During the 1950's and early 60's, Anne Arundel County was still very segregated. There were only two beaches that Blacks were allowed to use. They were Carr's Beach and Sparrow's Beach in Annapolis, both located where Chesapeake Harbour stands today.
During the week, the beaches were used for friends and families to get together and visit, cook out and swim. On weekends, however, the beaches became "the place" for people from all over the Baltimore/Washington area. That's when the adults would come to see stars such as Ray Charles, Dinah Washington, Author Prysock, Ella Fitzgerald and many others. And on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., it was "show time", and people would pack into the pavilion to listen and dance to the music of Major R&B stars of the day, who's voices and music could be heard throughout the area for miles. There was Little Richard, James Brown, Lloyd Price, Etta James, The Shirelles, The Coasters, The Drifters and Fats Domino, just to name a few. ALL the great names came to Carr's Beach.
Over the years, I got to know several of the residents who resided in the cottages during that era, and they say they still can hear the music on late Saturday nights into the early hours of Sunday morning all summer long; the music of times gone by.
For more information, see Shajid McMillan's site Carr's Beach.com