07/02/2025
Community Engagement Tour!
This year, as part of the Cherry Hill Arts & Music Waterfront Festival activities, you are invited to immerse yourself in the communities of Historic Sharp-Leadenhall and Westport through a specially curated FREE bus tour on Saturday, July 5th from noon - 2pm. This collaborative engagement offers more than a reflection—it offers a blueprint for action, education, and hope.
Participants are required to register for this guided tour due to limited capacity. *See flyer for registration info!
HISTORIC SHARP-LEADENHALL
While in Historic Sharp-Leadenhall, participants will have the opportunity to learn from resident Ms. Betty Bland-Thomas, president of the Historic Sharp-Leadenhall Community Association. She will share insights about the community's rich heritage as Baltimore's oldest Black neighborhood, which includes its vital role as a hub of the Underground Railroad, the location of the first school for African Americans south of the Mason-Dixon line, and much more! Recently, with support from the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, the Neighborhood Design Center, and Baltimore National Heritage Area, the Historic Sharp-Leadenhall Community Association created 60 large banners that now adorn neighborhood utility poles. These banners proclaim "Historic Sharp-Leadenhall" and feature the faces of four notable Black Americans connected to the community. The Banner Project serves as a proactive effort to preserve the identity and heritage of Sharp-Leadenhall amid ongoing development and gentrification efforts.
www.historicsharpleadenhall.org
WESTPORT
The second stop on our tour will take place in Westport, where participants will have the opportunity to engage with Ms. Keisha Allen, a resident of Westport and President of the Westport Neighborhood Association. As a community leader from the Westport Community Economic Development Corporation (Westport CEDC), Ms. Allen will provide insights on how historically underserved communities can preserve identity and geographic integrity by establishing designated perimeters for development. The Westport Community Economic Development Corporation has been proudly serving the community since 2013 providing a cleaner, greener neighborhood, access to living wage jobs, and affordable housing opportunities.
www.WestportCEDC.org