Harvesting the American Dream

About the Book

The author tells a wonderful story about the life of a man who proudly walks in his intergrity Harrell Solomon Spruill tells his life story from the farm to the classroom and shares his hard earned secrets on becoming a success in life. Through his multifauceted struggles to success, a compassionate soul emerged to benefit all mankind, particularly the youth, creating a burning passion for philanthropy that is the essence of his very soul. The Spruill Journey is a brilliant reflection of his personal and family’s mission to empower people through knowledge and education. Although he has pursued other work as an educator, he enthusiastically admits that farming is his true love.

The author begins this epic journey form his earliest memory on his beloved father’s farm in rural Travis, North Carolina. It is there where the dream was initially instilled catapulting him, and his siblings forward into life seeking to achieve what, at the time, was believed to be an impossibility for African Americans. Actually, colored was the preferred reference of the day in the brutal segregated South, where Jim Crow was the law. However, it was the support and guidance if his loving mother who understood that education was the single most important ingredient necessary to neutralize those forces that bred poverty and despair.

Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Spruill provided a solid foundation that allowed their son to dream the impossible dream: the American Dream. Together they assertively planted the seeds that cultivated the Spruill Journey. A visionary creation of the imagination with a strong desire to embrace a social ideal that stresses egalitarianism but more importantly, material prosperity through ownership of land. This concepts and his appreciation for the land, and farming, directly related to whence he came, becoming a labor of love for Harrell Solomon Spruill.

A graduate of Hampton University, he taught mathematics at Alcorn University prior to coming to Annapolis to teach at the former Wiley H. Bates High School. As an educator in the separate but equal segregated school system for most of his career he taught his students the social, political, and economic rights and privileges available to every human being. Harrell Solomon Spruill’s deep-rooted faith and belief in children as our only hope for the future has been his life’s motivating energy.

Harrell Solomon Spruill is a husband, father, grandfather, and teacher, volunteer, successful farmer and often referred to as a “Man of All Seasons”. He embraces the farm enterprise with great enthusiasm and currently owns a large farm in Southern Maryland. He has a strong desire to acquaint young children with rural life to which he is currently developing plans to build a learning center on his farm.

This quiet gentle hard-working man with unbridled enthusiasm continuously exhibits a strong determination to pursue humanitarian efforts to support the community. He has been an active volunteer in Annapolis and Southern Anne Arundel County for over half a century. He has received recognition form his peers, many state and local businesses, churches, and civic organizations including the Ann Arundel County Public School System. In addition, he has been featured in the Baltimore Sun, the Capital Newspaper and countless publications.

Harrell Solomon Spruill had donated thousands of dollars to promote programs of good will to include; special support to the boys and girls clubs of Annapolis; Maryland Forward Tutorial Program; the purchase of computers, televisions, copy machines and van for transportation children. His wiliness to give has impacted countless lives by contributing enormous amounts of his personal time to tutor children in the area of reading and mathematics. It significant to note that he has donated financial support to individuals and organizations providing support to children in need.

Each of us asks ourselves, if only in thought, during our journey through life; how would we be remembered? Though the excellent reflections recorded in the memoir, “Harvesting the American Dream”, Harrell Solomon Spruill answers this question eloquently. Judge me by the work that I have done.

About the Author

A graduate of Hampton University. Mr. Spruill taught mathematics at Alcorn University prior to coming to Annapolis, Maryland. To teach at the former Wiley H. Bates High School. As an educator in the separate but equal” segregated school system in Maryland for most of his career, he taught his students the social, political, and economic rights and privileges that, at the time should have been available to every human being. Harold Spruill’s deeply rooted belief and faith in education children has been his motivating energy and life’s focus.

Mr. Spruill is a husband, father grandfather, teacher, volunteer and farmer. He embraces the farm enterprise with great skill and enthusiasm. He currently owns and operates a large farm in Southern Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He demonstrated his commitment to educating children and adults to the connection for farming to everyday living. To this end, he develops plans to build a learning center of the farm.

Mr. Spruill has provided financial resources for the survival enhancement of programs that focus on the success of children and young adults such as:

The Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis, Maryland
The Maryland Forward Tutorial Program
The purchase of computers, televisions, copy machines, and vehicles for transporting children to and from their program sites.

He also donated many hours of his personal time for tutoring children in reading and mathematics.

Mr. Spruill is also an author who tells a magnificent story about his life and especially his strong family teachings that contribute to his desire to learn, lead and demonstrate with an unbridled commitment to help children to be all they can be through appropriate guidance and education. His book, Harvesting The American Dream, A Memoir is an excellent teaching tool for children and adults to use as a model of how to achieve in spite of the odds. Harold S. Spruill today, walks in his integrity as he continues to give back through his partnership with Sojourner- Douglass College.

Mr. Spruill is a member of First Baptist of American and lives in Southern Anne Arundel County, Maryland with his wife, Annetta Turner Spruill.