Charlotte King was first introduced to Delaware as a working mother, looking for a place to bring her daughter for a beach trip. As a social worker who held posts with family and children’s services in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore region, her trips to Lewes were a brief reprieve.
King’s first career included stops at Anne Arundel County Social Services as well as leading all adoption and protective service programs for all Maryland’s counties. She also served as the executive director of the Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. When she thought her professional life was winding down, she moved to Lewes in 2000 to work for Delaware Guidance for Children, a mental health clinic for the state’s youth.
“But what really got me going was getting into volunteerism somehow. I must be hyperactive without knowing it,” King joked.
She joined the League of Women Voters, eventually becoming its president at a time when there were few Black women involved. During her time there, she said the League helped push for many causes, including sea level change and infrastructure issues. But it was also a tough time, as Sussex County did not have a Black representative in local, county or state offices – and some important stories were falling through the cracks.
“The only way we can move forward is through education and it’s the most important weapon we have. I never wanted to be a protester, but these stories needed to be told,” King said. “People thought they were moving to a resort area where there were no problems. And there were times when there was only one Black school teacher in the schools.”
King formed the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice (SDARJ) in 2015, well ahead of the Black Lives Matter protest. In the nine years since, she said that much of the organization’s focus is to shine a light on Delaware’s past and how it impacts people today, such as the state’s prison system and education practices. The organization also works with other businesses like the Schell Brothers, to offer scholarships. King also worked to focus the organization on cultural issues, and helped launch the Black Voices magazine and the African American Film Festival.
Over the years, the SDARJ held monthly town halls to give people a chance to talk to civil servants including police chiefs of local towns. The organization also held seminars with authors like Michelle Alexander, opening people’s eyes to how institutionalized racism works out in day-to-day life.
“Those were important because we learned about each other and you break down the divisiveness as well as the stereotypes we hold close,” she said. “This is a long term process, the re-education of America. There are a lot of good people out there, there’s just things they did not know and they want to make change. And getting uncomfortable with people who look different than you is just the start.”
