History | Roger Bryan Sr. Educational Fund

Background of Roger Bryan, Sr.

Roger Bryan Sr. was a Cambridge-born educator, WWII Army veteran, longtime Maryland school administrator, and community servant who influenced generations of students across multiple counties. He lived to age 98 and is remembered as a respected teacher, coach, mentor, and church leader.

Higher Education

He attended:

Morgan State College – B.S. in Physical Education

Columbia University – Master of Arts in Administration & Supervision

Military Service

Served three years in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Member of the 370th Infantry, 370th Regimental Band, and 301st Army Ground Forces.

His unit’s band led the V.E. Day Parade in Reims, France (1945).

Career in Education

Roger Bryan Sr. built a distinguished career across Maryland and beyond:

Teacher in Somerset, Talbot, and Howard Counties.

College instructor at Benedict College (Columbia, SC).

Organized first tackle football team at Woodson High School (Crisfield, MD).

Coached Moton High School to nine State Championships in eleven years.

Initiated elementary school gymnastics programs in Howard County.

Retired from Howard County Public Schools in 1983 as area supervisor for physical education.

Coaching Career and Impact on Education

Head coach for multiple sports in multiple schools, most prominently football and basketball.

Achieved nine Maryland State Championships in eleven years at Moton High, an extraordinary

record that placed Moton among the most dominant Black high school athletic programs
of the era.

Helped integrate and strengthen athletic programs during a period of major educational transition.

Contributed to the modernization of physical education programs in Howard County.

He was also well known for his:

o Precision fundamentals
o High academic expectations
o Discipline and character development
o Producing athletes who went on to college programs

Faith & Community Service

Early member of Waugh Methodist Church in Cambridge.

Later member of St. John’s United Methodist Church (Baltimore), serving as:

o Trustee
o Worship committee member
o Pastor–Parish Chair
o Choir member
o Chair of Black History Month activities

Legacy

Roger Bryan Sr. is remembered as:

A pillar of Cambridge’s Black community.

A trailblazing educator who shaped athletic and academic programs.

A mentor whose former students remained connected to him for decades.

A faithful servant-leader in his church and community.

His impact stretched far beyond Cambridge, influencing Maryland education and generations of families.