On Saturday, July 21, 1956, more than 70,000 people excitedly headed to Carr’s Beach to see a performance by Chuck Berry. In June of that year, “Roll Over Beethoven” had reached number 29 on the Billboard Top 100 chart. This was a hot act that summer— and everyone wanted to be there~ but only eight thousand fans managed to get past the gates as the grounds were already at full capacity!!
This concert was just one of many that made Carr’s Beach a regional attraction as an African American beach and entertainment spot on what was known as the Chitlin’ Circuit. The venue hosted performances by jazz legends like Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, and Lionel Hampton, alongside soul icons Ray Charles, James Brown, and Jackie Wilson. Rock ‘n’ Roll trailblazers Fats Domino and Buddy Holly also appeared at Carr’s Beach. By the early 1960s, lineups included Little Richard, Lloyd Price, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, The Shirelles, The Coasters, and The Drifters. Every Sunday afternoon, “Bandstand on the Beach” was broadcast live for Black audiences as far west as Ohio.
Venues on the Chitlin’ Circuit warmly hosted African American performers and audiences, and the route took musicians, comedians, and other entertainers throughout the eastern and southern United States, where Black artists found both commercial success and cultural acceptance. Carr’s Beach was often the final stop for entertainers who performed in Baltimore or Washington, D.C., before heading further south. It also paved the way for the Civil Rights Movement and empowered the broader fight for racial equality.
Situated on the Annapolis Neck just south of Annapolis, at the mouth of the Severn River, with a majestic view of the Chesapeake Bay, Carr’s was one of several private bayside spots used by the Black community when widespread segregation prevented access to white-only beaches and amenities. During the intense era of Jim Crow laws and enforced racial separation, Black audiences and artists came together out of necessity to create their own joyful recreational spaces and lively performance venues. Day-trippers swam, fished, and enjoyed picnics at what many lovingly called “the Beach, ” where they could enjoy the day with friends and family insulated from the racial prejudice of the era.
In 2022, the land was purchased by the City of Annapolis with funding from federal, state, city, and nonprofit sources, creating the Elktonia-Carr’s Beach Heritage Park. Plans are coming together with the support of the local non-profit Blacks of the Chesapeake so that this important 20th century story will be remembered by future generations.
To explore this and other Beaches of Anne Arundel County, Please Visit-
- Elktonia- Carr’s Beach Heritage Park– The newest City of Annapolis park is a work in progress, but is already open to the public. Elktonia Beach Heritage Park, which is located on Bembe Beach Road across from the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Park campus, is the last remaining piece of a once-vibrant 180-acre property known as Carr’s and Sparrow’s Beach, two popular resorts on the Chesapeake Bay that served as a place for the Black community to find refuge during segregation.
- Ft. Smallwood Park– Situated at the confluence of the Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay, Fort Smallwood Park’s 90 acres offer an outstanding balance of recreation opportunities and natural beauty. Park visitors of all ages and interests will find Fort Smallwood Park a relaxing place to spend their leisure time. Enjoy fishing, picnicking, bird watching, and swimming. The park offers a hard launch boat ramp year round for power boaters and sailors as well as a soft launch for paddlers, wind surfers and kite boarders.
- Beverly-Triton Nature Park– Beverly Triton Nature Park is located in Edgewater, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay and features: a mile of shoreline, a children’s playground, five miles of hiking trails, four ponds with a designated fishing area, and a cartop launch for canoeing, kayaking, and windsports.
- Franklin Point State Park– Maryland’s newest state park is 477 beautiful acres right on the Chesapeake Bay between Shady Side and Deale. Formerly the site of Deep Creek Airport, this rustic park now has marsh, forest, meadow, and a sandy bay shoreline. Open sunrise to sunset, the park is open to all visitors.
- Sandy Point State Park– This 786-acre Maryland state park is located along the northwestern shore of the majestic Chesapeake Bay, about a ten-minute drive from downtown Annapolis. The park’s beach (the largest in the area) and picnic areas are well known for their breathtaking scenic water views that overlook one of Maryland’s true treasures, the Chesapeake Bay. The park was first opened on June 25, 1952 and has provided its guests with various activities and services ever since. Some of these activities and services include swimming beaches, picnicking, fishing and crabbing, boating, hiking, youth group camping, areas of historical interest and wildlife viewing. The park also offers a marina store and boat rentals. (NOTE: As of 2025– the Park now requires reservations on busy summer weekends)
- Beachwood Park- This natural area in Pasadena is part of the County Recreation and Parks portfolio, but in the 1950s, it was advertised as “Maryland’s finest inter-racial beach and amusement park.” Located near the head waters of the Magothy River, the park is open to visitors.
- Learn more about the Civil Rights Era, and other black beaches virtually– by checking out the Civil Rights Guide for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.
Woman Sunbathing on Carr’s Beach, c. 1950-1955, The Annapolis I Remember Collection, MSA SC 2140-1-81 (Maryland State Archives)
Performances at Carr’s Beach. Blacks of the Chesapeake Bay Collection, MSA SC 6250-7-28-0013 (Maryland State Archives)
Crowd at Carr’s Beach. Blacks of the Chesapeake Bay Collection, MSA SC 6250-7-28-0009 (Maryland State Archives).
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The Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area is a Maryland Certified Heritage Area that celebrates the history, culture, and natural beauty of Annapolis and across Anne Arundel County. A 20-plus year collaboration between Anne Arundel County, the City of Annapolis, and the Maryland Heritage Area Authority, we connect visitors and residents to over 60 incredible destinations, from world-class museums and historic homes to scenic parks, trails, nature preserves, and vibrant arts centers.
Looking for a fun way to get the family out and exploring this summer? We invite you to take part in our 2025 Historic Summer Bucket List Challenge, a fresh take on summer fun that combines learning, adventure, and memory-making. Visit our website ChesapeakeCrossroads.org, to explore a full list of attractions. Get started checking items from the Historic Summer Bucket List!