Delaware Public Archives Celebrates African American History

New display shines a spotlight on eighty-nine State of Delaware Historical Markers related to Black History

The Delaware Public Archives has unveiled a new exhibition in its lobby, “Celebrating African American History in The First State” that features every State of Delaware Historical Marker related to Black history and the significance behind them.

“With this display, we honor some oft-overlooked accomplishments of Black Delawareans in every area of endeavor of our state’s history including civil rights, social change, politics, education, the arts, and athletics,” said Stephen Marz, State Archivist and Delaware Public Archives Director. “We hope all Delawareans will join us as we recognize and celebrate the great legacy of Delaware’s rich African American history through our Marker program.”

The State of Delaware Historical Marker Program began in 1931 when the General Assembly of Delaware passed an act establishing a permanent commission to erect historical markers throughout the state. These markers celebrate historic significance based on their influence, effect, or impact on the course of history or cultural development in Delaware. Eighty-eight official State of Delaware Historical Markers recognize African American landmarks, milestones, and achievements across the state.

As part of the display, visitors to the Archives can take home a 32-page, full-color booklet which contains locations, photos, and information about each historical marker that is related to Delaware Black history.

Large maps on display of each county and the city of Wilmington gives visitors a visual location of where the markers are physically located, and a video presentation of actual photos of these markers will be shown on the large widescreen monitor.

The Delaware Public Archives is open Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Dover. The display is free and open to the public until mid-March 2024.

For those unable to personally visit the Delaware Public Archives, an e-book version of “Celebrating African American History in the First State” is available here and also on the agency website at www.Archives.Delaware.gov.

Cover of book — Celebrating African American History in Delaware

About Delaware Public Archives

As the repository for records of Delaware state and local governments, the Delaware Public Archives contains thousands of documents and other materials that can help with researching one’s genealogical roots. Among these records are census materials, vital statistics including birth, death, and marriage records; tax assessments, probate/estate records, land deeds, and military records.

The Delaware Public Archives also preserves a large amount of genealogically related materials that were of private origin. These records include family histories, bible records, church records, manuscript genealogies, and newspapers.

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Photo attached: Stephen Marz, State Archivist and Director of the Delaware Public Archives and one of the four detailed maps showing the locations of African American-themed markers in Delaware.

‘Segregated Sands’: Delaware Beaches During Jim Crow

-New virtual exhibit from Lewes, Delaware’s Zwaanendael Museum-

(DOVER, Del. — Feb. 8, 2022) — The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, Delaware has recently published “Segregated Sands: Delaware’s Segregated Beaches During the Jim Crow Era,” an online exhibit that explores the history and stories of the Indigenous and African American experience at Delaware’s beaches during the segregation era. The exhibit can be accessed by going to the museum’s website at https://history.delaware.gov/zwaanendael-museum/.

“Segregated Sands” was created by Zwaanendael Museum staff members and intern Kelli Racine Barnes, a doctoral candidate at the University of Delaware studying late-18th and early-19th-century African American history. Honored by the university as an African American Public Humanities Fellow, Barnes was also named a 2021 E. Lyman Stewart Intern for the summer of 2021. As part of her internship, she conducted most of the research, writing and design of what was to become the “Segregated Sands” exhibit.

In her Nov. 12, 2021 article, “Beach-going in Delaware: Black perspectives under segregation,” which appeared in the division’s newsletter, Barnes wrote, “By the early-20th century, Delaware government officials systematically repressed Black, Indigenous and other residents of color through state sanctioned laws of segregation which extended to all facets of life including recreation. After the Civil War, the Delaware General Assembly rejected measures of equality enacted by the federal government including Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, the 14th Amendment and the 15th Amendment. Segregation laws became the norm, determining how Black people engaged with Delaware’s beaches.”

“Segregated Sands” aims to broaden public understanding of how Delaware’s beaches were utilized throughout history in an online format that is easy for the public to view. The exhibit explores 12 beaches, spread across Delaware’s three counties, that were either designated locations for people of color to visit anytime, or places where they were permitted to visit on specifically designated days.

As a companion to the exhibit, the museum is conducting “Recapturing Black Beaches: A Shared Story Project,” an oral history initiative that aims to gather and memorialize the stories of people of color who visited Delaware’s segregated beaches throughout history. Information gathered during the oral history project, as well as a plethora of other research efforts, will be incorporated into the “Segregated Sands” virtual exhibit. For questions or to learn more, contact the Zwaanendael Museum at 302-645-1148 or Zmuseum@delaware.gov.

The Zwaanendael Museum was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the state’s first European colony, Swanendael, established by the Dutch along Hoorn Kill (present-day Lewes-Rehoboth Canal) in 1631. Designed by E. William Martin (architect of Legislative Hall and the Hall of Records in Dover), the museum is modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, and features a stepped façade gable with carved stonework and decorated shutters. The museum’s exhibits and presentations provide a showcase for Lewes-area maritime, military and social history.

The Zwaanendael Museum is administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five museums which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division’s programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.

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Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-577-5170
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

Zwaanendael Museum Seeks Volunteers for “Recapturing Black Beaches,” an Oral History Initiative

(DOVER, Del. — Jan. 14, 2022) — The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Delaware, is seeking volunteers to participate in “Recapturing Black Beaches: A Shared Story Project,” an oral history initiative designed to gather, memorialize and share stories about historically segregated Black and Indigenous beaches in Delaware and the people who visited them. These stories will be used for educational purposes and use will be determined by permissions granted by participants.

Volunteers may participate as storytellers, sharing their memories about the beaches with oral history project staff, or as interviewers, recording conversations between themselves and someone that they know and care about.

To participate in the project, volunteers should fill out an online form or download a printable version that can be submitted via email or mail. Both forms can be found at the following address on the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs website: https://history.delaware.gov/2021/12/10/recapturing-the-stories-of-black-beaches/. Printed forms should be mailed to the Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958 or sent via email to Zmuseum@delaware.gov.

For questions or to learn more, contact the Zwaanendael Museum at (302) 645-1148 or Zmuseum@delaware.gov.

The Zwaanendael Museum was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the state’s first European colony, Swanendael, established by the Dutch along Hoorn Kill (present-day Lewes-Rehoboth Canal) in 1631. Designed by E. William Martin (architect of Legislative Hall and the Hall of Records in Dover), the museum is modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, and features a stepped facade gable with carved stonework and decorated shutters. The museum’s exhibits and presentations provide a showcase for Lewes-area maritime, military and social history.

The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five museums which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division’s programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.

Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-577-5170
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

Guided Visitation To The African Burial Ground At The John Dickinson Plantation

(DOVER, Del. — Aug. 23, 2021) — The John Dickinson Plantation is offering the opportunity to visit the African burial ground and engage with guides about the complex history of the site. The burial ground is believed to be the final resting place for enslaved and free Black men, women and children who died on the plantation. The guided visitations will reflect on the historical context and archaeological research surrounding this significant piece of Delaware’s shared history.

Guided visitations will be available on the following days at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.:

Sept. 17, 21, 24, 25 and 28
Oct. 1, 2, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 23, 26 and 29
Nov. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19 and 20

The 1 ½ hour experience will include an orientation in the visitor center, a tour of the recreated log’d dwelling and a mile round-trip walk to the burial ground, which will include a moment of silence.

Due to limited capacity, reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling 302-739-3277.

For the safety of guests and staff, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs reserves the right to cancel or postpone any event due to due to inclement and/or dangerous weather conditions.

A majority of the activities will take place outdoors. Participants must be prepared for adverse weather conditions and for travel, by foot, over uneven terrain including an unpaved road and an agricultural field. The wearing of appropriate clothing is advised including a hat, closed-toed shoes with good tread such as sneakers or boots, long pants and clothing that accounts for current weather conditions and the presence of insects. Visitors are also advised to bring their own insect repellant and sunscreen.

The burial ground was found on March 9, 2021 on the property of the John Dickinson Plantation located at 340 Kitts Hummock Road in Dover, Del. Answers to some of the frequently asked questions about the burial ground are available on the John Dickinson Plantation website. Additional information can be found in the podcast, “African Americans on the John Dickinson Plantation.”

These guided visitations are conducted as part of the division’s mission to share the stories of the lives of the Black families who lived, labored and died on the plantation.

The John Dickinson Plantation is administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five museums which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division’s programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.

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Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-608-5326
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

Video explores Black life in Delaware 1790–1840

(DOVER, Del. — April 29, 2021) — On April 26, 2021, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs released “A Mere Mock Freedom: Free and Enslaved Black Life in Delaware 1790–1840,” a video presentation by Miles Stanley, a doctoral candidate in history at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Stanley’s research experience focuses on the history of slavery in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States during the Early Republic (circa 1780–1830). Go to the following link to watch the video on the division’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvpjoyAYfps&ab_channel=DelawareHistory

“A Mere Mock Freedom” explores anti-slavery activity in Delaware in the late-18th century and the subsequent passage of repressive legislation targeting free Blacks in the 19th century. The presentation takes its name from the writings of U.S. Sen. Thomas Clayton of Delaware (1777–1854) who noted, “Under the wretched and mongrel system of laws which have been enacted in regard to them [free Blacks], they enjoy but a mongrel liberty, a mere mock freedom.”

Due in large part to the passage of laws that criminalized the sale of enslaved Blacks into, and out of, the state in the 1780s and 1790s, the free Black population in Delaware grew nearly four-fold between 1790 and 1840. White pro-slavery Delawareans reacted to this population growth with the passage of legislation that sought to strictly limit the rights of the growing number of free Blacks. These reactionary laws pushed free Blacks to the fringes of society in Delaware, making them targets for kidnapping gangs and other forms of violence.

The division has been conducting research for many years on the lived experience of Black Delawareans throughout the state’s history. A portion of this research led to the recent archaeological discoveries of an African American burial ground at the John Dickinson Plantation south of Dover and the identification of the remains of the earliest known enslaved people in the state which were found at the Avery’s Rest site outside Rehoboth Beach.

In response to the renewed calls for racial justice that surged across the nation beginning in May 2020, the division issued a statement on race and equity that identified actions that the agency would be taking to practice inclusive history and to tell the stories of all the state’s diverse people. After reading “The Travail of Delaware Slave Families in the Early Republic” by Gary Nash and Miles Stanley, division Director Tim Slavin asked Stanley to create a video presentation on his research.

Commenting on the genesis of “A Mere Mock Freedom,” Stanley noted, “I was fortunate enough to meet the executive director of the Delaware Historical Society, David Young, while I was living in Wilmington and he had worked with one of my mentors, Gary Nash. It really is a small world, I suppose. After I was accepted for the Ph.D., David put me in touch with the HCA [Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs]. They had just started their work on [the African American burial ground at] the John Dickinson Plantation and they needed input on the lived experiences of free and enslaved Blacks during this period. That just so happened to be a big part of my project. After a few meetings … I was asked to produce a recorded presentation that examined a topic related to my research.”

“I hope that we continue to share and discuss these crucial aspects of America’s history,” Stanley added.

Originally from San Diego, Calif., Miles Stanley is a doctoral candidate in history from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He is a historian of slavery in the Mid-Atlantic with a particular focus on free and enslaved Black life in Delaware during the Early Republic period. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s degree from the University of Edinburgh, both in history. In order to get a feel for the history that he was studying, Stanley lived in the Quaker Hill neighborhood of Wilmington, Del. from 2018 to 2019. He and his wife Eva have made their home in Edinburgh since 2020.

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Contact:

Jim Yurasek

Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs

Phone: 302-739-7787

E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov

Web: http://history.delaware.gov