Albert L. Feldstein

Feldstein, Albert L.

Public Historian

A multi-award-winning amateur public historian, Albert Louis Feldstein has since 1980 successfully published over thirty books and videotapes depicting the history of all three western Maryland Counties - Allegany, Garrett and Washington, as well as nearby West Virginia. His works have focused upon such varied subjects as historic postcards, newspapers, floods, gravesites, coal mining, railroads, community histories, and tour guides to historic sites. Over the past twenty-five years he has given hundreds of presentations throughout Maryland and adjoining states promoting an awareness and appreciation of our past. The majority of his historical works have gone into second and third printings.

A 2003 effort, a political history poster entitled, "Buttons of the Cause, 1960- 2003: The Events - The People - The Organizations - The Issues", has sold over 2000 copies and in 2005 was accepted for exhibit and sale at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History in Washington. It can be viewed at www.buttonsofthecause.com.

Always trying something different, in 2007 and 2008 Albert Feldstein developed three educational websites, all initiated in collaboration with the Western Maryland Regional Library. The first, entitled Historic Women of Allegany County continues to gain national attention and has been linked to several historical and women's history websites including those at the Maryland State Archives and Maryland Women's Heritage Center. It can be viewed at www.whilbr.org/AlleganyWomen/index.aspx. The second, entitled Allegany County African-American History, has also been linked to various educational and historical institutions including the Enoch Pratt Free Public Library, Maryland State Archives, the Teaching American History website, and Allegany County Board of Education. It has recently been honored with the 2008 Maryland African-American Heritage Preservation Award and can be viewed at www.whilbr.org/AlleganyAfricanAmericans/index.aspx. Most recently, Feldstein has developed a website on presidential campaign buttons. The website, which can be viewed at http://www.whilbr.org/PresidentialCampaignButtons/index.aspx, has been featured in USA Today, ABC World News Webcast and television, the Associated Press, and public radio.

Al and his wife Angela reside in LaVale, Maryland and are the parents of three children, Natasha, Josinda, and a step-son, Michael Mulligan.