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Welcome to<br>Sumner Hall

Welcome to
Sumner Hall

Preservation

Preservation

Education

Education

Celebration

Celebration

Located in historic Chestertown on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Sumner Hall is one of only two existing African American G.A.R. buildings still standing in the United States. We are open to the public every Saturday from 10:00AM to 1:00PM.

Special arrangements to visit the museum may be requested by contacting:
(443) 282-0023 or info@sumnerhall.org

Become a Member Today

Sumner Hall relies on the contributions of donors and members to cover a high proportion of its basic operating costs. Individual and organization memberships available

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Upcoming Meetings and Events

Sumner Hall hosts monthly events and meetings and is open to the community as an event venue.

It is an ideal venue for family gatherings, meetings, training sessions and musical events.  The ground floor is suitable for a reception or cocktail party.To find out more about the availability of space at Sumner Hall please click here.

No events!

Legacy Day 2026 – Author event with former Obama White House staffer Jason Green, sharing his memoir “Too Precious to Lose” about a rural Maryland family and community who came together to preserve local churches. Moderated by Airlee Ringgold Johnson. – August 16, 2026

Photos courtesy of George Best Photography

A Special Tribute

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOURS TODAY

Newsworthy

Thank You!

Thank You for Supporting Legacy Day 2025!

GOSPEL - Evan W. Smith Funeral Services, Inc., John & Margaret Christie | R & B - Werten Bellamy, Charles Conklin, Helena Hermes, Kent Cultural Alliance, People’s Bank, Aubrey Sarvis | JAZZ - Terra Deaton, Linda & Philip Dutton, Janine Gray, Kent County Government, Rebecca Murphy & John Hutchinson, Rotary Club, Vanessa & Alvin Ringgold, Gloria & Samuel Ringgold, Neil Stoddard, Lainie & Ralph Surette | BLUES - Monica & Harrison Bentley, Penny & Jim Block, Chestertown Tea Party, Steve Clemons & Andrew Oros, Kurt Douglas, Barbara & David Foster, Helen & Ken Hepburn, Airlee & Henry Johnson, Kent School, Main Street Chestertown, Emily Porter, Presbyterian Church of Chestertown, Riverside Unique, Cynthia Saunders, Ruth & Simeon Shoge | HIP HOP- Anthony Judge & Ware, Anthony’s Flowers, Carmelyn Bachman, Barbara in den Bosch, Beverly & Edward Birkmire, Chester River Chorale, Inc., Chestertown Natural Foods, David Bramble Inc., Democratic Club of Kent County, Dixon Group, Evergrain Bread Co., Gillespie & Sons, Joanne & Bill Ghio, Joan & Thomas Groce, Joe Hayman, Linda Hopkins, James A. Jones – I Can We Can Foundation, In Memory of Sam & Helen Johnson, Sherise Kennard, Kent County NAACP, Barbara Lamphere, Mary Anne & Bill Leary, Kathryn Lee, Thomas Mak, Sandra Mason, Diane & Jim McComb, Shaun McClain, Robert Ortiz Studio, Bernard Pfeiffer, Linda Reed, Tonya & Jemyle Ringgold Melinda Robinson & Jerome Hutchins, R Ford Schumann/Mary Schumann, Zita Seals, Unitarian Universalists, John Vogel, Amy & Robert Warner, Juanita Wieczoreck | RAG TIME - Steve Atkinson, Margie Baker, Alta Campbell, Anne Kerr Charles, Genevieve & Joseph Coyle, Meghan Efland, Jenifer Emly, Lynn Geisert, Debbie Sparks Harris, Linda & Stephen Gibson, Darius Johnson, L. Michelle Johnson, Crystal & Avon Jones, Lucy Maddox, Louise Miller, Open Doors Partners in Education, Eleanor Ringgold, Kathleen Ruckman, Cheryl & James Saunders, Shanelle Shakoor, Anita Silverman, Rev. Joel Tolbert | BE-BOP - Arlene Bratcher, Donna Knapp, Bonita Lee-Shehee, Erika Lewis, Kim & Greg Moody, Nathan Schroyer, Emma Shivers, Jasmine Sun

Within these walls, veterans and their families talked, planned, learned, celebrated and helped one another find security in their lives. Their personal stories, rich in character building lessons, still resonate with us today.

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Our Vision

Sumner Hall aspires to be the premier showcase on the Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland for the preservation, education and celebration of the history and culture of African Americans.

Programs

Preservation

Education

  • K-12
  • Teacher Trunks
  • Publications

Celebration

Exhibits

Sumner Hall hosts exhibits related to the history and contributions of African Americans in Kent County. Some of our exhibits are on-going and the public is urged to contribute to the information and archives we have collected.

Kent County African American Veterans Project

Since the earliest call to arms, African Americans from Kent County, Maryland, have answered. Sumner Hall was built by African American veterans from Kent County, and is a place of remembrance.

Click here to find out more.

Annual Legacy Day Festival

Legacy Day – a festival that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of African Americans in Kent County – has occurred each August since 2016. It is offered free of charge to the public, thanks to the sponsorships of individuals and organizations.

Click here to find out more.

Custodians of the Commodore Collection

Sumner Hall is proud to share with our supporters the successful effort to rescue and preserve a significant collection of local records.

Click here to find out more.
Click here to view all sumner hall programs and exhibits

Contact Us

Sumner Hall
206 South Queen Street
Chestertown, Maryland 21620

HOURS OF OPERATION: Sumner Hall is open to the public each Saturday of the year from 10 AM – 1 PM unless otherwise noted on our website (www.sumnerhall.org). Special visits may be arranged at other times by contacting us at info@sumnerhall.org. 

We would like to hear from you! To contact us, please call 443.282.0023 and leave a message or send us an email:  info@sumnerhall.org;  we will be back in touch with you soon.  Or, you may contact us by mail.  

Our Partners

Sumner Hall values its partnerships with local, state and national organizations. Our current exhibits, programs and initiatives are enriched by collaborating with the following:

Thank You

Sumner Hall is proud recipient of the FY26 SHINE Grant from Maryland Humanities