CHESTERTOWN — A new monument that pays tribute to the remarkable achievements and legacy of local African Americans will be unveiled Saturday morning, Sept. 14 at Bethel A.M.E. Church on College Avenue.
According to a news release from the Black Heritage Signage Committee, Bethel Church has stood as a “resilient pillar” in the community for nearly two centuries.
“From the challenging days of Jim Crow to the fervor of the Civil Rights movement, Bethel has not only survived but thrived, serving as a spiritual and social hub for generations,” the news release states.
The Rev. Robert N. “Bobby” Brown Jr., the current pastor, is the fourth generation of his family to faithfully serve this historic church. His great-grandfather, the Rev. Frederick G. Jones Sr., played a pivotal role in Chestertown’s civil rights history.
As the founder of the local chapter of the NAACP, the Rev. Jones united residents and “Freedom Riders” in their pursuit of equality.
This will be the fourth historic signage to be unveiled.
The corner of Calvert Street and College Avenue, where for 42 years the Uptown Club owned and operated by Charlie Graves was the lifeblood of the local Black community, was the first site to receive historic signage in June 2022.
Also in 2022, two commemorative plaques were placed at Henry Highland Garnet Elementary School on Calvert Street, recognizing H.H. Garnet’s and Emma Grason Miller’s contributions to education in Kent County.
Henry Highland Garnet (1815-1882) was born into slavery in Kent County; at about the age of 9 he escaped with his family to New York. In adulthood, he earned acclaim as an abolitionist, orator, clergyman and diplomat.
HHGES’ media center is named for Miller.
Garnet School, built in 1916 as the first high school in Kent County for Black students, was a wooden structure located on College Avenue. It was built under the leadership of Emma Miller, Kent County’s first Black supervisor of colored schools (1911-1922).
The signage at Bethel Church has been professionally installed by Wright’s Concrete & Construction; Edwin Wright is the owner and operator, and Phillip Henry is the skilled tradesman.
The public is invited to Saturday’s signage unveiling, which will get underway at 11 a.m. The Rev. Bobby Brown will be present, and will share stories of his family’s longstanding service to the community.
Bethel A.M.E Church is located at 237 N. College Ave.