People’s Park a milestone for historic Black Annapolis
Next week, Whitmore Park at Clay and Calvert Street in Annapolis will be renamed the “People’s Park,” dedicated to the people of the Old 4th Ward, displaced during Urban Renewal. People’s Park is a work in progress through decades of community voices.
It was 50 years ago that the last deed of properties at Calvert, Clay, and Washington Streets handed over to Anne Arundel County, acquired for the purpose of erecting a parking complex for government employees.
I remain hopeful that county government takes this opportunity to honor the people of the Old 4th Ward throughout the park with art, entertainment, and history. There are many stories to tell.
When examining the 33 deeds, it represents a list of Annapolis’ Black who’s who of activists, band leaders, entrepreneurs, musicians, schoolteachers, spiritual advisors, and veterans — our family members.
The deeds, held in the county Office of Central Services, tell the stories of the former inhabitants of multi-ethnic backgrounds as well as of businesses and fraternal organizations like the American Legion Post 141 and the Order of the Odd Fellows moved elsewhere.
With the last acquisition made by count government, property owned by the county Board of Education and used by the community for all types of gatherings called “Waltz Dream Hall” was done as well.
For nearly 50 years, the voices of the community went unheard by the new owners of the Old 4th Ward. During revitalization efforts by the State of Maryland and the City of Annapolis, the late Bertina Nick, president of Clay Street Community Development, was determined to tell the history of the community.
Bertina worked with Mayor Ellen Moyer, and city employee Teresa Wellman to assure that community revitalization also included the kiosk at the corner of Washington and West Street and that I was to be hired to provide historical research. At that time, a mural was proposed for the side of Whitmore Garage at Washington Street facing First Baptist Church to provide a sense of dignity when leaving the church in lieu of gray concrete structure. County Government was silent.
For many years, there has been no greater advocate for using the Whitmore Garage for musical entertainment — bringing back the sounds of Dixie Hotel, Stanley Wright’s Hotel and the Washington Hotel — than Larry Griffin, president of We Care and Friends. Larry labored side by with Erik Evans and our beloved “Jimbo,” Jim Martin, to provide entertainment in the park on Thursday evenings for quite some time.
In 2013, concerned by the appearance of the dilapidated condition of the park and the garage, the community led by the Art’s District, First Sunday Art’s Commission and members of the Annapolis Art Council invited the community to join in the conversation in what called the “Whitmore Think Tank,” seeking well thought out solutions to the environment, the structures all the way down to electrical fixes needed to enjoy entertainment in the Park.
Once again, county government was silent.
Around 2015, after the installation of the Civil Rights Foot Soldiers Memorial on Calvert Street, County councilmen Chris Trumbauer and Jerry Walker voiced their concerns about the Whitmore complex. They provided evidence of structural failures brought to them by their legislative aides (me again and Pamela Scarbo) — pieces of the ceiling that had fallen on their cars and items left behind by the homeless community.
Through efforts by Trumbauer, now county director of policy and communications, Whitmore Park was moved from the Department of Central Services to the Department of Recreation and Park. Director Rick Anthony and his staff did a yeoman’s job to restore dignity and respect to a community displaced but not forgotten.
Congratulations to the administration of County Executive Steuart Pittman. Here’s looking forward to more.