Norfolk County Registry of Deeds Celebrates Black History Month

By William P. O’Donnell

Norfolk County Register of Deeds

Black History Month commemorates the contributions made by African Americans to our country and to the fabric of what makes up our country. Let us be proud and take note of all noted contributions, knowing that people from our communities here in Norfolk County have contributed to that history.

As Black History Month is celebrated, let us be aware of connections to Norfolk County. Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in 1856. He was an educator, author, and orator who, during his lifetime, was one of the prominent voices for African Americans in the United States. Booker T. Washington established the Tuskegee Institute, a school of higher learning for African Americans located in Alabama. He called for progress through education and entrepreneurship. Booker T. Washington’s connection to Norfolk County was that he vacationed for several summers at the residence owned by William H. Baldwin, Jr., in South Weymouth at the intersection of Main Street and Columbian Street.

As part of the 225th Anniversary Commemoration of Norfolk County in 2018, the Registry of Deeds chose another notable African American, Audie Cornish, who hails from the Norfolk County community of Randolph, to be in its Notable Land Records book. Audie Cornish was born in Randolph in 1979. She graduated from Randolph High School and attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She went on to become a journalist for the Associated Press and later a reporter for Boston public radio station WBUR. In 2005, she shared first prize in the National Awards for Education Writing for a report entitled “Reading, Writing, and Race.” Ms. Cornish later became a reporter and host for National Public Radio and continues to be a respected national journalist and news anchor.

William Maurice “Mo” Cowan lived in the Norfolk County town of Stoughton. He was appointed to serve as the United States Senator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 1, 2013. He served along with U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R–South Carolina), making it the first time that two African Americans served simultaneously in the United States Senate. Prior to his appointment, Senator Cowan earned a law degree at Northeastern University and joined the prestigious law firm of Mintz Levin, where he later became a partner. Mr. Cowan left the law firm to become counsel to Governor Deval Patrick.

Speaking of former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, an African American who was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2006, he served two terms as Governor. Did you know he lived in the Norfolk County town of Milton?

Florida Ruffin Ridley was an African American civil rights activist, suffragist, teacher, writer, and editor born in 1861. She was one of the first Black public schoolteachers in Boston and edited The Women’s Era, the country’s first newspaper established by and for African American women. Florida Ruffin Ridley lived in the Norfolk County town of Brookline, where in 1896 she became one of the town’s first African American homeowners. In September 2020, the Florida Ruffin Ridley School in Brookline was renamed in her honor.

The Norfolk Registry of Deeds building is located in Dedham. This Norfolk County community honored the life of William B. Gould (1837–1923) by renaming the East Dedham Passive Park in his honor. William B. Gould was born into slavery in North Carolina. He escaped slavery in 1862 by boat during the Civil War. Mr. Gould served in the Union Navy for the remainder of the war, chasing Confederate vessels. After the Civil War ended, this Civil War Navy veteran was a distinguished and respected member of the Dedham community. He is also featured in the Registry’s “We Remember Our Veterans” booklet, which honors veterans’ stories from across Norfolk County.

As part of the Registry’s “We Remember Our Women” booklet, which highlights notable women connected to Norfolk County, the Registry chose to feature Ann Elizabeth Tanneyhill (1906–2000), a pioneering African American educator and national leader in workforce development. Tanneyhill was a nationally recognized educator and workforce advocate whose career opened doors for African Americans across the United States. For more than four decades, she served in leadership roles with the National Urban League, directing vocational services and expanding opportunities in professional fields at a time when discrimination in hiring was widespread. Tanneyhill conducted groundbreaking research on employment disparities, developed national job-training programs, and fostered partnerships with educators, labor leaders, and community organizations. She also played a leading role in developing and expanding the Urban League Guild, strengthening civic and volunteer engagement nationwide. Her lifelong dedication to fairness in employment and education left a lasting legacy that continues to influence opportunity and equity efforts today.

Follow this link to watch the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds Celebrates Black History Month segment that aired on Quincy Access Television: https://www.norfolkdeeds.org/news-event/ncrd-celebrates-black-history-month

As we celebrate Black History Month in 2026, we honor the contributions that African Americans have made throughout history and here in Norfolk County, while recognizing that the fight for equality and justice continues. As we reflect on the lives of leaders such as William Gould, Florida Ruffin Ridley, Ann Elizabeth Tanneyhill, Audie Cornish, Mo Cowan, and others, we are reminded that our shared history is built community by community, one act of service at a time.