CIVIL RIGHTS GUIDE Annapolis & Anne Arundel County
WELCOME To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Governor Wes Moore designated 2024 as Maryland’s Year of Civil Rights. Governor Moore emphasized the significance and potential of the milestone with the statement: “Studying history isn’t just about knowing what happened in the past. It’s about knowing our power in the present.” As Maryland’s capital and a region south of the MasonDixon Line, Annapolis and Anne Arundel County’s civil rights history is illustrative of its location. The impact of Jim Crow laws and segregation is evident in communities, local and national leaders walked our halls and streets affecting change, and residents advocated for equality and justice. In honor of the 60th anniversary, this guide will introduce you to 60 locations with a connection to the region’s
to Annapolis & Anne Arundel County
civil rights story. Embedded in the guide are QR codes connecting to site-specific oral histories, where community members share their firsthand accounts of life during the Civil Rights Movement. At the sites, historical markers identify historic structures and interpretive signs provide additional context and information. For a deeper exploration of the region’s civil rights history, visit our local museums located throughout the county, as well as nearby national museums. While traveling the region and exploring the history of the Civil Rights Movement, contemplate where we as a nation have been, where we are today, and where we need to be tomorrow. We all have the power to advocate for equality and justice. How will you use yours?
FRONT Cover: Demonstrators in front of the Terminal Restaurant, November 1960. Courtesy of Associated Press. INSIDE Cover: Demonstrators demand enactment of statewide public accommodations at Maryland State House, March 1964. Courtesy of Associated Press. ABOVE: Kunta Kinte - Alex Haley Memorial at Annapolis City Dock. Courtesy of Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County.
2
Before the American Civil War African Americans were fighting for their freedom. After the Civil War they were fighting for their civil rights.”
“
— Christopher Haley, nephew of Alex Haley, author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family
Civil Rights Movement Maryland, once a slave state and later a Jim Crow state with legalized racial segregation, is home to dynamic civil rights activism. The fight for civil rights in Maryland is the work of courageous activists— many everyday people whose stories you will learn. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States. Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964, the Act prohibited discrimination in public places, provided for the integration of schools and other public facilities, and made employment discrimination illegal. It was the most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction. 4
In Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, as across the United States, the Civil Rights Act outlawed segregation in businesses such as theaters, restaurants, and hotels. It banned discriminatory practices in employment and ended segregation in public places such as swimming pools, beaches, and public schools. The 60th anniversary milestone of the Civil Rights Act serves as a reminder of the progress made. At the same time, it provides an opportunity to inspire action for the work still needed to address racial inequality and discrimination in our communities and in the United States.
Demonstrators in support of Civil Rights legislation at Maryland State House, Annapolis. March 1964. Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives. Marion Warren Collection.
National Civil Rights Timeline January 1, 1863
May 18, 1896
August 28, 1963
President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared all enslaved people in the Confederate States free.
Plessy v. Ferguson ruled that “separate but equal” segregation laws were not unconstitutional.
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom advocated civil and economic freedom for African Americans.
November 1, 1864
Summer 1919
Maryland issued a new state constitution that made slavery illegal.
Better known as “Red Summer,” was a series of racial riots against African Americans across the United States.
December 6, 1865
May 17, 1954
13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude.
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
February 3, 1870 15th Amendment granted African American men the right to vote.
May 6, 1960 Civil Rights Act of 1960 established voter registration protection.
July 2, 1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
August 6, 1965 Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits racial discrimination in voting.
SEGREGATED COMMUNITIES After the Civil War and emancipation, African Americans formed enclaves across Anne Arundel County, joining a few earlier communities. Jim Crow laws, a collection of state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation, kept communities separated. Jim Crow laws also denied equal access to housing, jobs, transportation, and recreational opportunities, as well as consorting between races. These obstacles hindered Blacks and whites from interacting, but spurred resilient self-sustaining Black communities driven by the need for fellowship, safety, and essential services. Neighborhoods developed with a similar community plan which, in many cases, remains visible today. At the community center, African American churches stood as beacons of empowerment, shaping the community’s values, and nurturing pride. Nearby, and often adjacent, schools provided education. Locally run stores supplied household necessities. Recreation spaces, ranging from restaurants to beaches and sandlot baseball fields, offered welcoming spaces for gathering and socializing. Although self-reliant in segregated communities, residents remained vigilant in their quest for equal access and opportunity. 6
3 Historic Hancock’s Resolution 2795 Bayside Beach Road, Pasadena historichancocksresolution.org
Truck farming enabled many African Americans to own land and develop businesses. Explore exhibits about truck farming in the region at this county park.
4 Lloyd Keaser Community Center 5757 Belle Grove Road, Brooklyn
Asbury UM Church. Courtesy of Erin Douglass
1 Acton Lane 87 West Street, Annapolis asburyumc-annapolis.org
Smith Price, a freeman upon the death of his owner, founded one of the earliest African American communities when he purchased land outside the Annapolis’ gates in 1800. At the center of the community was the first church in Anne Arundel County for African Americans, today Asbury United Methodist Church.
2 Historic London Town and Gardens 839 Londontown Road, Edgewater historiclondontown.org
This colonial seaport witnessed the arrival of enslaved Africans and Caribbeans. By the late 1800s, those without resources resided here in a segregated almshouse. The property is now a 23-acre park featuring history, archaeology, and horticulture.
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
The community of Pumphrey was founded by 75 African Americans in 1832. Notable resident and U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Lloyd “Butch” Keaser is the first African American to win a gold medal in the wrestling world championships in 1973 and the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
5 Bacontown
7 Freetown
3601 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel
7825 Freetown Road, Glen Burnie
James Spencer founded Freetown in 1845. In 1871, additional land was purchased by community members to provide educational opportunities for Black men and boys. A century later, Spencer’s great-great grandson was instrumental in inviting the Black Panthers to speak at his local high school. Today this residential community’s Rosenwald school is the Freetown Improvement Association.
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
In 1860 Maria Bacon was the impetus for this community when she received 30 acres of land with her emancipation. She established a home with her three children and three other freed individuals. The historic church denotes the community center.
8 Asbury Broadneck United Methodist Church & Cemetery 657 Broadneck Road, Annapolis
9 Holland United Sons & Daughters Beneficial Society 389 Deale Road, Tracys Landing bit.ly/3NLPfjp
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
Public aid groups provided safe spaces and assisted African Americans during segregation. The society’s building was preserved by the Deale Area Historical Society and is now part of Herrington Harbor North Marina’s Historic Village.
6 Jones Station 100 Hoyle Lane, Severna Park
An African American community emerged adjacent to the Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad’s Jones Station train stop. In 1955, a new school was built to replace the community’s Rosenwald School and was integrated in 1966. The community church is across the street from the elementary school.
The congregation’s ancestors, who worked on the local farms, secretly worshipped at camp meetings before purchasing this property in 1851. The church was a safe place for worship, fellowship, and the exchange of information. It remains an active church for the community.
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
7
14 Severn & Queenstown 726 Donaldson Avenue, Severn
Modern bungalow-style Eastport home. Courtesy of Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County.
10 Hot Sox Ball Field at Wilson Park
12 Parole
862 Galesville Road, Galesville
During the Civil War, African Americans arrived in Annapolis to work at camps holding paroled Union soldiers. Postwar, the community took advantage of materials left behind to build homes. Follow the interpretive panels throughout Parole for more community history.
Galesville Hot Sox, a semiprofessional African American baseball team founded in 1915, played on this land inherited by Henry Wilson’s son, Richard. Henry Wilson was Galesville’s first African American landowner. Today, this historic site is a county park with one of the last sandlot fields in the county.
11 Lothian 41 Ark Road, Lothian
Geraldine “Gerri” Whittington was the personal executive secretary to President Lyndon Johnson when the Civil Rights Act was signed. She is buried in the church cemetery. The community church incorporated one of the community’s two Rosenwald schools into its building and the other is next door.
8
1901 West Street, Annapolis
Once a rural farming community, Queenstown is an unincorporated African American community named for Ambrose and Annie Queen. The geographically distinct area remains known by this name although legally it is part of the town of Severn. An interpretive panel at the county park provides details of the community’s history.
15 Eastport—Annapolis Maritime Museum 723 Second Street, Annapolis amaritime.org
13 Joe Cannon Stadium at Matthewstown Harmans Park 7551 Teague Road, Hanover
The modern stadium was originally a sandlot baseball field for the local community of Matthewstown. Matthews Park was a leisure destination for African American families both locally and from Baltimore with the Matthews family providing a wide range of visitor amenities.
Despite segregated schools and churches, Eastport was one of the region’s few racially integrated communities. Explore the area with the self-guided Eastport Walking Tour that starts at the museum.
Rosenwald Schools
EDUCATION During the post-Civil War and Jim Crow eras, African American education suffered neglect in a racially biased system. Recognizing the pivotal role of education in achieving equal citizenship, Black leaders established their own schools. In the 1920s, the African American community in Anne Arundel County constructed more than 25 elementary schoolhouses. Despite this progress, the county maintained only one high school for Black students for decades. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated the integration of county schools, which occurred over the next several years with varying degrees of success.
16 Stanton Community Center 92 West Washington Street, Annapolis
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
17 Wiley H. Bates High School Legacy Center 1101 Smithville Street, Annapolis
From 1932 to 1966, this was the only high school in Anne Arundel County for African Americans. Today, the legacy center preserves and shares the history of the school through art, memorabilia, and oral histories.
18 Ralph J. Bunche Community Center 374 Mill Swamp Road, Edgewater
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
A hub for activism during the Civil Rights Movement, the center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today an active community center, it houses a fully furnished schoolroom illustrating the building’s original use as one of Annapolis’ first schools for African American children.
A destination in this rural community, this school was built about 1930 across the street from the county’s first school for African American children. Mill Swamp School was modernized in 1951 and renamed for Ralph J. Bunche, a Howard University department chair, who was the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Parole School grades 5 - 7, circa 1931. Courtesy of Urcunina Films.
Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute, and Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company, collaborated to enable the education of African American children. The two men helped build more than 5,000 state-of-the-art schools across the South. Rosenwald offered grant funds, matched by the local African American community and school district, to cover half the cost of school buildings. The Rosenwald school building program provided detailed instructions for standardized school construction, including architectural plans, building materials, landscaping, and paint colors. The schools became a focal point for community identity and a crucial advancement for Black education in the early 20th century. Today, 13 Rosenwald Schools remain standing in Anne Arundel County.
19 Lula G. Scott Community Center 6243 Shady Side Road, Shady Side
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
The Churchton Rosenwald School, constructed in 1921, was moved to this site and combined with the Shady Side Rosenwald School, built in 1926. The combined building is named for one of the Churchton school teachers. This Rosenwald School, now a community center, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
20 Galesville Community Center 916 Benning Road, Galesville historicgalesville.org
Originally a Rosenwald School built in 1929, the Galesville Community Center showcases the history of Blacks in the area. Explore the town’s history with the self-guided interpretive panel tour.
10
22 Seafarers Yacht Club 301 Chester Avenue, Annapolis seafarersyc.com
Barred from many Chesapeake Bay marinas and yacht clubs, a group of Black captains banded together
and founded the Seafarers Yacht Club. In 1967, the Seafarers purchased the community’s former African American elementary school for their clubhouse. Still a private club today, interpretive panels at the park across the street provide more information about the building, the club, and the community’s history.
21 U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) 52 King George Street, Annapolis, navalacademytourism.com In 1872, James Henry Conyers, an African American man from South Carolina, was appointed to and accepted by the USNA. Despite strict orders from the Ulysses S. Grant administration that he be treated with the utmost consideration, he suffered severe treatment and indignation at the hands of his fellow midshipmen and left after a year. Not until 1949 would Wesley
A. Brown become the first African American graduate and later have the rare honor of having a Naval Academy building named after him—Wesley Brown Field House. In 1976, trailblazer Janie Mines entered the Naval Academy as a member of the first female class and in 1980, became the first African American female graduate.
BEACHES During the Jim Crow era, ‘Whites Only’ signs barred African Americans from local beaches. In response, African Americans purchased beachfront land along the shores of Anne Arundel County to form their own beach communities. Some beach communities were summer homes for Baltimore and Washington, D.C. residents, others were family-centered day spots and amusement parks, and others, like Carr’s Beach, were hot spots along the Chitlin’ Circuit that hosted the top African American musicians and singers of the day.
23 Beachwood Park 8320 Beachwood Park Road, Pasadena bit.ly/3NSsLO1
Sarah Vaughan performing live over WANN Radio at Carr’s Beach. Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives, Thomas R. Baden, Jr. Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives, Morris Lieberman.
24 Beverly Beach 1202 Triton Beach Road, Edgewater bit.ly/48n4S9n
A 1968 court order instructed beach resort owner Edgar Kalb to desegregate or cease operations—he chose to close. Today the beach, with Triton Beach, is Beverly Triton Nature Park and open to all.
Chitlin’ Circuit The Chitlin’ Circuit was a network of performance venues throughout the South, East, and Upper Midwest areas of the United States where African American musicians, comedians, and other entertainers found cultural acceptance during the era of racial segregation. Many Black performers gained notoriety and launched successful careers after touring on the Chitlin’ Circuit.
25 Columbia Beach 1620 Columbia Beach Road, Shady Side
In the 1950s Beachwood Park was advertised as “Maryland’s finest interracial beach and amusement park.” On the shores of the Magothy River, it is now a county park and open to visitors.
Created in 1940 by Black professionals as a retreat from the hot summers in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, the beach community hosted regattas, concerts, and beauty pageants. Still a private community, interpretive panels provide information at the community’s entrance.
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
11
26 Carr’s & Sparrow’s Beaches Edgewood Road & Chesapeake Harbour Drive, Annapolis
Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives, Thomas R. Baden, Jr.
Elizabeth Carr Smith transformed this beachfront property into a wildly popular entertainment and music venue hosting more than 10,000 fans at a time. Elizabeth’s sister, Florence Carr Sparrow, developed the adjacent beach with a playground and baseball diamond. Today a waterfront community, an interpretive panel marks the former beach property.
27 Elktonia Beach 7199 Bembe Beach Road, Annapolis
The last remnant of the original 180acre property purchased by Fred Carr in 1902 and developed by his daughters into Carr’s and Sparrow’s Beaches. This property is now a public park with beach access.
12
Ladies pose in front of DJ Hoppy Adams’ car at Carr’s and Sparrow’s Beach. Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives.
28 Charles “Hoppy” Adams Jr. House
29 Sandy Point State Park
35 Old Solomon’s Island Road, Annapolis
1100 East College Parkway, Annapolis bit.ly/3THiO9Q
DJ Hoppy Adams (left) poses with 2 men. Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives.
Home of Annapolis DJ who brought R&B artists to local airwaves and pumped crowds into a frenzy at Carr’s Beach concerts. Barred from local hotels, Carr’s Beach musicians often stayed here. Currently the house is not open to the public.
Sandy Point’s beaches and bathhouses were once segregated, with the smaller beach designated for African Americans to use. A civil lawsuit challenging this inequality was successful. In 1955, by order of the U.S. Supreme Court, all state parks were mandated to be open for all.
SOCIAL JUSTICE Ignited by the quest for equal rights in education, jobs, and housing, Anne Arundel County’s Black community embraced activism. From the nation’s and Maryland’s Capital marches to court battles, to sit-ins at segregated restaurants, they amplified their cry for justice. Facing arrest and physical brutality, Blacks in Anne Arundel County used the Congress of Racial Equality’s (CORE) nonviolent resistance training to demonstrate peaceful techniques while finding the courage to affect and demand change. Their dedication to activism left an indelible mark on the county’s journey toward justice.
30 Banneker-Douglass Museum 84 Franklin Street, Annapolis bdmuseum.maryland.gov
Demonstrators protest the shooting of an unarmed Black man. Courtesy of Urcunina Films.
31 Museum of Historic Annapolis 99 Main Street, Annapolis annapolis.org
The Banneker-Douglass Museum* preserves and shares Maryland’s civil rights history. Founder, Senator Verda Freeman Welcome, was Maryland’s first African American woman senator and in 1964 survived an assassination attempt aimed at silencing her civil rights work. In response to this threat and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Senator Welcome created legislation that led to the establishment of the Banneker-
Douglass Museum. Her vision was to create Maryland’s first institution that authentically preserved African American history and culture and inspire social change for future generations. Today, as Maryland’s official state museum of African American history and culture, the permanent exhibits include a large section about the Civil Rights Movement and showcase historic photographs, objects, and films.
Sit at a lunch counter, explore the interactive exhibits, and discover the powerful stories of the young people and community leaders who rose up to lead the Civil Rights Movement in Annapolis.
* - At the time of publication, a bill was being considered to rename the Banneker-Douglass Museum.
13
Parole
outer West St. Westgate Circle
VISITORS CENTER
CHURCH CIRCL E
STATE CIRCLE CITY DOC K
KUNTA KINTE-ALEX HALEY MEMORIAL
PHOTO ID OR PASSPORT REQUIRED FOR 18 YRS +
VISITORS CENTER
CIT Y DOCK
KUNTA KINTE-ALEX HALEY MEMORIAL
RESTROOMS PARKING
N
INFORMATION WATER TAXI
w
e
WALKING TOUR SAILBOAT TOUR MOTORBOAT TOUR
s
TROLLEY TOUR
South Forest Dr. 26
36 Alsop’s Restaurant
32 People’s Park
Formerly at the corner of Calvert and Northwest Streets, Annapolis
43 Calvert Street, Annapolis
This park is dedicated to the memory and history of the Old Fourth Ward businesses and residents removed during the 1960s National Urban Renewal Movement. Following Maryland Legislative State mandates, Annapolis established the Annapolis Urban Renewal Authority to identify “blighted”
or “slum dwellings” to make way for what was termed “municipal progress.” This area, which was extremely active during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, was destroyed in the name of progress and an attempt to silence activism in the city. Explore the online story map “Remembering the People of the Old 4th Ward” for a full history.
33 Star Theatre
34 Terminal Restaurant
Formerly at Northwest and Calvert Street Annapolis
126 West Street, Annapolis
On November 25, 1960, four African American professionals were denied service at the bus terminal restaurant. Refusing to leave, the protesters were arrested. After two days of picketing, the restaurant changed its policy. Now the site of the Graduate Annapolis hotel, a plaque commemorates the sit-in.
Travel for African Americans during segregation could be dangerous. The Negro Motorist Green Book featured listings of Black-friendly restaurants, like Alsop’s. A respite for travelers needing lodging and food, the restaurant was known for its seafood and sizzling steaks.
37 Brown’s Hotel and Wright’s Hotel Formerly at 50 Clay Street and 26 Calvert Street, Annapolis
Brown’s Hotel and Wright’s Hotel were two of the lodging options listed for Annapolis in the Negro Motorist Green Book.
38 Henkel’s Steakhouse Formerly at 63 West Street, Annapolis
35 St. Philips Church Formerly at 25 Northwest Street, Annapolis
Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives.
Today, a mural marks where the Star Theater once stood. It was the only commercial movie theater where African Americans could go to view popular films during segregation. 16
In the 1950s, the church’s rector also served as chair of the county NAACP and Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) training was conducted here to teach nonviolent protest methods. The church and hall were razed in the name of urban renewal. A small park in front of the parking garage is near the church site.
Courtesy of Urcunina Films.
In the fall of 1962, African American protesters organized a sit-in at Henkel’s Steakhouse; the restaurant forcibly responded by spraying the protesters with water.
39 Lynching Memorial 43 Calvert Street, Annapolis
Between the American Civil War and World War II, more than 4,000 racially motivated lynchings occurred in the United States. A memorial to the five lynchings that occurred in Anne Arundel County during that time can be found here.
There can be no reconciliation, no healing, without remembrance”
“
— Rev. Dr. Carletta Allen, Pastor, Asbury United Methodist Church
Some 30 members of CORE and the NAACP staged a sit-in at Barnes Restaurant in Annapolis, March 1964. Courtesy of Associated Press
40 Old Jail on Calvert Street
41 Washington Nightclub
Formerly at 44 Calvert Street, Annapolis
Edward “Udie” Legum, a white man whose family owned and operated the Washington Nightclub, traveled to New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia with Black Annapolitans Soap and Babe Tasker to search for performers. One gem he found was Pearl Bailey, who worked at the nightclub for two years at the beginning of her career.
Formerly at 61 Washington Street Annapolis
42 Royal Restaurant Formerly at 23 West Street, Annapolis Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives, Howard Hayman, Sr.
Into the 20th century, Black men incarcerated in the Annapolis City Jail were, on numerous occasions, taken from the jail and lynched. Stories like that of Henry Davis, who was dragged from the jail on Calvert Street and brought down Clay Street to Brickyard Hill where he was hanged and shot multiple times, tell of the injustices that African Americans faced in Annapolis.
Greek immigrants, Savvas “Sam” and Magdalena “Margie” Pantelides’ restaurant was one of the first in Annapolis to serve African Americans during segregation.
17
44 Governor’s Mansion
46 Crownsville Hospital
110 State Circle, Annapolis
1520 Crownsville Road, Crownsville
In 2022, Wes Moore was elected the 63rd Governor of Maryland. He is the first Black governor in the state’s 246-year history and is only the third African American governor in the history of the United States. No visitation as this is a private residence.
Established in 1911 as a segregated psychiatric hospital, Crownsville’s African American patients navigated controversial medical treatments and crowded living conditions. Despite these challenges, the hospital created employment opportunities for numerous local African American residents. The hospital grounds are not open to visitors, but interpretive panels at the former administration building provide more information about the hospital’s history.
45 Annapolis High School now Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts House Speaker Adrienne Jones speaks during a news conference in front of Governor Wes Moore and Senate President Bill Ferguson. Courtesy of Associated Press.
801 Chase Street, Annapolis marylandhall.org
43 Maryland State House
47 Civil Rights Foot Soldiers Memorial The People’s Park, 44 Calvert Street, Annapolis
100 State Circle, Annapolis bit.ly/48DKD78
The Maryland State House has been the site of marches, protests, legislation, and political action—both for and against civil rights. In 1958, Verda Freeman Welcome became Maryland’s first African American female senator. Days before Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April 1968, students from Bowie State College, Maryland’s oldest historically black college, protested here about the poor conditions of school facilities and lack of academic resources. In 2019, Delegate Adrienne Jones became Speaker of the House of Delegates—a position never held by a woman nor an African American. Exhibits, plaques, statues, and portraits inside the building and on the grounds acknowledge Maryland civil rights leaders.
In 1966, Annapolis High School was integrated with students from Wiley H. Bates High School. Tensions erupted in the winter of 1970 when student protests demanding change turned violent. Today, the building serves as an arts venue for all.
On August 28, 1963, people gathered here to ride buses to Washington, D.C. for the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Today, the memorial honors Anne Arundel County residents who participated in the march.
48 Read’s Drug Store 176 Main Street, Annapolis
In 1955, five years before the Greensboro Woolworth’s lunch counter protest, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and Morgan State College joined forces to stage simultaneous sit-ins at Read’s Drug Stores in Baltimore. One of the nation’s earliest successful student-led sit-in protests resulted in the end of segregated lunch counters in all Read’s Drug Stores, including Annapolis.
49 St. John’s College 60 College Avenue, Annapolis sjc.edu/annapolis
Portrait of Thurgood Marshall by artist Ernest Shaw, Jr. Courtesy of Collection of the Maryland State Archives.
51 Little Campus Inn
I was welcomed on campus, a bastion, and that welcome made all the difference in the world.”
“
63 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis
— Martin Appell Dyer, first African American to attend St. John’s College 50 Thurgood Marshall Portrait Lobby of Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Hearing Room, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis
In 1949, St. John’s College became the first all-white college south of the Mason-Dixon Line to voluntarily admit Black students. The college admitted its first female students in 1951.
The portrait depicts Thurgood Marshall in 1935 after his win in the Maryland Court of Appeals of Murray v. Pearson, which facilitated the desegregation of the University of Maryland Law School.
Courtesy of Urcunina Films.
The Little Campus Inn desegregated upon serving Martin Dyer, the first African American student to graduate from St. John’s College.
19
COMMEMORATION These commemorative spaces are places to pause, reflect, and honor those who have been a part of the Civil Rights Movement. Some commemorate national civil rights icons and local champions who transcended oppressive barriers, tirelessly working for a fair, more just society. Others honor a time and place that should not be forgotten. Across these memorials, there is a shared desire to inspire personal reflection and encourage people to set intentions for creating a more inclusive and equitable world.
55 Thurgood Marshall Memorial Plaza Lawyer’s Mall, Maryland State House, 100 State Circle, Annapolis
53 Coretta Scott King Garden 135 Stepneys Lane, Edgewater
This is the first public memorial dedicated to Coretta Scott King. She worked alongside her husband Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil rights and was instrumental in advocating for the national holiday to honor him.
54 Martin Luther King, Jr. Statue Anne Arundel Community College Campus, 101 College Parkway, Arnold
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
Whitmore Parking Garage, 37 Clay Street, Annapolis
1835 Forest Drive, Annapolis
20
This plaza honors United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and his accomplishments. It is erected on the site of the former Court of Appeals building. Here he argued some of his early civil rights cases that were the first steps on the road to Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka (1954) where he succeeded in having the U.S. Supreme Court declare segregated public schools unconstitutional.
56 Pearl Bailey Mural Project
52 Dr. Aris T. Allen Memorial Barred from working at the local hospital in the 1940s, Dr. Aris T. Allen practiced medicine while also being involved in civic affairs. He was the first African American appointed to the Anne Arundel County Board of Education and later became the first African American chair of the Maryland Republican Party, and subsequently ran for lieutenant governor in 1978.
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
Serving as a reminder of those who have fought and fallen before us in the Civil Rights Movement, this statue also serves as an inspiration to continue the battle of justice and equality for all.
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
Before achieving fame, Pearl Bailey lived and worked at the Washington Nightclub, near the mural site.
57 Fourth Ward, Circa 1940s Mural 92 Washington Street, Annapolis
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
This mural celebrates the jazz era in the Old Fourth Ward when some of the most celebrated Black entertainers performed here, including Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and many others.
58 Thurgood Marshall and Ruth Ginsberg Mural 156 South Street, Annapolis
Honoring two titans of American civil rights—both U.S. Supreme Court Justices—this mural next to the Anne Arundel County Courthouse hopes to inspire equal justice under law.
Courtesy of Erin Douglass
60 Congressman John Lewis Mural
59 Breonna Taylor Mural
95 West Street, Annapolis
Chambers Park, 14 Dorsey Avenue, Annapolis
Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired
This 7,000-sq. ft. mural seeks to amplify the conversation about systemic racism and police brutality towards unarmed African Americans, while also serving as a reminder that African American women also fall victim to such violence. Limited parking at this location.
Congressman John Lewis to join the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement during his youth. Lewis is memorialized in this mural with civil rights activists crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge to protest African American voter suppression.
When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war.”
“
— Congressman John Lewis 21
Two men support the Anne Arundel County Layman’s Corps. Courtesy of Urcunina Films
FOR MORE ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THE REGION Explore civilrightsguide.com View Visit Pip and Zastrow: An American Friendship
Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum, 1320 Eutaw Place, Baltimore, MD lilliecarrolljacksonmuseum.org Maryland Center for History and Culture, 610 Park Avenue, Baltimore, MD mdhistory.org National Museum of African American History & Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC nmaahc.si.edu
22
Prince George’s County Civil Rights Trail, pgccivilrights.org Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, 830 East Pratt St, Baltimore, MD lewismuseum.org Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, 1816 12th Street NW, Washington, DC tmcsh.org
Advisory Committee Carol Benson, Executive Director, Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area C. Jane Cox, Administrator, Cultural Resources Section, Anne Arundel County Planning and Zoning Irving E. Gaither, Director, Northern Arundel Cultural Preservation Society Christopher E. Haley, Director, Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, Maryland State Archives Mary-Angela Hardwick, Vice President of Education and Interpretation, Historic Annapolis Foundation Janice Hayes-Williams, Historian, Our Local Legacy, LLC
Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Foundation Board of Trustees Lisa Bills, Secretary Raymond Cajudoy, Chair Ronny Nadiv, Treasurer Jill Porter Gabrielle Samuels, Vice Chair
Contributors Art at Large Pamela Bloom Erin Douglass Maryland State Archives Shanthony Art & Design
Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Staff Karen Britton, Assistant Director of Visitor Experience Jana Carter, Assistant Director of Sales Dan Cook, Director of Marketing & Communications Heather Ersts, Director of Tourism Development Veronica Gambel, Visitor Experience Specialist Shannon Harcum, Senior Director of Finance & Administration Susan Hill, Assistant Director of Finance Brad Howard, Visitor Experience Specialist
Elizabeth Joyner, Director of Sales Brandi McKeating, Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications Christine McNichols, Director of Partnerships Melinda Parkhurst, Office Manager Kristen Pironis, Executive Director Joanne Rennie, Executive Administrator Judy Spiewak, Visitor Experience Manager Tatiana Wells, Director of Visitor Experience
Chanel Johnson, Director, Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and the Banneker-Douglass Museum Lyndra Marshall (née Pratt), Historian, Galesville Community Center, Inc. Barbara Quaye, Business Development Director, Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation Anthony Spencer, Member, Northern Arundel Cultural Preservation Society
Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Board of Directors Donna Anderson Bill Givens Cynthia Jones, Secretary Mark Kleinschmidt Jill Porter, Chair Stephen Rice Gina Stewart Hope Stewart Steven Stavropolous, Treasurer Donnie Sutton, Vice Chair Adrienne Trout Gavin Buckley, Mayor, City of Annapolis* Kristen Pironis, Executive Director, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County* Miriam Stanicic, Community Relations Director, U.S. Naval Academy* Honorable Steuart Pittman, County Executive, Anne Arundel County* *denotes ex officio positions
Advocates marching in Annapolis (January 1972) in support of declaring Martin L. King, Jr.’s birthday as a state holiday. Courtesy of Urcunina Films.
23