Tag: Mitchell Center for African American Heritage

Delaware, Voting Rights, and the Political Activism of Mary Church Terrell

To kick off Women’s History Month, join biographer Dr. Alison Parker (University of Delaware) at the Delaware Historical Society on Thursday, March 5 to learn about the voting rights activism of Mary Church Terrell, a civil rights activist, clubwoman, and suffragist.

In 1920, soon after the passage of the 19th Amendment, Mary Church Terrell was threatened with arrest for disorderly conduct when a white railroad ticket agent in Dover, Delaware, realized she was there to give a speech organizing newly enfranchised Black women voters. Terrell denounced this as a first attempt to suppress Black women’s voting rights above the Mason-Dixon line.

Dr. Parker’s talk will place this incident in Dover into the broader historical context of Mary Church Terrell’s advocacy for Black women’s voting rights and participation in partisan politics.

Tickets $5. Register here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/dr-parker-book-talk

From the Vault: Black Americans of Achievement

Celebrate Black History Month with a rare look at a piece of cultural legacy from the treasures in the Delaware Historical Society collection. Join us for an object deep dive into the “Black Americans of Achievement” board game. This game is based on a series of books on Black American Achievement created in consultation with the W.E.B DuBois Institute of Afro-American Research at Harvard University.

“Black Americans of Achievement” board game is a gift from Dr. James & LaWanda Newton. Dr. Newton was a professor at the University of Delaware and the founder of the Black American Studies department, now known as the Africana Studies department.

Tickets $10. Free for members. Reserve tickets here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/vault-black-americans-of-achievement

Uncover the Past: Transcribing Delaware History

Uncover the past as you help transcribe Delaware history at this community event with Route 9 Library!

This program series, with four dates throughout 2026, gets people involved in transcribing materials from the Delaware Historical Society’s collections. At each program, attendees will get hands-on with local history as they transcribe 2-3 handwritten documents, creating transcriptions that are more readable and accessible for inclusion in our online collection records.

These transcribathons will be hosted at the Route 9 Library in New Castle County from 1-3 p.m. on February 28th, May 16th, August 8th, and October 31st.

Free event. Register here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/transcribing-de-history

Mapping the Delaware Diaspora: Hetty Saunders and the Geographies of Freedom Seeking

Join us online on Monday, February 23 to explore the life and writings of Esther “Hetty” Saunders, a Black woman born enslaved in Delaware who sought and secured freedom across the Delaware River in southern New Jersey. Through her poetry and personal journey, participants will consider how Saunders’ life reflects the broader Delaware diaspora and the intertwined landscapes of enslavement, refuge, and creativity that linked the two states.

Taylor Brookins, a Historian for the National Park Service’s History & Preservation Assistance program, will discuss Saunders’ life and literary work. A PhD candidate in the History Department at the University of Delaware, Brookins’ research focuses on the 19th century Black lived experience in the Mid-Atlantic region, and particularly that of Black women.

Mapping the Delaware Diaspora is an online series that puts the Delaware Historical Society’s collections into conversation with other repositories around the nation to demonstrate the breadth of Delawarean stories available to researchers and learners. These hour-long Zoom events with cultural heritage professionals and researchers will expose audiences to research methods, new stories of Delawareans, and the wealth of resources available to them in museums, libraries, and archives.

Tickets $5. Register here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/mapping-hetty-saunders
Zoom link will be provided after registration.

Restore & Remember: The Monday Club

Join the Mitchell Center for African American Heritage for a day of Historic R&R at The Monday Club in New Castle to help process their archival materials. Volunteers will be able to talk with elder club members and learn the rich history of the Monday Club while working to rehouse materials such as photographs, printed materials, and objects.

Our Restore and Remember: Historic R&R program engages community members to volunteer at important sites within Delaware’s Black community while discussing and learning about the history of each place and the people who used it.

Free to participate. Please register here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/restore-remember-the-monday-club

These Houses Were Homes: 5 Generations of Black Community in Old New Castle

Join us for an immersive learning experience as we walk through Old New Castle and discuss the history and culture of generations of Black families who lived and worked there.

The 2026 tours expand upon Dr. Melissa Benbow Flowers’ research at the Read House on the African American population of Old New Castle with additional source materials, a revamped route and accompanying map, and a special focus on the time period from 1776-1876.

Tickets $25. Register here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/these-houses-were-homes-2026

Space is limited, and advance registration is required. To enhance the enjoyment of all participants, we kindly request that walking tour registrants be at least 12 years old. Please note that the historic neighborhoods in Old New Castle feature uneven walkways that may not be suitable for those needing mobility assistance. 

In the event of inclement weather, the tour will be rescheduled for March 7 from 1-3 p.m. or registration may be transferred to another February tour, space permitting. 

These Houses Were Homes: 5 Generations of Black Community in Old New Castle

Join us for an immersive learning experience as we walk through Old New Castle and discuss the history and culture of generations of Black families who lived and worked there.

The 2026 tours expand upon Dr. Melissa Benbow Flowers’ research at the Read House on the African American population of Old New Castle with additional source materials, a revamped route and accompanying map, and a special focus on the time period from 1776-1876.

Tickets $25. Register here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/these-houses-were-homes-2026

Space is limited, and advance registration is required. To enhance the enjoyment of all participants, we kindly request that walking tour registrants be at least 12 years old. Please note that the historic neighborhoods in Old New Castle feature uneven walkways that may not be suitable for those needing mobility assistance. 

In the event of inclement weather, the tour will be rescheduled for March 7 from 1-3 p.m. or registration may be transferred to another February tour, space permitting. 

These Houses Were Homes: 5 Generations of Black Community in Old New Castle

Join us for an immersive learning experience as we walk through Old New Castle and discuss the history and culture of generations of Black families who lived and worked there.

The 2026 tours expand upon Dr. Melissa Benbow Flowers’ research at the Read House on the African American population of Old New Castle with additional source materials, a revamped route and accompanying map, and a special focus on the time period from 1776-1876.

Tickets $25. Register here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/these-houses-were-homes-2026

Space is limited, and advance registration is required. To enhance the enjoyment of all participants, we kindly request that walking tour registrants be at least 12 years old. Please note that the historic neighborhoods in Old New Castle feature uneven walkways that may not be suitable for those needing mobility assistance.

In the event of inclement weather, the tour will be rescheduled for March 7 from 1-3 p.m. or registration may be transferred to another February tour, space permitting. 

These Houses Were Homes: 5 Generations of Black Community in Old New Castle

Join us for an immersive learning experience as we walk through Old New Castle and discuss the history and culture of generations of Black families who lived and worked there.

The 2026 tours expand upon Dr. Melissa Benbow Flowers’ research at the Read House on the African American population of Old New Castle with additional source materials, a revamped route and accompanying map, and a special focus on the time period from 1776-1876.

Tickets $25. Register here: https://dhs.givecloud.co/these-houses-were-homes-2026

Space is limited, and advance registration is required. To enhance the enjoyment of all participants, we kindly request that walking tour registrants be at least 12 years old. Please note that the historic neighborhoods in Old New Castle feature uneven walkways that may not be suitable for those needing mobility assistance. 

In the event of inclement weather, the tour will be rescheduled for March 7 from 1-3 p.m. or registration may be transferred to another February tour, space permitting. 

Preservation PopUp!

Preserve what matters. Join the Delaware Historical Society’s Mitchell Center for African American Heritage, in collaboration with Winterthur Museum conservators and University of Delaware graduate students in art conservation, for our Preservation PopUp! community event. Bring your own personal items and learn how to preserve them for future generations. We welcome all items, especially those that have special meaning for you and your family.

Free event. Pre-registration is required. Register and let us know what item(s) you’d like help preserving here.

Please note: This event is dedicated to preservation advice and tips. No appraisals will be provided.