In honor of #BlackHistoryMonth, we will be sharing Black history facts of #AnneArundel County throughout the month to highlight important yet often untold history of our county. Today we begin by highlighting George Phelps Jr., Anne Arundel's first Black law enforcement officer. 
After applying for jobs with county & city police & being told African Americans need not apply, he met with Sheriff Joseph Alton Jr. & was hired as a Deputy Sheriff around 1950. His first day, the office was flooded with calls claiming a Black man was impersonating an officer.
He served as a Deputy Sheriff for 25 years before retiring. During his tenure he created and served as Chief of a Special Deputies Unit of African Americans with 250 members. He remained an active community member until his passing in 2015.
Mr. Phelps broke this barrier in our county, paving the path for Black law enforcement officers, and he served our communities even when met with disrespect and racism. I hope we can all reflect on his story, realize it was not that long ago, and that we still have a ways to go.
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