
The Common Ground Initiative
Resilience, Remembrance, Honor, and Equity
The mission of Historic Sotterley’s continuing initiative, Common Ground, is to:
- Bring together descendants, community, and partners to provide education, resources, remembrance, and celebrate cultures to aid in healing
- Help uncover and eradicate racism and discrimination in all forms
- Promote social equality and justice through the interpretation of authentic history and its relevance to effect social change
- Encourage individual and group activism
Sotterley is grateful to the Maryland Heritage Area Authority for a generous grant for our 2020 Common Ground Initiative. If you would like to support our mission and future programming, please donate below.

Common Ground Programming
Sotterley's Common Ground programming takes many forms, but one of the most common is monthly speaker events under Sotterley Presents:Â People and Perspectives. You can find out about upcoming Common Ground events on our events page, and watch past programming on our YouTube or below.
Previous Common Ground Programming
The Big Picture: Facebook Live with Jeanne Pirtle
Every Thursday at 2:00 PM EST

LINKS with Jerome Spears
January 20 – 7:00 p.m. EST

Journal of a Librarian Who Went to Prison for Money with Glennor Shirley
February 17 – 7:00 PM EST
Co-sponsored by St. Mary's County Public Library and Calvert Library

A Question of Freedom with Dr. William G. Thomas III
March 3 – 7:00 PM EST

Looking to the Past to Reclaim Our Future with John B. King Jr.
March 31 – 7:00 PM EST

Growing up at Sotterley with Donald M. Barber
April 21 – 7:00 PM EST

More than Ahnentafel Charts: A personal story of genealogy informing a career, interdisciplinary research, and social activism with Kent Randell
May 19 – 7:00 PM EST

The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President's Black Family
with Dr. Bettye Kearse
July 7 – 7:00 PM EST

Return to a Native Place: Native People of the Chesapeake Region
with Dr. Gabrielle Tayac
August 4 – 7:00 PM EST

African American Gravesites
with Dr. Latif A. Tarik
August 18 – 7:00 PM EST

Descendants Panel: Changing the Narrative
with Jeanne Pirtle and Sotterley Descendants
August 19
Life in History
with Maya Davis
September 15th

History Unearthed: Archaeological Discoveries at Sotterley with Dr. Julie King
October 6 – 7:00 PM EST

The Color of My Country with Trudy Taliaferro
October 27th & 28th – 7:00 PM EST

Food and Black Freedom: Reflections on Race, Resistance, and the
Legacy of Food Injustice with Dr. Bobby J. Smith II
November 10 – 7:00 PM EST

Archaeology at Historic Sotterley
​​​An archaeological site survey was conducted at Sotterley last year. The survey report will be completed sometime later this summer. Sotterley's archaeological assets are many and reveals life at Sotterley, especially of the African American people that were here in the early 19th century where evidence suggests quarters pre-dating Sotterley's existing cabin. There is documented evidence that African Americans were buried at Sotterley during and after slavery, but more research and archaeological work is needed to confirm grave sites, although it is highly likely there are some. Until confirmation, signage will be placed with maps of testing locations, along with names of people we know were buried at Sotterley, and seating for reflection will be installed. As more research is done, information will be updated and our community and stakeholders will be consulted.
Join Sotterley's Descendant Registry
Become a member of the Descendants Committee
Share Sotterley's story with other family membersÂ
Write your story of discovery for the Descendants Newsletter
Discover your origins, take a DNA testÂ
Make a gift in honor or memory of one of your ancestorsÂ
Name a permanent bench in Historic Sotterley in memory of your ancestorÂ
Make a provision in your Will to honor your ancestor's legacyÂ
