The African American Historical Signage and Visualization Project commemorates the people, places, and events which have had a significant impact on Kent County’s African American community. Through a combination of historical markers and documentary films, the project brings attention to the often-overlooked contributions of the local Black population. These signs and videos help to honor their legacy.
This project is the work of historian and recording artist Karen Somerville, a 2021-2023 Chesapeake Heartland Community Curation Fellow.
African American Historical Signage and Visualization Project
Emma L. Grason Miller
This documentary highlights the life of educator Emma L. Grason Miller whose efforts led to the founding of the Henry Highland Garnet School in Chestertown, MD. The video below traces Miller’s early education at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, MD under the luminary tutelage of Mother Mary Lange through to Emma’s influential leadership in forging opportunities for Black students in Kent County, MD. Through this project, the library at H.H. Garnet Elementary School has been renamed the Emma L. Grason Miller Media Center to honor her legacy and continued impact.
The Story of Emma L. Grason Miller and Mother Mary Lange
The Uptown Club
This documentary series tells the story of the Uptown Club, a music venue in Chestertown, MD, which hosted some of the mid-twentieth century’s most renowned Black performers. Here you will learn about the club’s impact on the local African American community and its broader connection to the “Chitlin Circuit,” Black-owned venues which fostered a vibrant culture at the height of segregation. A marker commemorating the Uptown Club has been erected at its former location at the intersection of Calvert and College in Chestertown.
Remembering the Cover Bands
Thriving through the Chitlin' Circuit
Dancing Uptown on Saturday Night
Starstruck Pete & Margo
Growing Up in the Neighborhood
Strolling for Memories