The Chelsea Black Community (CBC) held its second community meeting focusing on its proposed Chelsea Black Heritage History Trail project Oct. 15 at its headquarters at 56 Washington Avenue.
“We want to continue to reach out to the community for their input,” CBC President Joan Cromwell said in her welcoming remarks. “The Trail is 10 posts [historical markers that will be situated throughout Chelsea] right now and it’s part of a walking trail. So not only are you going to be informed and educated, you’re also going to get steps and exercise, so it’s all about community.”
According to a comprehensive informational pamphlet distributed at the meeting, the Chelsea Black Heritage Walking Trail is “a community-driven initiative designed to honor, preserve, and share the history and contributions of Black residents in Chelsea over the past four centuries. This cultural and educational project will create a walking tour of key history throughout Chelsea, highlighting the stories, struggles, and achievements of Black individuals and families who have helped shape the city’s identity.”
CBC President Cromwell is the Project Overseer. Her son, Kyle Umemba, is the Project Consultant and also an Overseer. Local historian Stacey Smith is the Project Manager. Caleb Hawkins is the Project Artist while Sarah Ritch is the Project Architect.
Umemba said the project has been ongoing for approximately two years. “The inception of this project was from Stacey who was really adamant on the renaming of the Walnut Street post,” said Umemba. “We all came out for the naming and the unveiling of that post. City Manager Fidel Maltez made a beautiful post. It sparked this idea, this revolution within us all of being proud of our history and lived experiences.”
Umemba said the project continues to be a work in progress. He credited Ritch for building up the maps and locations, and Hawkins for being “an amazing artist who really put the cherry on top, gave us our visual identity and the branding of this project.”
Cromwell expects the Chelsea Black Heritage Walking Trail to be completed by the late autumn of 2027. The CBC founder and president publicly thanked City Manager Fidel Maltez, the City of Chelsea, and Community Preservation Act for its financial support and community support “in believing this Trail should be a part of the city’s history.”
“Definitely, culture builds community,” concluded Cromwell.
