Bridging Oxford’s Storied Past and Present 

What do the Oxford Museum and the John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church have in common? Besides being in Oxford, there is a lot of shared history. In a recent interview, representatives from both organizations sat down with The Spy to shed light on the deep connections between these two pillars of Oxford’s cultural heritage. Participants included Stuart Parnes and Paula Bell from the Oxford Museum (Bell is also the past president of the Jim Wesley Preservation Society & Museum-JWPSM), Jim Reed, treasurer of JWPSM, and Church elder Wayman Pinder. The overlapping stories both organizations hope to highlight are Oxford’s integrated beginnings and how they can be preserved. 

In the heart of the town lies the Oxford Museum, celebrating its 60th anniversary of opening its doors. Stuart Parnes, who has been with the Museum for 15 years, explains their beginnings, which started in a competitive spirit when Oxford decided that if St. Michael’s was going to have a maritime museum, they should have one too. But there was another reason: “In 1964,” Parnes said, “Oxford was finally putting in its first sewer system. The guy with the backhoe digging came up with shards of broken pottery, bottles, and stuff. And he said we should have a museum to put all this good stuff.”

1964 was also the year when Oxford’s population of around 750 residents was evenly divided between white and black communities. While these two groups lived in distinct neighborhoods and attended separate churches, Oxford Elementary School stood out as one of the first integrated schools in the area. Yet despite this fact, Parnes said, “the museum at that time collected very little from the black neighborhood in Oxford, almost nothing.”

A few miles outside of town, on Oxford Road, on a little strip of land, is the one-room building, home of the John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church. It’s the other part of this story. For this one, we’ll need to go back way before 1964, over a century when this humble church was not just a place of worship but a cornerstone of the African American community here on the Shore. Established in 1838, the originally Black Church had by  1851 31 whites and 26 black members. Said Reed, “When I tell people about the mixed congregation on the Eastern Shore, they look at me like ‘what are you talking about? That’s not possible.’ And that’s a part of history that a lot of us don’t know.”

One way they hoped to make this happen was to create a museum at the site. In 2015, they received non-profit status, and the Church was declared the first African American Museum in Talbot County. Since then, they have worked to raise the necessary funds. They are almost there. As Reed describes: “We just got permits, and a contractor started working on putting in a parking lot, a big drainage swale behind the cemetery, handicap spots, and space for a portable bathroom. Right next to that is the renovated cookshop which is being turned into a museum. It now meets all the ADA (American with Disability Act) requirements.”

For both JWPSM and the Museum, preserving this local legacy has been an uphill journey. “The Museum never collected much from Oxford’s black community before, so we have a lot to backfill now while the opportunity remains,” Parnes said. 

However, the Museum is ready to cross-promote and share resources. “We’ll be sharing things like photographs and documents from town that would be the appropriate things to put into the museum out there,” says Parnes. “People may see relatives they recognize and be motivated to come fill in the blanks about what those days were like. Our goal is sustaining an ongoing dialogue around the diverse yet interconnected stories that define the character of Oxford.”

The stories and dialogues are even more important than the artifacts. “That’s our concern,” said Parnes, “how do we preserve what’s left? How do we capture these stories before it’s too late?” 

Well, one way to honor the history and connection has been by creating a two-for-one community night on May 11th. 

From 5-6:30 pm, the “Memories and Musings” oral history program will take place at St. Paul’s Church in Oxford. Oxford natives will discuss growing up in Oxford in the 60s and 70s. The event is open to the public, but RSVPs are appreciated: [email protected]. 

Pinder spoke from experience: “I cannot remember an unpleasant incident in my life in Oxford. We absolutely knew everybody, and everybody knew you. I’m sure there was racism, but it wasn’t the type that intruded upon your daily life.”

Following the oral history program, the community is invited to Oxford Community Center to the “Spring Soul: Dance the Night Away” from 7-10 with The Comfort Zone Band. It will be a way for the John Wesley Church to celebrate reaching ADA compliance and to raise funds and awareness. “It’s both a fundraiser and a friend-raiser,” explains Reed. “An opportunity for people to get together and appreciate this important piece of Oxford’s African American heritage.” Tickets are available by going to johnwesleychurch.org.

For Pinder, who has witnessed John Wesley’s waning and resurgence across decades, events spark hope: “I’m just so grateful for what that original board did to save this place and for everyone’s efforts since. The chance to be a part of writing this next chapter, sharing those joyful memories while creating new ones – that’s priceless.”

Reed envisions catalyzing broader impacts through their unified work: “We’re hoping to recruit some younger people to get involved as docents. There are real opportunities to change the narratives.”

As these two storied Oxford institutions continue to bring awareness, a revitalized community chronicle is just beginning. United by shared grit and vision, the Oxford Museum and John Wesley Preservation Society and Museum are building bridges – within their town and for the wider world to explore Oxford’s intricate tapestries of Black history, heritage, and hope.

May 11th is a two for one community night! Join us at St. Paul’s Church for “Memories and Musings” and then follow us down the street to dance the night away with the John Wesley Preservation Society at Oxford Community Center. A night to celebrate Oxford history!