Three Years Later: Reflecting on the Dedication of the Sarah E. Carter Building

Three years ago, Anne Arundel County honored the life and legacy of Mrs. Sarah E. Carter, a trailblazing public servant and advocate, by placing her name on a county building in Glen Burnie.

County Executive Steuart Pittman joined County Council members, the Caucus of African American Leaders, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, members of Mrs. Carter’s family, community leaders and members of the public for a ceremony officially renaming the former Arundel Center North as the Sarah E. Carter Building, according to a press release issued by Anne Arundel County. 

The dedication recognized a woman whose public service helped break racial and gender barriers in Anne Arundel County government.

Mrs. Carter made history in 1974 when she became the first African American and one of the first three women elected to serve on the Anne Arundel County Council. She won the countywide election by just 13 votes and went on to serve two terms, from 1974 through 1982.

According to the county’s 2023 release, Mrs. Carter remains the only African American woman to have served on the County Council.

“Councilmember Sarah E. Carter's name will now be remembered by all of Anne Arundel County,” County Executive Pittman said during the 2023 dedication. “I want to thank the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Committee, the Caucus of African American leaders, and all who came out to celebrate this historic moment.”

The county's press release included a quote by Mr. Carl Snowden, Convener for the Caucus of African American Leaders, who reflected at the time on the significance of Mrs. Carter’s historic election.

“Sarah E. Carter’s election in 1974 resonated with African Americans in the same way as Governor Wes Moore’s did,” Mr. Snowden said.

The county’s account of Mrs. Carter’s life and service described her as a strong defender of human rights and a champion for the underdog who provided a voice for people who lacked representation in politics.

Her commitment to the community began well before her election to public office. According to the county, Mrs. Carter served on numerous boards and commissions, organized voter registration drives and worked at polling places. She was known as a passionate and dependable advocate for underrepresented residents.

Her advocacy extended to workers’ rights, health care and education.

The county’s press release noted that Mrs. Carter established the Well Baby Clinic in Brooklyn Park during a time when African American women and children lacked access to public health care.

Believing that all children should have access to a quality education regardless of race, Mrs. Carter and her family also rehabilitated an old building to create classrooms for African American children in her community. She was later instrumental in efforts to integrate public education in Anne Arundel County, according to the release.

The former Sarah Howard spent much of her life in the Cedar Hill section of the county near Brooklyn Park. She graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore and later attended Anne Arundel Community College.

Mrs. Carter died January 20, 1998, in Dover, Delaware. She was survived by five sons and three daughters.

“We are immensely proud,” her daughter, Ms. Vanessa Carter, said during the 2023 ceremony. “We always knew what a wonderful woman she was. It’s nice to know that others appreciated her contribution to the county.”

The ceremony carried additional historical significance because it took place on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington. According to the county, current and former elected officials offered remarks about Mrs. Carter’s life and the significance of the occasion before unveiling the building’s new sign.

The Sarah E. Carter Building, formerly known as Arundel Center North, is located in Glen Burnie and is home to Anne Arundel Community College’s Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute.

The county reported that funding for the building renaming was contributed by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Anne Arundel County at the request of the Caucus of African American Leaders.

As the third anniversary of the dedication approaches tomorrow, the Sarah E. Carter Building continues to carry the name of a woman whose historic election and eight years of service helped break barriers in Anne Arundel County government.