In 1974, after delivering a speech to an Afro-American studies class at North Hagerstown High School, Marguerite Doleman was inspired to start the Doleman Black History Museum at the suggestion of one of the students. As Marguerite continued to speak at local schools and organizations, she acquired more and more items and a hobby ensued.

Marguerite began to catalog the pieces and organize displays. Her husband, Charles, built shelves to showcase the many artifacts and provided the financial means for his wife to pursue her dream. Not long after she began showcasing her collection in schools, museums and libraries, Marguerite enthusiastically opened up her home to provide personalized tours to visitors. At that very moment, the Doleman Black History Museum was born to honor, highlight, and preserve the rich history and culture of the Black experience throughout Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, and the entire nation.

Though not originally conceived of as an ongoing enterprise, the Museum became a full-time passion for the Doleman couple and, for the first twenty-five years, they operated the Museum together. Marguerite often expressed concerns about what would happen to the collection in the event of her passing. She shared her wishes with her son and daughter — that the collection would continue on, in order to preserve the many faces and places of the Black people residing in the Jonathan Street Neighborhood and surrounding areas.

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