CHESTERTOWN — Legacy Day 2026 played to a full house at the Garfield Center for the Arts on Friday night, Aug. 14 for the official kickoff of the three-day festival.
One by one, the honorees or their designees, running the gamut of elected and appointed officials, to law enforcement to supervisors of parks and recreation, finance and assessments, were brought to the podium for recognition.
Vanessa Ringgold, president of the Sumner Hall Board of Directors, welcomed guests, who filled every seat on the first floor and in the balcony.
Legacy Day historian Bill Leary and Legacy Day Committee Chairman Nivek Johnson also spoke, before jazz saxophonist Anthony “Turk” Cannon and band performed to close out the evening.
On Saturday morning, activities will resume at 9:30 a.m. with a “Blacks on the Chesapeake” digital display at Sultana’s Holt Education Center at 200 S. Cross St.
There also will be the Mary Fisher Legacy on Wheels parade of 50-plus vehicles along High Street and more musical performances, as well as food and craft vendors.
Legacy Day weekend will conclude on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church with a champagne reception and author talk featuring Jason Green and his memoir “Too Precious to Lose.”
This is the 13th edition of Legacy Day sponsored by Sumner Hall, which celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Kent County’s African American community.
This year’s theme is “Pursuing Freedom: Highlights of 250 years of African American history in Kent County.”
For a full list of events, see Sumner Hall’s website, https://sumnerhall.org/.
— Photo by Trish McGee
