Eastern Shore Stories was created and curated by Lani Seikaly to record and share the experiences of Black narrators growing up and/or working in Kent County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Their stories are engaging, heartwarming and challenging and deserve to be heard by a much larger audience. Many of the interviews were part of multiple exhibitions staged at the Chestertown RiverArts Gallery. Some were also on display at Summer Hall, local libraries or in businesses around the county. Additional stories based on interviews by a variety of community members are shared for the first time on this website. Creative Gordon Wallace who grew up in Kent County also shares his photos and videos.

“I am passionate about and inspired by the narrator’s stories about their experiences. The incredible work ethic along with a strong sense of community came through in almost every interview I conducted. Glimpses of segregation and its impact are laced through the stories as well as the challenges of transitioning to integration. Economic challenges abound but are moderated by the spirit, resourcefulness and good will of the people. As one narrator put it, ‘I didn’t even know I was poor because I had what a lot of people didn’t have and that’s a sense of love and community support.’” 

“I love talking to people about their experiences in life and lessons learned.  I love hearing what they value and where they find joy. What challenges they have faced, how they navigated adversity and where they found their strength.  How they think of community and how they contribute to it.  Who do they admire and want to be?” Lani Hall Seikaly