Historical Affairs’ Black History Month 2023 Programs

(DOVER, Del. — Jan. 23, 2023) — During the month of February 2023, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring 11 special events. Eight of these events will be presented in commemoration of Black History Month, an annual observance celebrating the invaluable contributions that the African American community has made to the culture and history of the United States. A full schedule is included below. Admission is free and open to the public, but reservations are required for some programs. Go to the following link for additional information and reservation instructions: https://history.delaware.gov/2022/12/28/hca-black-history-month-2023/.

Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs programs, February 2023

Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023
“Struggles for Equality — ‘Ending Erasure: The African Burial Ground.’ “ Black History Month program about the site that is believed to be the final resting place for enslaved and free Black men, women and children who died on the John Dickinson Plantation. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Programs at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Saturday, Feb. 4, 2022
“Ending Erasure: Recognizing African Americans in the Cultural Landscape.” Program in which Vertie Lee, Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ curator of education, and Gloria Henry, site supervisor of the John Dickinson Plantation, discuss the site’s African Burial Ground and its Plantation Stories Project. Presented by the Hockessin Historical Society. Hockessin Public Library, 1023 Valley Road, Hockessin. Noon. Free but reservations suggested. 302-239-5160.

Friday, Feb. 10, 2023
“Segregated Sands” and “Recapturing Black Beaches” information session. Virtual presentation discussing the Zwaanendael Museum’s online exhibit “Segregated Sands” and the oral history project “Recapturing Black Beaches.” Program streamed live via Zoom. 4 p.m. Free but registration required. 302-645-1148 or mailto:zmuseum@delaware.gov.

Friday, Feb. 10, 2023
Concert by singer/songwriter J.D. Webb. Folk, rock and blues. Presented in partnership with the Delaware Friends of Folk. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 7:30 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023
“Struggles for Equality — ‘The Letter of the Law.’ “ Black History Month program in which Juliette Wurm, lead historic-site interpreter at the New Castle Court House Museum, explores the bias and racism written in the laws of Delaware from the American Revolution to Reconstruction and how those laws were enforced. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Programs at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Monday, Feb. 13, 2023
“Enslavement and the Underground Railroad in Delaware: Stories from Below the Canal.” Presentation on some of the Underground Railroad Coalition of Delaware’s current projects including a new video, “The Tilly Escape,” about one of Harriet Tubman’s rescue missions in the Seaford, Del. area, and the search for the African Burial Ground at Dover’s John Dickinson Plantation. Laurel Public Library, 101 E. Fourth St., Laurel. 5 p.m. 302-875-3184.

Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023
“Struggles for Equality — ‘An Uphill Battle: The Unfulfilled Promise of the Civil War 1865-1896.’ “ At the end of the Civil War, great change seemed promised with the first federal civil rights acts and amendments. Why instead did the nation descend into segregation? In this Black History Month program, Lead Historic-Site Interpreter Gavin Malone explores the constitutional amendments, the first federal civil rights acts, Delaware’s political climate and reactions to federal legislation ending with the Plessy decision. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 1 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Friday, Feb. 24, 2023
“Well Seasoned Heirlooms.” In this virtual series, Historic-Site Interpreter Kimberly Fritsch of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum shines a spotlight on the practices, recipes and women throughout Delaware history as they speak to us through their food. Program streamed live via Zoom and on the New Castle Court House Museum’s Facebook page. Noon. Free but Zoom registration required. 302-323-4453 or mailto:NCCHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023
“Struggles for Equality — ‘The Letter of the Law.’ “ Black History Month program in which Lead Historic-Site Interpreter Juliette Wurm explores the bias and racism written in the laws of Delaware from the American Revolution to Reconstruction and how those laws were enforced. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Noon. 302-323-4453 or mailto:NCCHmuseum@delaware.govv.

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023
“Struggles for Equality — ‘The Evolution of Black Recorded Music: ‘The Rock-n-Roll Soul.’ “ Black History Month multimedia presentation examines the roles played by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, James Brown, Fats Domino, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Detroit-based Motown Records in establishing soul music, rock and roll, and rhythm and blues. Program will feature biographies, musical recordings and video clips from the 1940s through the 1960s. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 1 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023
“Thar She Blows! Whaling on the High Seas.” Program by Delaware Humanities speaker Steve Renzi on whaling in America and particularly the whaling industry in Delaware with the Wilmington Whaling Company. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. 1:30 p.m. 302-323-4453 or mailto:NCCHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the five museums of the State of Delaware — the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum, The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum — tell the story of the First State’s contributions to the history and culture of the United States. Through tours, exhibits and special programs, the museums shine a spotlight on Delaware’s unique history and the diverse people who came to live there. The museums are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The New Castle Court House Museum and the John Dickinson Plantation are partner sites of the First State National Historical Park. The Old State House is located on the Dover Green, another partner site of the park. Go to the following for a long-term calendar of division-sponsored events.

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 public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five 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

John Dickinson Plantation Receives Award of Excellence

(DOVER, Del. — June 15, 2022) — The American Association for State and Local History announced today that it has presented a prestigious Award of Excellence to the John Dickinson Plantation, Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, for the project, “Search, Discovery, and Interpretation of the African Burial Ground at the John Dickinson Plantation.” The Award of Excellence is part of the Association’s Leadership in History Awards, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation of state and local history.

As part of the project, a concerted effort to find the burial ground at the John Dickinson Plantation began in the late summer of 2020. In March 2021, after utilizing research from surviving documents, aerial photography and archaeology, the African Burial Ground was discovered. Project development began with decisions on how to interpret this culturally sensitive and historically significant site. The goals for interpretation included delineating the historical context of enslaved peoples’ lives, recognizing African Americans in the cultural landscape and locating those with ties to the burial ground. Initial programs included public visitations to the African Burial Ground, a virtual visitation for school children, and culminated in an online panel discussion on Dec. 8, 2021 with Gov. John Carney, which can be seen here: https://youtu.be/P1JliA3uwL4.

The American Association for State and Local History’s awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history, but also bring public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions and programs to make contributions in this arena.

The John Dickinson Plantation is located at 340 Kitts Hummock Road in Dover, Delaware. Dickinson, known as the “Penman of the Revolution,” was one of America’s founding fathers who wrote of freedom and liberty for all while holding human beings in bondage. The John Dickinson Plantation tells the stories of the Dickinson family; and the tenant farmers; indentured servants; and the free and enslaved Black men, women and children who lived, worked 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.

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

Burial Ground Identified At John Dickinson Plantation

(DOVER, Del. — March 23, 2021) — Archaeological research has led to the identification of a burial ground at the John Dickinson Plantation in Dover, Delaware. The burial ground was found during archaeological fieldwork on March 9, 2021 and likely holds the enslaved individuals and other African Americans who lived, worked, and died on land owned by the Dickinson family. “We remain committed to telling inclusive history. This includes restoring dignity to those who have been forgotten. This important discovery presents a powerful moment for every Delawarean,” says Delaware Secretary of State Jeff Bullock.

For two years the Department of State, Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs has undertaken archaeological investigations on the 450 acres of state property. The work has focused on identifying the burial ground for enslaved individuals that is referenced in primary source documents. “This is sacred ground for Delaware, and we will continue to treat it with the honor and respect it deserves. Our path forward is to protect the site, engage with the community about how to proceed, and continue to learn more through research and dialogue,” says Tim Slavin, Director of the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs.

The John Dickinson Plantation is the boyhood home of John Dickinson, a Founding Father of the United States, a framer and signer of the U.S. Constitution. Dickinson wrote eloquently about freedom and liberty while at the same time holding other human beings in bondage.

At the John Dickinson Plantation, a state museum operated by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the goal is to educate the public about the past utilizing the historic, cultural, and natural resources associated with the site.

The Division will continue to undertake additional research to learn more about this burial ground and those interred here and to engage with descendent communities in making important decisions regarding the expansion of the interpretive footprint of this land.

There is no access to this location.

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, 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.

For additional information please contact:

Gloria Henry, Site Manager, John Dickinson Plantation, Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
302-739-3277 and gloria.henry@delaware.gov

Tim Slavin, Director, Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
302-736-7418 and timothy.slavin@delaware.gov

-END-

Copia de la Resolución Conjunta No.10 Con Disculpas por la Esclavitud Firmada por el Gobernador Markell en los Archivos Públicos

Qué: El miércoles 10 de febrero el Gobernador Jack Markell firmó la Resolución Conjunta No. 10 en una ceremonia celebrada en los Archivos Públicos. La Resolución ofrece formalmente disculpas por el papel de Delaware en la esclavitud. Para celebrar la firma del histórico documento y conmemorar el Mes de la Historia Afroamericana, los Archivos han puesto en exhibición una copia completa de la Resolución No. 10 hasta finales del mes de febrero.

Cuándo: Desde el viernes 12 al lunes 29 de febrero de 2016.

Dónde: Delaware Public Archives, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North, Dover, DE

Copy of House Joint Resolution 10 Apologizing for Slavery Signed by Governor Markell on Display at the Delaware Public Archives

What: On Wednesday, February 10, Governor Jack Markell signed House Joint Resolution 10 at a ceremony held at the Delaware Public Archives. The Resolution formally apologized for the state’s role in slavery. To celebrate the signing of this historical document and to commemorate African American History Month, a complete copy of House Joint Resolution 10 is now on public display at the Archives until the end of February.

When: Friday, February 12, 2016 until Monday, February 29, 2016.

Where: Delaware Public Archives, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North, Dover, DE

For more information, contact Tom Summers (302) 744-5047 or e-mail thomas.summers@delaware.gov.