At the June Board of Education Meeting, member of the Hannah Henry Circle were honored for their generous support of teachers in Caroline County Public Schools. The group is a grassroots philanthropic organization based in Ridgely, dedicated to honoring the legacy of Ms. Henry, a beloved local African American educator and community leader who lived to be 107 years old. They preserve the legacy of her through community outreach, charity work, and public recognition events.
Hannah Randall Henry (1913–2021) taught in Caroline County for over four decades. Ms. Henry began teaching in 1934 in a one-room schoolhouse and became Ridgely Elementary School’s first Black teacher in the 1940s, leaving a profound impact on generations of local students. The town of Ridgely officially declared April 8 as "Hannah Henry Day", and Chicken Bridge Road in Ridgely was officially renamed to Hannah Henry Way to honor her. The Hannah Henry Circle actively celebrates her memory by organizing events, such as bringing gifts and roses to the teachers and staff at Ridgely Elementary School on her designated day, and providing treats to other schools in Caroline County.
All photos may be viewed on the CCPS Flickr page.