Sparrow's Beach Explained

Sparrow's Beach was a beachfront resort on the Chesapeake Bay that catered to African American patrons during segregation in the American South.^[1]

Located just south of Annapolis, Maryland, Sparrow's Beach was established as a recreational area during the Jim Crow-era when African-Americans were denied entry into 'Whites-only' establishments.^[2] Other nearby beachfront resorts used for this purpose included Carr's Beach, Elktonia Beach, Bembe Beach, Highland Beach, Venice Beach, Oyster Harbor, and Arundel-on-the-Bay.

In August 2022, the City of Annapolis purchased what remains of Sparrow's Beach, Carr's Beach, and Elktonia Beach to preserve the land as a park.^[3]

History

Frederick Carr and Mary Wells Carr, Black Americans, purchased 180 acres of waterfront property on the Annapolis Neck peninsula in 1902. In 1926, they established a beachfront resort called Carr's Beach on the land. Their daughter, Elizabeth Carr Smith, operated Carr's Beach. Their younger daughter, Florence Carr Sparrow (1890-1989), established neighboring Sparrow's Beach on the land in 1931.^{[4] [5] [6]} Whereas Carr's Beach was popular for swimming and fishing, Sparrow's Beach was better known for family entertainment and featured a carnival, ball park, and beauty contests.^[7] Musicians Billie Holiday, Count Basie, and Sarah Vaughan among others regularly performed at the beach on weekends as part of the Chitlin' Circuit.^[8] While many local Black residents frequented the beaches, visitors traveled from all over the East Coast and also Ohio to the west. Sparrow's Beach operated for about forty years.^[9]

In 1971, Anne Arundel County condemned over 35 acres of Sparrow's Beach, making way for the Annapolis Water Reclamation Facility and condominiums.^[10]

Legacy and preservation

In August 2022, the City of Annapolis acquired five bay-front acres that included the remains of Carr's Beach, Sparrow's Beach, and Elktonia Beach. The acquisition was a result of collaborative efforts of the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, Chesapeake Conservancy, the City of Annapolis, the State of Maryland, and The Conservation Fund.^[11]

Some of the acreage will be preserved for use as a public park.^[12]

References

38.9587°N -76.4725°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2014-04-23 . Carr and Sparrow’s Beach, Annapolis, Maryland (1926-1974) • . 2023-02-10 . en-US.
2. Web site: 2021-03-26 . Remembering Carr's Beach . 2023-02-04 . www.visitannapolis.org . en-us.
3. Web site: Basara . Mindy . 2022-08-12 . Marylanders cherish fame, memories of Carr's, Sparrow's beaches . 2023-02-04 . WBAL . en.
4. Web site: Women in Black History Annapolis, MD . 2023-02-10 . www.annapolis.gov.
5. Web site: Blackstone . Andrea . Andre . 2022-03-17 . Historically Significant Black Beach in Annapolis will Become a City Park . 2023-02-10 . The Baltimore Times Online Newspaper Baltimore News . en-US.
6. Web site: 2020-03-04 . Beaches Provide Refuge for Blacks During Jim Crow Era . 2023-02-10 . The Washington Informer . en-US.
7. Web site: Carr's and Sparrow's Beaches . 2024-10-05 . leisureasresistance.org . en-US.
8. Web site: Elizabeth Carr Smith & Florence Carr Sparrow – The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation . 2024-10-05 . en-US.
9. Web site: Basara . Mindy . 2022-08-12 . Marylanders cherish fame, memories of Carr's, Sparrow's beaches . 2023-02-10 . WBAL . en.
10. Web site: Bulletin . Bay . 2022-08-17 . Historic Black Beaches of Annapolis Preserved as Park . 2024-10-05 . Chesapeake Bay Magazine . en-US.
11. Web site: Signing Ceremony to Acquire Elktonia/Carr’s Beach to City to Take Place on August 12 . 2023-02-06 . The Conservation Fund . en-gb.
12. Web site: 2022-08-12 . Elktonia-Carr's Beach preserved from development, given to Annapolis . 2023-02-04 . WMAR 2 News Baltimore . en.