The B&O Railroad Museum, in partnership with Union Baptist Church of Baltimore, is seeking interview subjects for an oral history project, which aims to bring to light never before heard stories of the African American experience with the railroad system within the United States. This collection of curated oral histories will explore the intertwined history of the railroad and the African American Community and seeks to connect the dots from the railroad's conception to the present day.

The project's goal is to record and preserve a robust and thorough examination of how the railroad has impacted African Americans in both the Baltimore area and the United States as a whole. We are seeking participants from across the country who are willing to share their personal histories, perspectives, and experiences. In light of the pandemic, and to allow participants in other parts of the country to join in, all interviews are recorded online through the Zoom video conferencing platform.

Desired interview subjects include, but are not limited to: current or former employees of the railroad industry, family members who remember their loved one’s time working on the railroad, those who lived near railroad tracks and train stations, and those who utilized the train as a mode of transportation for leisure or business.

If you would like to contribute to our oral history project, or would like to recommend a potential participant, please fill out the questionnaire below.

If you have any questions concerning this project, please contact the B&O Railroad Museum at research@borail.org or 443-627-2375.