Discover the rich African American history of the Chesapeake Bay region through this collection of stories written by Chesapeake Heartland fellows, interns, and community members.
Chesapeake Heartland Celebrates Black History Month on the Eastern Shore by Dominic Rapposelli
Black History Month, which occurs annually in February, is a nationwide observance that celebrates Black history, culture, and the notable contributions of past and living African American individuals. This celebration of Black history and culture is central to Chesapeake Heartland’s mission; it’s woven into the project’s DNA.
Goin’ Back to the Old Ways: Chesapeake Narratives on African American Traditions by Queen Cornish
Over the course of one month, I had the pleasure of interviewing three narrators: David Cornish Sr., Hess Love, and Airlee Ringgold-Johnson. The goal of this oral history project was to investigate how the Chesapeake Bay has shaped the cultural traditions of African Americans, both past and present.
“Listening to See First”: Reflections from an Oral History Interview with Ms. Erlena Brown Linthicum by Paris Mercier and Patricia Woodworth
In a family of fourteen, the Browns kept order through love and respect. Ms. Erlena Brown Linthicum of Georgetown, Maryland was born on the seventeenth of January, 1936 as the youngest of twelve children. She recounts her childhood as one filled with youthful recreation with her siblings and neighborhood children…
The Spirit Beyond the Walls: An Oral History with Ms. Marie Butler and Her Daughter, Ms. Stephanie Lindsey by Katy Shenk and Paris Young
When asked what advice she would give to younger generations, 95-year-old Marie Butler offered these words of wisdom: “All I can say is, keep on trusting in the Lord and doing what you’re doing – good things. Don’t go out there in this world doing anything…
Take a Stumbling Block and Make it a Stepping Stone by Paris Mercier and Patricia Woodworth
Reverend Charles Ringgold carries a library of wisdom with him wherever he goes. Each word that he speaks brings perspective and knowledge to those listening. After spending years missing out on school to be his father’s right-hand man …