The Legacy of Legacy Day

Bill Leary • August 1, 2023

On the evening of August 16, 2014, nearly 1,500 partygoers gathered in Chestertown to inaugurate Legacy Day.

They cheered the floats, classic cars, and community groups that paraded on High Street; danced to the music of Quiet Fire (including Kent County native Jasper Hackett) and the recorded oldies played by DJ Stansbury; savored the soul food offered by vendors; and caught up with old friends.

They also came to honor entrepreneur and civic leader Charlie Graves, whose Uptown Club had showcased such giants of jazz and rhythm and blues as Louis Armstrong, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, and Sam Cooke. Several attendees commented that Legacy Day 2014 was the most diverse gathering they could remember in Kent County. Then-Mayor Chris Cerino said, “We need to do this every year.”

Legacy Day 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of our annual celebration of the history and culture of Kent County’s African American citizens. In recognition of this milestone, Legacy Day 2023 is taking a retrospective look at the celebrations of the past decade that have expanded from a Saturday night dance party to a weekend of partying and education. We also recall the historic contributions of the African American community in music, business, education, religion, sports, and the military.

The first Legacy Day was proposed by a community history committee in the Historical Society of Kent County (Airlee Ringgold Johnson, Jeanette Sherbondy, George Shivers, and Bill Leary) to figure out how to direct attention to the largely ignored history and culture of the African American citizens of Kent County.

As Legacy Day’s scope of activities has expanded in the past decade, the original goals and expectations have stayed constant. Legacy Day should increase the awareness and appreciation by Kent County’s Black and White citizens of their shared history and culture, and provide a good time with good music and good food. All activities should be free and open to all. And even if the August heat becomes uncomfortable, it should never rain on Legacy Day!

Legacy Day 2015 continued to explore the important role of music in African American life by recognizing local music venues and Kent County musicians from the 1960s and 1970s. The venues included four beer gardens in the 300 block of Cannon Street that offered rhythm and blues via the jukebox. In addition to the Uptown Club, the Concrete Club near Great Oak, also owned by Charlie Graves, and the Rank Poison Inn in Butlertown, later renamed the Blue Moon Tavern, featured live music. The best remembered local musician was saxophonist and singer Randolph “Jazz” Johnson; others were the Highlanders, the Rotations, the New Breed, and Black Soul.

Legacy Day 2016 paid tribute to Black business owners of the 19th and 20th centuries. Successful 19th century entrepreneurs included restaurateurs Samuel and William Perkins, Levi Rogers, siblings Kitty and Thomas Toomey, and Henry and Louisa Harris; butcher and grocer James Jones; and real estate operator Thomas Cuff. In the mid-20th century, commercial activity flourished on Calvert and Cannon streets. Calvert Street was home to the Uptown Club, the Munson family store, and the Kenneth Walley funeral home. Cannon Street included three barbershops, two beauty parlors, four beer gardens, and the first Black electrician’s store.

Legacy Day 2017 honored 32 African American educators who taught or served as principals in segregated Kent County schools and later, in most cases, in integrated schools. A consistent theme of their recollections was that despite many discriminatory aspects of segregated schools, Black students received a quality education before the long-delayed integration of Kent County schools in 1967. They attributed that success to well-prepared and committed teachers, strong leadership that enforced high academic standards and discipline, and strong support from the African American community.

Legacy Day 2018 honored the Black and White students who participated in the tumultuous early years of integration in Kent County schools. Gradual integration between 1963 and 1967 was the work of more than 100 “pioneers,” Black students who volunteered, or were volunteered by their parents, to attend formerly all-White schools before full integration in 1967. These pioneers included Robert “Bobby” Brown, Michelle Towson, Herbert Warren, Vanessa Isaacs Ringgold, and Ellsworth Tolliver, whose experiences ranged from the good to the bad to the downright ugly.

Legacy Day 2019 honored African American churches of Kent County by documenting the history of the 24 early churches, all of which were founded at least 125 years ago and belonged to a branch of the Methodist church. Given the widespread poverty and discrimination that African Americans had to contend with, the construction and preservation of 24 churches (roughly one for every 275 Black residents) represent a remarkable testament to the faith and resourcefulness of their congregations. This achievement also emphasizes the essential role of the Black church as a community institution that not only fulfills spiritual needs but also helps to advance the social, educational, and political aspirations of its members.

In response to the covid-19 pandemic, Legacy Day 2020 went virtual with several online events, including a genealogy workshop hosted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a spirited discussion of Black student life at Washington College, and a video previewing our tribute to outstanding African American athletes and coaches postponed until 2021.

Legacy Day 2021 featured some of the most successful basketball and football teams at Garnet and Kent County high schools, the community baseball teams that flourished in small towns from the 1920s to the 1970s, and the church league basketball teams of the 1970s and 1980s. We honored 44 athletes and four coaches.

Legacy Day 2022 saluted more than 1,700 African American men and women from Kent County who served in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. This record of service began during the American Revolution and continues to the present. During the Civil War, more than 44% of eligible Black men in Kent County, free and enslaved, fought to emancipate themselves, their families, and their brethren, and to preserve the Union. Local African Americans enlisted in significant numbers to fight in every major war of the 20th century. Legacy Day 2022 was a modest effort to say, “Thank you for your service.”

Legacy Day 2023 plans to honor the dozens of volunteers and donors who have produced an annual festival that documents and celebrates aspects of the history and culture of African Americans in Kent County. The Honorees’ Reception will include a special tribute to Airlee Ringgold Johnson, who has provided the indispensable leadership, inspiration, community links, and driving force that have made Legacy Day a success. Visit the Sumner Hall website for a schedule of the free events August 18-20.

Bill Leary, a retired historian and archivist, is on the board of directors of Sumner Hall. He has worked on Legacy Day exhibits since 2014, shortly after retiring to Chestertown.

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Megan Outten Launches Campaign for Wicomico County Council, District 7

By Friends of Megan Outten • July 29, 2025

Megan Outten, a lifelong Wicomico County resident and former Salisbury City Councilwoman, officially announced her candidacy recently for Wicomico County Council, District 7. At 33, Outten brings the energy of a new generation combined with a proven record of public service and results-driven leadership. “I’m running because Wicomico deserves better,” Outten said. “Too often, our communities are expected to do more with less. We’re facing underfunded schools, limited economic opportunities, and years of neglected infrastructure. I believe Wicomico deserves leadership that listens, plans ahead, and delivers real, measurable results.” A Record of Action and A Vision for the Future On Salisbury’s City Council, Outten earned a reputation for her proactive, hands-on approach — working directly with residents to close infrastructure gaps, support first responders, and ensure everyday voices were heard. Now she’s bringing that same focus to the County Council, with priorities centered on affordability, public safety, and stronger, more resilient communities. Key Priorities for District 7: Fully fund public schools so every child has the opportunity to succeed. Fix aging infrastructure and county services through proactive investment. Keep Wicomico affordable with smarter planning and pathways to homeownership. Support first responders and safer neighborhoods through better tools, training, and prevention. Expand resources for seniors, youth, and underserved communities. Outten’s platform is rooted in real data and shaped by direct community engagement. With Wicomico now the fastest-growing school system on Maryland’s Eastern Shore — and 85% of students relying on extra resources — she points to the county’s lagging investment as a key area for action. “Strong schools lead to strong jobs, thriving industries, and healthier communities,” Outten said. “Our schools and infrastructure are at a tipping point. We need leadership that stops reacting after things break — and starts investing before they do.” A Commitment to Home and Service Born and raised in Wicomico, Megan Outten sees this campaign as a continuation of her lifelong service to her community. Her vision reflects what she’s hearing from neighbors across the county: a demand for fairness, opportunity, and accountability in local government. “Wicomico is my home; it’s where I grew up, built my life, and where I want to raise my family,” Outten said. “Our county is full of potential. We just need leaders who will listen, work hard, and get things done. That’s what I’ve always done, and that’s exactly what I’ll continue to do on the County Council.” Outten will be meeting with residents across District 7 in the months ahead and unveiling more details of her platform. For more information or to get involved, contact info@meganoutten.com

“Turtles All The Way Down”

By John Christie • July 29, 2025

Way back in 1935, the Supreme Court determined that independent agencies like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) do not violate the Constitution’s separation of powers. Humphrey’s Executor v. United States (1935). Congress provided that the CPSC, like the NLRB and MSPB, would operate as an independent agency — a multi-member, bipartisan commission whose members serve staggered terms and could be removed only “for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office but for no other cause.” Rejecting a claim that the removal restriction interferes with the “executive power,” the Humphrey’s Court held that Congress has the authority to “forbid their [members’] removal except for cause” when creating such “quasi-legislative or quasi-judicial” bodies. As a result, these agencies have operated as independent agencies for many decades under many different presidencies. Shortly after assuming office in his second term, Donald Trump began to fire, without cause, the Democratic members of several of these agencies. The lower courts determined to reinstate the discharged members pending the ultimate outcome of the litigation, relying on Humphrey’s , resulting in yet another emergency appeal to the Supreme Court by the administration. In the first such case, a majority of the Court allowed President Trump to discharge the Democratic members of the NLRB and the MSPB while the litigation over the legality of the discharges continued. Trump v. Wilcox (May 22, 2025). The majority claimed that they do not now decide whether Humphrey’s should be overruled because “that question is better left for resolution after full briefing and argument.” However, hinting that these agency members have “considerable” executive power and suggesting that “the Government” faces greater “risk of harm” from an order allowing a removed officer to continue exercising the executive power than a wrongfully removed officer faces from being unable to perform her statutory duty,” the majority gave the President the green light to proceed. Justice Kagan, joined by Justices Sotomayor and Jackson, dissented, asserting that Humphrey’s remains good law until overturned and forecloses both the President’s firings and the Court’s decision to award emergency relief.” Our emergency docket, while fit for some things, should not be used to “overrule or revise existing law.” Moreover, the dissenters contend that the majority’s effort to explain their decision “hardly rises to the occasion.” Maybe by saying that the Commissioners exercise “considerable” executive power, the majority is suggesting that Humphrey’s is no longer good law but if that is what the majority means, then it has foretold a “massive change” in the law and done so on the emergency docket, “with little time, scant briefing, and no argument.” And, the “greater risk of harm” in fact is that Congress provided for these discharged members to serve their full terms, protected from a President’s desire to substitute his political allies. More recently, in the latest shadow docket ruling in the administration’s favor, the same majority of the Court again permitted President Trump to fire, without cause, the Democratic members of another independent agency, this time the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Trump v. Boyle (July 23, 2025). The same three justices dissented, once more objecting to the use of the Court’s emergency docket to destroy the independence of an independent agency as established by Congress. The CPSC, like the NLRB and MSPB, was designed to operate as “a classic independent agency.” In Congress’s view, that structure would better enable the CPSC to achieve its mission — ensuring the safety of consumer products, from toys to appliances — than would a single-party agency under the full control of a single President. “By allowing the President to remove Commissioners for no reason other than their party affiliation, the majority has negated Congress’s choice of agency bipartisanship and independence.” The dissenters also assert that the majority’s sole professed basis for the more recent order in Boyle was its prior order in Wilcox . But in their opinion, Wilcox itself was minimally explained. So, the dissenters claim, the majority rejects the design of Congress for a whole class of agencies by “layering nothing on nothing.” “Next time, though, the majority will have two (if still under-reasoned) orders to cite. Truly, this is ‘turtles all the way down.’” Rapanos v. United States (2006). * ***** *In Rapanos , in a footnote to his plurality opinion, former Supreme Court Justice Scalia explained that this allusion is to a classic story told in different forms and attributed to various authors. His favorite version: An Eastern guru affirms that the earth is supported on the back of a tiger. When asked what supports the tiger, he says it stands upon an elephant; and when asked what supports the elephant, he says it is a giant turtle. When asked, finally, what supports the giant turtle, he is briefly taken aback, but quickly replies "Ah, after that it is turtles all the way down." John Christie was for many years a senior partner in a large Washington, D.C. law firm. He specialized in anti-trust litigation and developed a keen interest in the U.S. Supreme Court about which he lectures and writes.

“Andy Harris Just Made the Most Dangerous Vote of His Career”

By Shore Progress, Progessive Maryland, Progressive Harford Co • July 15, 2025

Marylanders will not forget this vote.

How Many Will Be Kicked Off Medicaid in MD-01 Because of Andy Harris?

By Jan Plotczyk • July 9, 2025

More than 30,000 of our neighbors in Maryland’s first congressional district will lose their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid because of provisions in the GOP’s heartless tax cut and spending bill passed last week.

Six Reasons Why the House Budget Bill Will Hurt Rural America

By Michael Chameides, Barn Raiser • May 21, 2025

Right now, Congress is working on a fast-track bill that would make historic cuts to basic needs programs in order to finance another round of tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations.

Who Will SNAP Cuts Affect in Maryland? On the Eastern Shore?

By Catlin Nchako, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities • May 21, 2025

The House Agriculture Committee recently voted, along party lines, to advance legislation that would cut as much as $300 million from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP is the nation’s most important anti-hunger program, helping more than 41 million people in the U.S. pay for food. With potential cuts this large, it helps to know who benefits from this program in Maryland, and who would lose this assistance. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities compiled data on SNAP beneficiaries by congressional district, cited below, and produced the Maryland state datasheet , shown below. In Maryland, in 2023-24, 1 in 9 people lived in a household with SNAP benefits. In Maryland’s First Congressional District, in 2023-24: Almost 34,000 households used SNAP benefits. Of those households, 43% had at least one senior (over age 60). 29% of SNAP recipients were people of color. 15% were Black, non-Hispanic, higher than 11.8% nationally. 6% were Hispanic (19.4% nationally). There were 24,700 total veterans (ages 18-64). Of those, 2,200 lived in households that used SNAP benefits (9%). The CBPP SNAP datasheet for Maryland is below. See data from all the states and download factsheets here.