Diversity Group Discusses History

Published in Kent County News | Peter Heck | January 18, 2014

The Diversity Dialogue Group, meeting Monday, Jan. 13, discussed ways to promote the African American walking tour of Chestertown created by members of the group in cooperation with the Historical Society of Kent County.

According to an email from Hope Clark, who facilitates the meetings, the group discussed the possibility of a grant to help with the publicity. Larry Samuels suggested a mural on the Cross Street side of the Bordley Center. The group will invite Karen Emerson, executive director of the historical society, to its February meeting to discuss ways to promote the walking tour.

The discussion broadened out to look at how black history fits in the larger historical context. The group discussed having a booth at the Tea Party Festival to offer the walking tour as an event. It also talked about ways to combine all the research on local black history into a single body, possibly through the historical society. That would include oral history interviews done by Washington College students for the C.V. Starr Center last summer.

Group members also talked about “the poteial of connecting people, history and the town through the Internet,” Clark wrote. Chestertown Councilman Sam Shoge, who has been a regular member of the diversity group's meetings, said he is exploring ways to include more history on the town website. He would like to find innovative ways for people to connect visitors to the town's history.

The diversity group meets at 6:30 p.m., the second Monday of each month, at Bethel A.M.E. Church on College Avenue in Chestertown. Meetings are open to all.