Editorial: Chestertown’s Charles Sumner #25

An extraordinary event takes place in town this coming Saturday. The Charles Sumner Post #25 of the Grand Army of the Republic, one of only two remaining fraternal halls for African American veterans of the Civil War in the country, will open its doors again as an important community center.  It also happens to be one of the most loved buildings in Chestertown.

For more than 60 years, this very simple but dignified structure served as a center of African-American community life in Chestertown. The building fell into disrepair in the last two decades. But an extraordinarily  large number of people and organizations have rallied around its preservation, creating a story just as moving as the role the building has played in the life of this town.

The Kent County Arts Council playing a greatly appreciated coordinating role, and many other organizations offered critical financial and technical support, including: the Town of Chestertown, Kent County Department of Tourism and Economic Development, Main Street Historic Chestertown, Preservation Incorporated, and Washington College.

It is just as important to note the individuals and countless volunteer hours needed to save the building. From carpenters to grant writers, citizens came forward to offer what skills they had to make this project happen.

But why do we love this building so much?

Perhaps it’s because the building reminds us of the unique sacrifice young black men made to go to war. Or maybe we see it as a symbol of the generations that used this sacred place to celebrate a special culture, while others may look to its future use as a home for concerts, poetry readings, lectures, and art.

But what is undoubtedly true about Charles Sumner Post #25, is that this small little hall has done what all great buildings do: it has shaped people.  And now, thanks to so many, it will continue to do so in the future.

There is much to be proud of here.