history and impact of slavery in Maryland.
Agnes Callum's research has helped many people. It helped them find their ancestors. These were people who were enslaved in Maryland. She also wrote about the history of St. Francis Xavier Church. This was the first Catholic church for African Americans. Her research into life at Sotterley Plantation was very important. It helped create an educational program there. This program is called "Slavery to Freedom."
Personal Life and Legacy
Agnes's husband, Solomon Melvin Callum, passed away in 1975. She had five children. Sadly, two of her children passed away before her.
Agnes died in Baltimore on July 22, 2015. She had complications from Parkinson's disease.
In 2006, all of her published works were given to a museum. This was the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. It is in Baltimore. In 2007, the Baltimore chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society was renamed. It became the Agnes Kane Callum chapter. This was to honor her. She also received an honorary degree in history. This was from St. Mary's College of Maryland in 2008. In 2017, a special exhibit was dedicated to her memory. It was the Slave Cabin Exhibition at Sotterley Plantation.
See also
