Frederick Douglass 1848

Frederick Douglass 1848

Baltimore Trivia

In the early 19th century, Baltimore was America’s 3rd largest city in the United States. Even by 1960, only New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Detroit had more residents than Baltimore.

Though the City of Baltimore is a compact 78 square miles, including rivers, the 5-county metro area has a population of 2.7 million and 800,000 African Americans.

Despite many real-life depictions in The Wire TV show, Baltimore is still an attractive place to live, eat and play.

BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport is the only U.S. airport to have a dedicated hiker-biker trail. In operation since 1994, this 12.5-mile scenic trail encircles airport property and connects hikers, bicyclists, and joggers to community resources, public transportation, and area attractions.

Founded in 1729 as a port city, Baltimore continues its strong maritime heritage as today’s fifth most commercially active U.S. seaport.

Baltimore may not have invented crab cakes, but it sure makes the best with all its local recipes.

The largest companies headquartered in the Baltimore metro area are Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Black & Decker, MedStar Health, Constellation Energy Group, McCormick (spices), Grace, and U. of Maryland Medical System.

Baltimore has a strong college reputation earned by Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Morgan State University, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, University of Baltimore, Towson State University, Loyola College, Maryland Institute & College of Art, Goucher College, and Coppin State University. These colleges anchor Maryland as the 2nd best-educated state.

Famous Residents

Notable persons born in Baltimore or made their mark here:

Frederick Douglass – Abolitionist, orator, and civil servant
Ira Aldridge – First African American Shakespearean actor
Christian Fleetwood – 4th U.S. Colored Troops Medal Of Honor Winner, earned the medal on 29 September 1864 at Chaffin’s Farm in Fort Harrison, VA
Thurgood Marshall – Distinguished attorney and Supreme Court Justice
Howard Rollins – Theatre, TV, and movie actor
Billie Holiday – Legendary Jazz vocalist
Chick Webb – great Jazz bandleader who discovered Billie Holiday
Reginald Lewis – 1st black man to build a billion-dollar company
Rev. Daniel Coker – Founder of First AME church in Maryland
Joshua Johnson – 17th & 18th-century portraitist
Cab Calloway – Famous bandleader on the Chitlin Circuit
Leon Day – Negro Leagues pitcher in the Baseball Hall of Fame
Rev. Dr. Vashti McKensie – First ordained female Bishop in the AME clergy
Eubie Blake – Broadway and music composer
Anna Deveare Smith – TV, stage & movie actor, playwright
Skip Wise – Dunbar High School basketball legend
Carmelo Anthony – NBA basketball All-Star

Dru Hill – Soul singers
Elijah Cummings – U.S. Congressman
Parren J. Mitchell – U.S. Congressman who founded business development programs for people of color
Kurt Schmoke – First elected black mayor of Baltimore
Jada Pinkett-Smith – TV and movie actor
Toni Braxton – R&B vocalist
Henry Highland Garnett – 19th-century abolitionist and orator
Kweisi Mfume – U.S. Congressman, NAACP CEO, and Congressional Black Caucus leader
Elijah Cummings – U.S. Congressman and Congressional Black Caucus leader
Charles Dutton – Theatre, TV, and Cinema Actor
Ray Lewis – All-Pro NFL Linebacker & 2-time Super Bowl winner
Claudia McNeil – Award-winning stage and movie actress
Michael Dorsey – The Prince of West Baltimore

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