Lakeland girls Ruby Briscoe and Gladys Conley jitterbug on a Newark, New Jersey, street in the 1940s. They were like many others who migrated to industrial cities for the plentiful jobs that were available during World War II. Briscoe, later Ruby Tynes, made New Jersey her home. Conley returned to Maryland and was a school teacher in St. Mary’s County. Both retained lifelong ties to their family and friends in Lakeland. (Courtesy of the Gray family.)
The Baltimore Afro American May 5, 1928 Lakeland, Maryland Last Tuesday evening The Slabtown District Convention was put on at First Baptist Church. A speaking competition was held at Fairmont Heights on Friday April 27th. George H. Randall and Hattie Thomas competed for Lakeland School. Hattie Thomas was awarded third place. Eliza Greene, Mamie Edmonds and Emma Green are at home with the grippe. A party was given for Ruby Briscoe’s 6th birthday. Guests were Marie Greene, Bernice and Jerline Tolson, Saxaline Briscoe, Anthony and Hannah Brooks, Mary Weems, Lucille Giles, Mamie Singleton, Virginia Griffith, Isabelle Sayman, Vera Johnson, Mary and Julia Briscoe, Dorothy Mack, Omega Giles, Vicurtis Gray, Dervey Lomax, Raymond Wilson, Clarence Lyles, William Steward, McKinley Gray, Chaperons were Mrs. Sayman, Etelka Lomax, Mrs. Noamlitha Hodge, Mr. Willis and Almo Poole. On Thursday Mr. and Mrs. John Spriggs hosted Rev. J.A. Dames of Washington DC