Lillie Paterson Fund launched to preserve Black history in Lewes
Owen Cheevers and Alicia Jones are proud to announce the launching of a new charity, the Lillie Patterson Fund, under the umbrella of the Greater Lewes Foundation.
“Our mission is to discover and preserve African American history in Lewes and the surrounding area. We also support low-income children through scholarships, grants and outright donations when necessary,“ said Jones. “Our involvement in the community is a crucial part of our program, both through donations and participation from our fund.”
Advisors for the Lillie Patterson Fund are Wanda Baskerville, Bill Collick, Charlotte McNaughton and Rob Morgan.
Lillie Paterson, the fund’s namesake, was an African American librarian who served schools and colleges in the Baltimore area and wrote about Black historical figures.
To view a list of grants for 2023 and 2024, go to lilliepaterson.org.
The website also contains information on Black history in Lewes as well as a list of Black businesses in Delaware. Current projects include a local marker for Black Harry’s Spring on Pilottown Road in Lewes; a state marker for Obie Evans, the second Black man lynched in Delaware; and eventually, a home for artifacts of Black history.
