Sumner Hall

08/19/2026

Op-Ed: Sumner Hall Legacy Day: Too Precious to Lose By Vanessa Ringgold ...Read more at https://chestertownspy.org/2026/08/19/op-ed-sumner-hall-legacy-day-too-precious-to-lose-by-vanessa-ringgold/

08/17/2026

08/16/2026

Landmark Frank Stewart Photography Exhibition to Open at Historic Sumner Hall During 30th Annual Chestertown Jazz Festival

Acclaimed photographer will appear in person for opening reception celebrating a lifetime of documenting jazz, culture, and human experience.

Historic Sumner Hall will present a landmark exhibition of photographs by internationally acclaimed photographer Frank Stewart as part of the 30th Annual Chestertown Jazz Festival. The exhibition will feature a retrospective of Stewart’s fine art photography alongside his celebrated images documenting generations of legendary jazz musicians, making it one of the signature cultural events of this year’s festival.

Stewart will appear in person for the exhibition’s opening reception on Friday, September 11, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Guests will have the rare opportunity to meet the artist, view the exhibition, and hear firsthand about the stories behind his remarkable photographs, which capture the rhythm, spirit, and humanity of cultures around the world.

For more than three decades, Stewart served as senior staff photographer for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, creating an unparalleled visual record of jazz history. His work reflects a mastery of light, composition, and storytelling, documenting both iconic performances and intimate behind-the-scenes moments while celebrating the richness of global traditions and everyday life.

The exhibition will remain open to the public on Saturday, September 12, from 10 am – 7 pm (, and will remain on display at Sumner Hall). Visitors will experience a carefully curated selection of Stewart’s striking black-and-white and color photographs, including portraits of legendary musicians such as Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Ahmad Jamal, as well as powerful images exploring culture, travel, and the human experience.

08/15/2026

Thank you to our honorees and all who attended! (and thanks to The Evening Enterprise for capturing this special event!)

African Americans' legacy in Kent
CHESTERTOWN — Legacy Day 2026 played to a full house at the Garfield Center for the Arts on Friday night, Aug. 14 for the official kickoff of the three-day festival. One by one, the honorees or their designees, running the gamut of elected and appointed officials, to law enforcement to supervisors of parks and recreation, finance and assessments, were brought to the podium for recognition. Vanessa Ringgold, president of the Sumner Hall Board of Directors, welcomed guests, who filled every seat on the first floor and in the balcony. Legacy Day historian Bill Leary and Legacy Day Committee Chairman Nivek Johnson […]
Read more - https://theeveningenterprise.com/african-americans-legacy-in-kent/

08/15/2026

Saturday, August 15
9:30am | Digital Experience:
Blacks on the Chesapeake
Holt Education Center, 200 Cross Street

10:30am | Black History Walking Tour*
Starts at 200 Cross Street

1pm | Schooner Sultana Sail*
Chester River, Town Dock,
98 Cannon Street

4pm | Mary Fisher Legacy Day Parade on Wheels

5pm | Legacy Day Street Party with DJ Black Frost; Dance to the tunes of Soulfied Village; DMW Line Dance
200 block of High Street

Sunday, August 16
1pm | Author Talk & Champagne Reception*
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 101 N. Cross Street
Meet author Jason Green, an advisor to former President Obama as he discusses his inspiring memoir on community - Too Precious to Lose. Moderated By Airlee Ringgold-Johnson

*Registration required - https://sumnerhall.org/eventregistration

08/15/2026

Today’s Events

9:30am | Digital Experience: Blacks on the Chesapeake at Holt Education Center, 200 Cross Street

10:30am | Black History Walking Tour* Starts at 200 Cross Street

1pm | Schooner Sultana Sail* at Chester River, Town Dock, 98 Cannon Street

4pm | Mary Fisher Legacy Day Parade on Wheels

5pm | Legacy Day Street Party with DJ Black Frost; Dance to the tunes of Soulfied Village; DMW Line Dance at 200 block of High Street

08/14/2026

Sumner Hall presents Legacy Day 2026 - August 14 - 16, 2026
PURSUING FREEDOM: Highlights of 250 Years of African American History in Kent County, Maryland

Saturday, August 15
9:30am | Digital Experience: Blacks on the Chesapeake at Holt Education Center, 200 Cross Street

10:30am | Black History Walking Tour* Starts at 200 Cross Street

1pm | Schooner Sultana Sail* at Chester River, Town Dock, 98 Cannon Street

4pm | Mary Fisher Legacy Day Parade on Wheels

5pm | Legacy Day Street Party with DJ Black Frost; Dance to the tunes of Soulfied Village; DMW Line Dance at 200 block of High Street

Sunday, August 16
1pm | Author Talk & Champagne Reception* at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 101 N. Cross Street
Meet author Jason Green, an advisor to former President Obama as he discusses his inspiring memoir on community - Too Precious to Lose. Moderated By Airlee Ringgold-Johnson

*Registration required - https://sumnerhall.org/eventregistration

08/14/2026

Today marks the start of Legacy Day weekend! We cordially invite you to attend the kick-off reception tonight at 7:00 pm at the Garfield Center of the Arts. During this event, we will be recognizing the contributions of our Black Community Leaders, both past and present, such as Sarah Johnson-Brown, Clarence Hawkins, Aretha Dorsey, Sherise Kennard, William Pickrum, and many more. The musical talents of Jazz Artist Anthony Turk Cannon will follow.

08/13/2026

Sumner Hall presents Legacy Day 2026 - August 14 - 16, 2026
PURSUING FREEDOM: Highlights of 250 Years of African American History in Kent County, Maryland

Friday, August 14 at 7pm
Legacy Day Kick-off and Honoree Celebration*
Featuring saxophonist Anthony Turk Cannon & Band at the Garfield Center for the Arts, 210 High Street, Chestertown

*Registration required - https://sumnerhall.org/eventregistration

08/12/2026

Sumner Hall presents Legacy Day 2026 - August 14 - 16, 2026
PURSUING FREEDOM: Highlights of 250 Years of African American History in Kent County, Maryland

Now on view through September 2026:
Legacy Day Special Exhibit at the Historic Society of Kent County Bordley History Center, Chestertown. Hours: Thursdays: 11 am – 2 pm, Fridays: 11 am – 2 pm, Saturdays: 10 am – 1 pm