Annapolis Artist To Paint Mural Honoring Black Musicians

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Annapolis artist Comacell Brown will paint a mural at Park Place this spring. His work will commemorate Carr's Beach, an Annapolis venue where Black musicians performed during segregation.

Carr's Beach operated from 1926 to 1974. It hosted famous acts like:

• Aretha Franklin
• Billie Holiday
• Count Basie
• Dinah Washington
• Duke Ellington
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Etta James
• James Brown
• Little Richard
• Ray Charles

Perched at the end of Edgewood Road, Carr's Beach was a bayfront getaway for Black Marylanders excluded from other attractions. Elizabeth Carr Smith, the daughter of a former slave, owned and operated the destination, which had a swimming area, a concert hall and a small amusement park. Brown's mural will commemorate this legacy and culture.

"This project is an amazing opportunity for The Maryland State Archives to partner with a local nonprofit and honor the rich history of Carr’s Beach," Digital Archivist Corey Lewis said in a press release.

Brown will start painting on April 6. He plans to finish on April 16.

The painting won't be Brown's first in Annapolis. Last summer, Brown painted a mural of George Floyd at City Dock and a memorial to Breonna Taylor at Chambers Park. Both Black Americans died at the hands of police, fueling protests against racial injustice.

Brown, who goes by "Cell Spitfire," has also worked with NFL quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Cam Newton, as well as rapper 50 Cent.

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Brown's latest mural will be located alongside StageOne at Park Place. This outdoor venue is home to the Maryland Cultural and Conference Center, formerly named the Maryland Theatre for the Performing Arts.

The theater company, also known as MC3, recently suggested constructing a 1,200-seat auditorium on this open plot of land near the intersection of West Street and Taylor Avenue. If built, the $57 million complex would house performances and gatherings. The proposal is still in its early stages of fundraising, however.

"In alignment with MC3’s mission to provide equitable access to innovative and diverse arts ..., we recognize that Carr's Beach was our city's original presenter of culturally diverse entertainment," MC3 Board Member and Project Lead Eric Elston said.

MC3 will host a virtual discussion about the mural, which is part of its One Annapolis Community Art Project, Friday at 5 p.m. Viewers can tune in on MC3's YouTube channel.

The theater company is also raising money for the effort on GoFundMe. The group has collected $5,230 so far, but it hopes to reach $15,000. Residents can donate at this link.

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