CATONSVILLE, Md. — On a sunny, brisk morning, three sisters walk hand-in-hand to see a mural that depicts a man they knew well and loved with all of their hearts.
"I had a hard-working father. There were seven of us and he would never miss a day of work because he said he had to make sure to feed his children and raise his children," said Barbara McGee.
McGee, Shelia Lewis and Diann Cupid are the three surviving children of the late Berley Roberts, one of the first black men to operate streetcars in Maryland.
"He was a very sweet person. Everybody loved Mr. Berley. He always had a smile on his face," said Lewis.
Roberts started as a shopman, repairing and maintaining streetcars. In 1952, he and a small group of black men were promoted to operators.
"I remember him telling me very vividly, 'I’m doing this to make life better for you.' And he did," said Cupid, as she wiped tears from her eyes.
Roberts drove the No. 8 streetcar, which traveled from Towson to Catonsville. The promotion was a huge accomplishment for him but it came at a cost. His daughters recall the darker days of his job, enduring harassment and racial slurs.
"I had to hold back the tears because I knew what he went through," said McGee. "But regardless of what he went through, he kept striving and he said he’s going to make a point. And he did."
Berley operated the streetcar until November 2, 1963, the last day of service for the two remaining streetcars in Baltimore. Berley would go on to drive buses until he retired, spending more than 40 years in Maryland transit. He passed away in 2001.
"I want to hang my head in shame for what Mr. Roberts had to go through. I’m [also] so proud of what he did go through because everything that he did made life better for everybody else," said David Ditman, a board member of the Catonsville Rails to Trails.
Rails to Trails has created and maintained scenic pathways where the streetcar rails once stood. In 1997, they worked with an Eagle Scout to paint the mural next to the No. 8 Streetcar path. A couple of years ago, while sprucing up the mural, the group decided they wanted to add people to it.
They learned about Roberts' story and added his image to the mural. The group then tracked down his surviving children so they could see it in person and honor the bravery of their father and the contributions he made to Black history and Maryland's transit history.
"He would say regardless of the color of your skin, we all need each other to make it through," said Lewis.
"He always said before he died, 'I am something!' And he was right," said McGee.
For more information about Catonsville Rails to Trails, click here.
Roberts' story and the history of streetcars is enshrined in the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. It is open every Sunday from March-December from 12-5 p.m, and on Sunday from 12-5 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It is closed in January and February. For more information about the museum, click here.
