Category: African American History

Collision on Route 40: New Delaware Humanities Talk

I am pleased to announce that Delaware Humanities has selected my new talk, “Collision on Route 40: Cold War Tensions & Civil Rights,” for inclusion in the 2024-25 Speakers Bureau and Visiting Scholars program. This presentation delves into the unexpected role that Route 40, stretching across Delaware and Maryland, played as a battleground for Cold War tensions and the civil rights movement.

This vital corridor, linking Baltimore to the Delaware Memorial Bridge, witnessed the intersection of significant historical forces. Here, international diplomacy, African decolonization, Jim Crow laws, Soviet propaganda, and the courageous actions of Freedom Riders converged, creating a unique challenge for the Kennedy administration.  This talk will explore how these global tensions and domestic policies collided on Route 40, shaping the social and political landscape of the era

This complex history impacted international relations and local communities, establishing Route 40 as a focal point in the broader narratives of the Cold War and civil rights movement.   

The Delaware Humanities Speakers Program connects scholars with community groups, organizations, libraries, and K-12 classrooms throughout the state. These programs allow those with expertise in various humanities-centered fields to give enriching and informative presentations to local audiences.

Presentations are offered in two formats:

  1. Speakers Bureau Presentations – designed for public audiences.
  2. Visiting Scholars Presentations – tailored specifically for elementary and secondary school students.

If you want to book the Route 40 civil rights talk through the Humanities, click this link for more information.

Route 40 civil rights
A busy Route 40 in 1961. (Source: Life Magazine, 1961)

Eastern Shore Church Added to National Underground Railroad Network

In recent months, I have worked with national, state, and local stakeholders to meticulously research and write nomination reports for sites to be included in the National Park Service (NPS) National Network to Freedom. This network highlights the courageous acts of resistance against enslavement through escape and flight on the Underground Railroad.

Union Bethel AME Chuirch Underground Railroad
Union Bethel AME Church in the summer of 2023

These comprehensive applications undergo a rigorous review by a panel to ensure they meet evidentiary standards before being added to the national registry. I am thrilled to share that the Park Service announced on April 22 that Union Bethel A.M.E. Church was added to the network. The application was submitted for the January round of the semi-annual process.

This significant recognition underscores the church’s pivotal role in the fight for freedom and equality. During the antebellum era, the church stood as a beacon of hope and refuge for countless individuals seeking liberty and justice. This achievement celebrates the church’s enduring legacy as a symbol of resilience, courage, and determination.

The Eastern Shore Church’s inclusion among the 19 sites spanning ten states granted this prestigious designation, which is a powerful testament to its significance in American history and the Underground Railroad.

This nomination received support through a partnership between the Maryland Office of Tourism and Cecil County Tourism in cooperation with the church.

Fighting for Equality on Route 40

A few months ago, I received a call from a producer working on the Audible docuseries Shadowball. This series delves into the history and experiences of Black athletes in the context of social justice and racial equality. Their interest was piqued by my 2013 research, which focused on the movement to segregate Route 40 in Cecil County and Delaware. While investigating this, I encountered the arrest of the civil rights activist Erosenna “Rose” Robinson, and they are profiling this talented athlete in one segment.

Rose Robinson civil rights protester arrested on Route 40 in Cecil County.
Rose Robinson of Philadelphia was taken to the Elkton magistrate’s court. (Cecil Whig Photo, Sept. 14, 1961)

Robinson gained recognition in the 1950s for her talent in track and field competitions. In 1958, she won the National Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) high jumping championship and joined the United States Track & Field Team. She then declined to compete with the U.S. Team in the Soviet Union despite the Cold War tensions. The athlete told Jet Magazine, “I don’t want anyone to think my athletics have political connotations. In other words, I don’t want to be used as a political pawn.”1

This public refusal was significant as Black athletes, musicians, and other notable figures were often used by the State Department to counter the image “Jim Crow cast on America” around the globe, Women’s Sports writes.2,3

Robinson’s activism with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) led her to the Route 40 campaign in September 1961. While traveling on the dual highway alongside fellow activist Wally and Juanita Nelson, they stopped at a diner in North East, MD. When the three Freedom Riders refused to leave the restaurant, the state police intervened and arrested them. Once booked into the Cecil County Jail, the “sit-downers” staged a hunger strike and refused to cooperate with the court.4

After fasting for several days, the sheriff sent Robinson and the Nelsons to Crownsville, the state psychiatric hospital for African Americans. However, the mental health clinician at Crownsville found them to be mentally sound, promptly returning the protestors to the Elkton Jail.5

Freedom Riders trial in Elkton after arrest on Route 40
A crowd gathered outside the courtroom of Magistrate Leonard Lockhart, but the defendants refused to leave their cells. (Morning News Photo, Sept. 12, 1961)

This unfolding situation gained attention from city dailies and the African American press, and the group came to be known as the “Elkton Three.” Shortly after, their $50 fines were suspended, and officials quietly released them.6,7 The movement to fully desegregate Route 40 gained momentum, and under pressure from President Kennedy, Maryland Governor Millard Tawes signed a public accommodation law in 1963 prohibiting discrimination in restaurants and hotels.8

The Audible docuseries segment focuses on Rose Robinson’s life of long-lasting activism and the Route 40 incident, which was one of many engagements for the exceptional athlete.

Footnotes

  1. Maria Lee, “The Pioneers: Two Black Women Whose Legacies of Sports Activism Live on,” Just Women’s Sports, Feb. 10, 2022 ↩︎
  2. Lee, “The Pioneers: Two Black Women Whose Legacies of Sports Activism Live on”. ↩︎
  3. Ryan Shepard, “Remember the Name: Rose Robinson Paved the Way for Athlete Activists”, Black Information Network, Apr 26, 2021. ↩︎
  4. Mike Dixon, “Freedom Riders Arrive on Route 40 in Northeastern MD as CORE Works to Integrate Route 40,” Window on Cecil County’s Past, August 1, 2013. ↩︎
  5. Dixon, “Freedom Riders on Route 40.” ↩︎
  6. James D. Williams, “One Way to Get In A Mental Hospital,” The Afro-American, September 30, 1961. ↩︎
  7. Rufus Wells, “Guilty of Being Colored,” Afro-American, September 30, 1961. ↩︎
  8. Maryland State Archives, “Executive Records, Governor J. Millard Tawes, 1959-1967,” Archives of Maryland Online. ↩︎

Keynote Speaker Discusses Richness of African American History at NAACP Banquet

I had the privilege of delivering the keynote address at the annual Cecil County Branch of the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet on November 4, 2023. My speech focused on the richness of African American History and the invaluable contributions of earlier generations.

Cecil County Branch NAACP Annual Banquet
Cecil County Branch NAACP 61st Annual Banquet

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to learn about the past from a remarkable group of tradition-bearers who have generously shared their stories and life experiences. Their experiences have greatly influenced my understanding of the African American narrative. I was delighted to be able to share some of these remarkable journeys through time, tracing the footsteps of those who illuminated the way and highlighting their incredible contributions, resilience, and deep family history.

The Cecil County Branch was organized in February 1962. A front-page photo in the Cecil Democrat showed the officers meeting to organize at Wright’s AME Church in Elkton. McKinley Scott of North East was the Vice-President; Mildred Johnson of Elkton treasurer; Rev. H. R. Curtis, Elkton, President; and Laurie Loper Charlestown, secretary.

It was an honor to join the NAACP in celebrating and reflecting on the enduring legacy of African Americans.

african american history
Talking about African American History, Mike Dixon was the keynote speaker at the NAACP Banquet