sandy spring slave museum & african art gallery

This is a small, private museum with a deep inventory of artifacts, exhibits, and personal stories dating from slave days to the present. Drawn from the experience of nine generations of African American families living in the Sandy Spring area of Montgomery County, Maryland, the community was originally a Quaker outpost in the mid 1700s and was a major hub on the Underground Railroad. Visitors will want to give at least an hour if not more to thoughtfully review the museum's rooms and holdings representing slavery, post Civil War, and Jim Crow times - as well as African art/culture.There is a large, walk-in model of a slave ship, an actual slave cabin, and a modern-built representation of a typical African dwelling built in honor of Nelson Mandela. I found the photographs and documents of the AA families who've lived on the same land for generations especially compelling. MD history buffs, and those who want a deeper understanding of the AA experience from Colonial to 20th century times, this little museum off the beaten path is a must-visit.