In May 2025, the Historical Society of Carroll County will host a free program at the Carroll Arts Center honoring the opening of its Mary Shellman: Civil War to Suffrage exhibit. The event will be an evening of song and poetry written by Mary Bostwick Shellman, a poet, artist, and suffragist who lived in Westminster, MD, from 1840-1920. Reenactor Darci Tucker from Colonial Williamsburg will portray Mary Shellman at the event.

Musicians will perform three songs lyricized by Mary B. Shellman. The music will be interspersed with local students and women leaders reading her poetry. By having female performers front and center at the event, we will be reminded of Mary Shellman’s commitment to civic engagement and female leadership at a time when women being on the public stage or taking ownership of their own creative or civic work was discouraged or even outright banned.

The musicians are local Maryland artists, including students at the Peabody Institute, led by Jacquelyn Slade from Carroll County. A passionate activist, composer, and jazz musician, Jacquelyn Slade works to empower others through political advocacy and musical performance.

HSCC, the musicians, the poetry readers and the community are excited to bring the story of Mary B. Shellman—a Maryland suffragist, renaissance woman, and celebrated historical figure from Westminster, Maryland—to the stage. Through performances of musical pieces featuring Shellman’s original lyrics, we aim to connect the local community with her legacy in a deeply meaningful way. By blending music and poetry, we will highlight Shellman’s contributions, using the universal language of music to make her story accessible and inspiring. This program offers an opportunity for audiences who may not be familiar with Carroll County’s rich history to experience it through Shellman’s own words and melodies.