Black Storytellers of Western Maryland Storytime

Celebrate powerful stories and strong voices with the Black Storytellers of Western Maryland!

Four tellers will share a variety of tales for children and adults to enjoy. The program will run about 45 minutes. 

This program will replace Pre-School Storytime.

Storytellers

Patricia Smart:

My given name is Patricia Gaye Smart: my Black Storytelling name is Me-Momma Maat; I am a griot and retired Hagerstown prison librarian. I serve as the President of Black Storytellers Of Western Maryland (BSOWM), am a life member of The Griots’ Circle of Maryland, Inc. and a member of the National Association of Blackstorytellers, Inc. (NABS).

Janice E. Kelsh:

Janice E. Kelsh was born and raised in Hagerstown, MD and has memorabilia or heirlooms from growing up in Hagerstown, including her diary from 1960 in which she often tells stories from. Janice is Founder of the Miniature Piano Enthusiast Club (1991); One of the Co-Founders of the Black Storytellers of Western Maryland (BSOWM); Secretary of the Doleman Black Heritage Museum and the niece of its founders, the late Marguerite (Kelsh) and Charles Doleman.

Lola Mosby:

I am the daughter of William and Elizabeth Burnett of Hagerstown, MD. I am a twin with 18 brothers and sisters. I am a graduate of South Hagerstown High School. I did not choose to attend college after graduating High School. I took several business courses and seminars at Hagerstown Community College throughout my years.  I was married with two children and blessed with two grandchildren. I have been in banking for 27 years and operated my own business for 16 years - retiring in 2016.  Now I occupy my time by volunteering for many local and national organizations. Some organizations are - Black Storytellers of Western MD, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (Singer Society Board member), Washington County Historical Society, Halfway African American Board Member, and Member of Ebenezer AME Church.

Fanny Crawford: 

Fanny Crawford was raised in Philadelphia, PA hearing her father's stories - including the biography of his great-grandfather - an enslaved black man who escaped to freedom from Hagerstown, MD to Lewistown, PA in 1835 and stories from her mother's people - Polish, Austrian, and English Jews  - some of whom entered the U.S. at Ellis Island and some who settled Arkansas - members of the Jewish Order of Masons, shoe salesmen, domestic workers, and army radio operators in Alaska during WWII.  As a retired educator, Fanny now co-hosts a weekly internet radio show (www.talltales.enlightenradio.org), founded Stories In The Round to coordinate more than 50 performances over seven years by regional and nationally renowned storytellers, and is a long-time member of the National Association of Black Storytellers, WV Storytelling Guild, Antietam Storytelling Guild, of the nearly one-year-old Black Storytellers of Western Maryland, and a life-member of the Griots’ Circle of Maryland.