Chestertown, MD – The fourth concert of Sumner Hall’s musical series featuring African American Legacy in Blues, Jazz and Gospel is this coming Friday, March 1,2019. The Winter Blues are among us but you can chase away those blues with Guy Davis,”Ambassador of the Blues.” Davis is the the eldest child and the only son of Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. He has spent much of the last two decades writing, recording, and performing the Blues.
Sumner Hall is one of only two surviving African American Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Halls in the United States. The current building on Queen Street in Chestertown was built around 1908 and was a center of African American social and cultural life for six decades.
Even though the last member of the G. A. R. Post #25 died in 1928, it was kept alive by the woman relatives of the veterans with the “Army Hall” as it was called, was often rented out for meetings, weddings, graduations and concerts. Jazz notables also performed at the hall on the second-floor stage.
It had fallen on disrepairs and was almost lost to history until the early 2000’s when preservationists, foundations and philanthropic citizens joined together in a thirteen-year campaign to transform the building into the historically accurate and beautifully restored space that it is today.
Currently the Non-profit mission “is to preserve Sumner Hall as a place of remembrance, to promote an understanding of the African American experience within the context of American history and culture, to honor the contributions of African American veterans, to promote the pursuit of liberty for all, and to advocate for social justice. We envision a time when Sumner Hall is recognized, locally and nationally, as a premier showcase for the African American experience on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.”
Since an important part of this history and culture is the legacy of Black America in jazz, gospel, and blues they decided to highlight this body of music by offering a concert series produced by retired Mainstay founder and director, Tom McHugh.
For tickets, Click HERE
The Rest of the Lineup:
April 13 / 7 pm
Jason Blythe and the University of Delaware Band Re-create the Lester Young Trio
May 11/ 7 pm
Karen Somerville Sings Mahalia, Aretha. . .and More
June 1 / 7 pm
Reggie Harris Wraps It Up
Sumner Hall
206 S. Queen Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
phone 443 282 0023
garpost25.org