We are pleased to recognize 16 of the most influential African Americans who live on the Maryland Eastern Shore. These individuals were chosen because of the influence they exert on a significant part of the Shore community. Some are influential simply because of their positions and some have achieved their positions because of their influence in the community. Some are well known and some are controversial.

	George R. Ames, Jr. Judge of the Dorchester County Orphan's Court for District 1; Minister and Deacon; President of award winning Dorchester County Branch of the NAACP; newly installed president of the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce; member of the American Legion and the Chesapeake College Foundation Board.
	Jesse Ballard President of the Tri-County Organizations Coalition; 1st VP of the Deacon's Union of the Progressive Baptist Church; District Deputy Grand Treasurer of the Prince Hall Freemasons Grand Lodge of MD; former President of Wicomico County Branch of the NAACP for ten years; former Commander of VFW Post #10159 and Past Worshipful Master of Lamech Lodge. Prince Hall Freemasons.
	Norma Lee Barkley Senior Judge of the Wicomico County Orphan's Court in her 6th four-year term; past MD State Grand Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Starpast MD State Loyal Lady Ruler of the Order of the Golden Circleand member of the Daughters of Isis PHA; founding member of the Tri-County Organizations Coalition, Inc. and its Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet Program Chairperson.
	Walter W. Black, Jr. President of the Talbot County Branch of the NAACP; Third Vice President and former president and director of Branches of the Maryland State Conference of NAACP Branches; former Urban Program Director for the National NAACP; former member of the Maryland advisory committee to the US Commiss-ion on Civil Rights; member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the American Legion.
	Dr. Charlene Cooper Boston Superintendent of the Wicomico County Board of Education; former assistant superintendent of Baltimore City Public Schools; and Gubernatorial appointee.
	Rudolph C. Cane MD State Delegate for District 37A and first African American elected to the Legislature from the Shore; first African Ameri-can elected to the Wicomico County Council; member of the American Legion, Prince Hall Freemasons, IBPO, Elks, & VFW.
	Walter Chase Chairman of the Talbot County Democratic Central Committee; former Chief of Police in Easton and pres. of the Eastern Shore Police Association; member of the Technical Assistance Unit of the MD Police and Corrections Training Commission; member of the MD Bd. of Governors of the American Civil Liberties Union; former Exalted Ruler Samuel T. Hemsley Elks Lodge #974; 1st VP of the Talbot County Branch of the NAACP; and Prince Hall Freemason.
	Bishop George A. Copeland Bishop of United Faith Church with a church in DelawareMarylandand Virginia; TV Evangelist, and CEO WDIH FM Gospel Radio & TV stations.
	Edwin Lashley Maryland State Police Lt. Col. and chief of its administrative bureau; former commander of the Eastern Shore region of the MSP; former commander of the MSP barracks in Salisbury, Berlin, & Princess Anne.
	Edward Lee President Worcester County Branch of the NAACP; Chairman of the Worcester County Democratic Central Committee; and community activist.
	Freddy L. Mitchell Executive Director SHORE UP!; Past President Maryland Association of Community Action Agencies; Treasurer of the Board of Wesley Temple United Methodist Church; Member of Greater Salisbury Committee; and Past Polemach of Salisbury Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and Past President of the Salisbury Salvation Army; and Member of the Board of Meridian Management Group, Inc. and Chair of its Community Development Ventures, Inc. Eastern Shore Advisory Board.
	James Purnell Vice President of the Worcester County Council; former President Worcester County Branch of the NAACP; past State Grand Master of the Odd Fellows of Maryland; and Prince Hall Free-mason.
	Carlton W. Stanley Exalted Ruler Dorchester Elks Lodge #223 for the 14th term; 1st vice pres. of the Tri-State Assoc. of IBPO Elks and chair of its Annual Cotillion; past Worship-ful Master of the Pride of Cambridge Prince Hall Freemasons Lodge #5 and current treasurer; chairman of the Cambridge Housing Authority Board of Directors, member of the Sailwinds Management Board and the American Legion.
	Dr. Thelma B. Thompson President of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; author, speaker, Presidential & Gubernatorial appointee. Member of Greater Salisbury Committee.
	Frank J. Ward III Founder & CEO The Money Centre, Ltd. & Ward Construction; Vice President Delmarva Rural Development Corp.; and Secretary/Treasurer of Eastern Shore Builders Ujamaa.
	Dr. H. Dwayne Whittington Chairman of the SHORE UP!, Inc. Bd. of Directors; former Superintendent Somerset County Board of Education and the first African American to hold that post on the Shore; Chairman of the Council on Finance and Administration and member of the Board of Ministries for the Peninsula Delaware Conference of the United Methodist Church; Past Basileus of Phi Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Past Chairman & member of the McCready Hospital Board of Directors.