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| Vol. 16, No. 36 | July 10, 1997 |
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| Vol. 16, No. 36 | July 10, 1997 |
If you can't name the first Delawarean inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame or have never heard the legend of Aunt Sally Shadd of Wilmington inventing ice cream, there's a new publication that can help fill the void in your knowledge of the black histo ry of Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore.
A History of African Americans of Delaware & Maryland's Eastern Shore, edited by Carole C. Marks, director of the University of Delaware's Black American Studies Program, has recently been published by the Christian Council of Delaware and Maryland's East ern Shore, with funding provided by the Speer Trust Commission of the New Castle Presbytery.
The collection of essays by noted local scholars has been hailed as an important step in recapturing notable aspects of the area's history that have long been ignored.
"Within these pages are stories of bravery, determination, principle and struggle, and we all benefit from the effort that brings to light valuable information on the history of African Americans in our region," President David P. Roselle writes in the pr eface.
"The individuals whose lives and contributions are chronicled here have surely helped shape our countryÐboth in slavery and in freedom," he continues.
In her introduction, Marks writes, "Our intent is to reveal the long neglected and ignored history of a people who fought against incredible odds merely to be left alone to live, work and raise their families."
The stories told, she notes, have "themes of persistence, courage and invention."
"We have not attempted to write a definitive history," Marks writes. "Rather, this volume is a first step to explore the past from several perspectives. We welcome additions and inputÐthis is a first edition."
Part one paints an historical overview with a broad brush, part two contains four previously unpublished research articles from area scholars and part three includes lesson plans for teachers.
"Delaware's records on the black experience in slavery and freedom are not numerous, detailed or complete because the small number of slave holders produced an even smaller number of record keepers," the introduction notes.
The Black American Studies Program was approached about the book when the Christian Council realized that no such document existed. The council, composed of several denominations, including Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Brethren, Methodist and E piscopalian churches, had identified racism as the number one concern for the church and society in 1993.
After much study and research, the group produced the document, A Call To Action Against Racism. When it became apparent that a comprehensive history of the African-American people of the region should accompany the Call To Action, none could be found.
"We realized that if we are going to do anything about racism in our society, then we need to begin to have an African-American history that begins a dialogue," Beth Doty, consultant and former executive director of the Christian Council, said.
The council's vision for change is that in writing the history, distributing the document broadly, making it available to secondary schools and the public, a dialogue about the root causes of racism in the country and its effects on our personal and corpo rate lives can begin.
Toward that end, each copy of the book includes a computer disk with the book's text and a study guide for students, written by Kevin White of the Howard Career Center.
Other University of Delaware contributors to the book include James E. Newton, professor in the Black American Studies Program, who wrote an overview of black Americans in Delaware and biographies of seven black men; Carol Hoffecker, Richards Professor of History, who wrote a history of black women in Delaware; Margaret Andersen, interim dean of the College of Arts and Science and professor of sociology, who authored the essay, "Discovering the Past/Considering the Future: Lessons from the Eastern Shore"; Judith Y. Gibson, assistant vice president for affirmative action and multicultural programs, who wrote biographies of five black educators; Emma Amuti, development associate, who wrote about black labor in Wilmington and black occupational mobility from 1850-1910; Theodore J. Davis Jr., associate professor of political science and international relations, who wrote about socioeconomic change; and Sidney Jacobs, a graduate student in sociology, who interviewed civil rights activist Littleton Mitchell for the book.
Other contributors include Annette Woolard of the Historical Society of Delaware, who worked with Hoffecker on the women's article; Clara Small from Salisbury State University who wrote, "Abolitionists, Free Black and Runaway Slaves Surviving Slavery on M aryland's Eastern Shore"; Harmon Carey of the Afro-American Historical Society of Delaware, who worked with Newton on the article on famous men; and Peter Dalleo, U.S. Courthouse, Wilmington, who wrote "The Growth of Delaware's Ante-bellum Free African-Am erican Community."
The book is free and will be distributed while supplies last. To obtain a copy, contact the Black American Studies Program at (302) 831-2897.
The mission of the Black American Studies Program is to "create and disseminate information, knowledge and understanding to aid in the formation of a better society for future generations."
The Christian Council, formerly the Council of Churches and later the Delmarva Ecumenical Agency, seeks to address issues of peace and justice, advocate for those marginalized by society and initiate ministries where there have been gaps in services to th e poor and disenfranchised. Some of those resulting ministries include Delmarva Rural Ministries, Pacem In Terris and the Interfaith Resource Center.
| --Beth Thomas |
