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Article by Andre Nieto Jaime  While many people are familiar with Eugenie “Shanie” Shields through her involvement with the Chipman Cultural Center and time as a city councilwoman, they may not be aware of her deep connection to the Salisbury area. She has been a lifelong resident of Salisbury with family ties going back generations to the early founders of Salisbury’s Black neighborhoods. She is proud of her ancestors achievements and credits this lineage as the reason for her community involvement. Despite various hardships throughout her life, Shanie Shields has persevered, using her experiences to relate to her neighbors and improve her hometown. To this day she continues advocating for her community, using her knowledge of the city’s history and past experiences to enact positive change. Born on August 20, 1950 as Eugenie Pinkett, she was the daughter of Valerie Pinkett Lightfoot and Frank Davis. Her name was given to her by Dr. Arthur D. Browne, one of Salisbury’s early Black physicians, who delivered her at her grandparents house on 200 3rd Street. The building remains proudly standing, but is known as 147 Delaware Avenue today. According to Shanie herself, Dr. Browne did a tour in France during World War I. At some point during this tour, he had a French girlfriend named “Eugénie” which in French is pronounced “eu-zhay-nee.” However, English speakers pronounced it “eugene-ie” and her mother called her “eu-shanie,” causing inconsistent expressions of her name. As for what Eugenie calls herself, she preferred, and continues to go by, “Shanie,” which is closer to what her mother called her. Her mother, Valerie Pinkett Lightfoot, was a professional singer and performed in many jazz clubs in Philadelphia, even opening for The Platters at one time. Her father, Frank Davis, worked as a driver for the Allied Cab Company that was once present behind the Franklin Hotel. When Shanie was a little girl, her mother left to work in Philadelphia, leaving Shanie in the care of a cousin, Esther Winder Williams and her husband Henry Holloway Williams. Her early memories were of “terrorizing that part of the neighborhood,” and rolling down the hill by the incinerator. She remembers this hill being “like a mountain” in comparison to their size and the general flatness of the Eastern Shore.  Public Works Incinerator Walter C. Thurston Jr. Collection (2016.096) Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University Her foster mother, Esther, was a music instructor who gave piano lessons at the home. Her foster father, Henry, was Jamaican immigrant that came to the United States in the 1940s. This was a common pattern during the war to meet the demand for farm workers. He stayed in the area following the end of the war, gaining citizenship in 1953. Henry was described as a hardworking man with several jobs including at the Campbell Soup facility, the Allied Cab Company, at the local hospital, and even raised pigs at home. The Williams family remained on Delaware Avenue with Shanie until 1956, when Route 50 was constructed through the California neighborhood. While their home was not among the many that were lost, Henry Williams felt that the highway was too close to be able to comfortably stay there and moved the family to Jersey Road. Here, Williams eventually built the family home that Shanie moved into at 14. Shanie felt fortunate for her upbringing, which she describes as being good, but strict. She was raised as an only child until the age of eight and spent much time with her father, leading to her calling herself a “daddy’s girl.” She learned a lot from her foster parents, her teachers, and members of her church which served as an extended family.  Land Cleared for Highway Development Early construction for Business Rt. 50 through Salisbury. Looking east toward Wicomico Hotel. Walter Thurston Photograph Collection (2016.096) Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University Growing up in the comfort of the California community also meant that Shanie was sheltered from the effects of racism. In the past, California had been a thriving entertainment district full of multi-ethnic businesses operating side-by-side. Shanie remembers this area as being “downtown” (today’s Downtown was referred to as uptown) and was able to list more than a handful of businesses that once lined the street including: • Ms. Blanche Purnell’s Boutique • Dixie Bargain Center • Tony’s Shoe Shop • Willow Cab • Allied Cab • Ideal Cab • The Ritz Theater • Blue Moon • The Franklin Hotel • Winder’s Barbershop
The presence of these stores nearby, many of them Black owned, meant that Shanie and her family rarely had to venture across the bridge where she would have been more likely to have a racist encounter. Although she did go "uptown" on a few occasions. The fact that schools were segregated also kept Shanie from experiencing racism firsthand. Another contributing factor to this sheltered upbringing was that her household rarely talked about racism, but she did catch glimpses from overheard conversations. One of these conversations revolved around the 1931 lynching of Matthew Williams which occurred nearly two decades before Shanie was even born. She remembers conversations among her family in which they discussed how Dr. Browne witnessed the lynching, and how him passing as white allowed him to witness the horrific event, although he was “scared to death” while doing so. She also found out that her grandfather, James Stanley Pinkett, witnessed the lynching while he was working as a bell hop/captain at the Wicomico Hotel (now One Plaza East) and how the Black employees were made to watch the lynching as a form of intimidation. Shanie recognizes that it is a grim reality of our history, but that “its part of our history … and you can’t run away from it” no matter how bad it is. It is something that should be confronted and reflected upon in order to heal from it. Shanie often points towards history when she speaks, and highlights both the good and bad parts. The bad, such as the lynchings and destruction of Salisbury’s Black businesses, and the loss of Black schools, are some of examples of the bad history that can be learned from. The good history, such as those of California and its bustling entertainment district act as ideals to strive towards. “Don’t tear down your heritage,” is a warning that Shanie gives to the public. These memories and structures act as reminders and are a part of the lower shore’s heritage. The California neighborhood, with multi-ethnic businesses operating next to each other is a strong memory Shanie has, but it does not have to be relegated to being a picturesque memory. It is a dream that can be made a reality again, and something Shanie has pursued consistently during her time in office.  Wicomico Hotel Baker Family papers (2012.200) Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture Shanie’s school life was spent almost entirely within a segregated school system, which also contributed to her being protected from experiencing racism firsthand growing up. As an elementary school student, Shanie attended Salisbury Elementary School on Lake Street. Today, it as known as the Chipman Elementary School, but many remember it as the Salisbury Colored High School. In 1954 the high school moved to Morris Street (today’s Salisbury Middle School) and elementary school students claimed the building. Shanie recalls memories of her time here and how one day she did not do her math work, which resulted in a phone call home from her 3rd Grade teacher, Ms. Johnson. That phone call seemingly unleashed the wrath of Shanie’s mother who made her “stay up ‘til I did every problem on the back of the book.” While it was probably not so funny to Shanie at the time, it is something she looks back at and laughs about today. Shanie’s days at Chipman Elementary were cut a little short in 6th Grade with her being among the first students transferred to Salisbury High School in 1961 due to the population outgrowing the schools. It was here in 6th grade where Shanie had her favorite teacher, Ms. Marion Church. Salisbury High was also the school that allowed her to travel to New York City in the 10th Grade to witness the 1964-195 World’s Fair, as her school choir was selected as “the best in Maryland” and sent to represent the Old Line State. This memory remains among her favorite from her childhood and early girlhood.  Sixth Grade, Mrs. Marian Church's Class Vol. 1961: Beacon (Salisbury MD) 1961 Salisbury High School Beacon Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture However, Shanie’s life was soon shaken up. In 1966, schools in Wicomico County fully and suddenly integrated. While some Black students had been sent to white schools before as a test run, 1966 was the year that schools were fully integrated. Her beloved school, Salisbury High School, was closed, preventing her and countless other students from graduating from what they felt was their school. Instead of allowing white students to attend formerly all-Black schools, the county opted to close the Black schools and have their students integrate into white schools. Integration only went one way and it was devastating. The result? Black students lost facilities, resources, and teachers that understood their needs, histories, and genuinely cared about their success. They felt that “they lost everything,” during this forced transition, especially since many of the teachers that were at these all-Black schools were usually not carried over to the newly integrated schools. There was no expectation for white students and teachers to understand the incoming Black students nor was there any effort to understand their heritage, history, and culture. Meanwhile, Black students were expected to adapt to white schools, often while being discriminated against by their new white teachers and peers. It was a traumatic experience for those involved. No planning was done in advance of integration, besides sending a few Black students into white classes the year before as a sort of trial run, nor was there any preparation for the teachers. As Shanie put it, “they just threw us in there,” without consideration for the consequences. There also was no counseling offered to any of the students during this period of sudden change. Many students lamented the loss of their schools and teachers, including Shanie Shields who told the press “we didn’t get over it for the longest time,” when reflecting upon her school days. She still feels that it was among the worst things to happen to the Black community. Integration had an impact on the Black community as a whole, not just on its students. It hindered the closeness and self-sufficiency of the Black community that once looked after each other and ran its own businesses. Now, “everything Black business is torn down,” but the memories of the closeness is something that Shanie promotes, knowing that the spirit can and should be revived. Vance Elbert has added to these conversations, sharing how church was the center of Black life, and this too began to decline. The John Wesley Church, once the center of the Georgetown Community, saw the end of regular church service in the 1960s. Church leadership, while not gone, seems to have taken a less active role in the Black community as well. In a post-screening panel of Hidden in Full View, Shanie notes that religious leadership declined and that there has not been a minister who has been active in the community since the 1980s.  11-C Homeroom, Mrs. Catherine Parsons Vol. 1966: Beacon (Salisbury MD) 1966 Salisbury High School Beacon Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture  Salisbury High School Photo from the Baker Family papers (2012.200) Salisbury University Nabb Research Center Returning to the 1960s, Shanie spent her senior year at Wicomico High School and this was when she became exposed to blatant racism for the first time. The prom theme for that year was “Southern Plantation,” given the timing and considering the history of plantation labor, it should come as no surprise that this theme was a highly offensive provocation. Many students, including Shanie, protested the theme and participated in sit-ins to have the theme changed. Shanie was suspended for five days as a result of her participation. This was only the beginning of her activism, with Shanie joining the NAACP following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and remained active in the organization through the 2000s.  Eugenie Pinkett in 1968 Vol. 1968: Tom Tom (Salisbury MD) 1968 Wicomico High School Tom Tom Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture  Future Business Leaders of America Vol. 1968: Tom Tom (Salisbury MD) 1968 Wicomico High School Tom Tom Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture  Future Business Leaders of America Vol. 1968: Tom Tom (Salisbury MD) 1968 Wicomico High School Tom Tom Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture  Wicomico High School, Salisbury, MD John Jacob Collection Postcards Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture There was another challenge that Shanie faced before she could graduate, and it is one that has reared its head throughout her life. This was the loss of her foster father, Henry Holloway Williams, when he passed away at Peninsula General Hospital on May 31, 1967. Shanie shares that one of her greatest struggles in life is overcoming the deaths of those dear to her. The death of a loved one is difficult to overcome on its own, but it becomes even more arduous when the timing coincides with other hardships or challenges. A year later came Shanie’s graduation, after which, she had wanted to go to Morgan State College (now Morgan University). However, several factors in her life led to a change in course. Having become a single mother in 1966, going to college would be difficult. She knew her son would have been safe at home in the care of family, but did not want to have to rely heavily on her family to pay for her studies. This is what spurred Shanie to join the workforce. She could have taken a job with the State Department, having passed the civil service exam after graduating, but was not satisfied with the idea of having to move to Washington D.C. and declined the position she was offered. Shanie's first job became one at sewing factory doing piecework. Although, she quickly found out that she was not cut out for this line of work, being more of a “book person” that was not as dexterous as others. Remembering her father’s encouraging words, “you can be anything you want to be,” she decided to seek out work that was more suitable for her. At first, she tried giving the city life a try, moving to Camden New Jersey to live with her mother, Valerie. She had been working in Philadelphia as a performer and Shanie also found work here at Gerrard Trust, later known as Mercantile Bank. Shanie took a bus back and forth across the bridge linking Camden and Philadelphia for six months, until an encounter scared her enough to make her leave the city for good. She recalled getting off the bus and seeing a group of boys fighting in the street. She was back home in Salisbury the next day, confirming that city life was not for her. After returning to Salisbury, she had her second son, Pierre Holloway Pinkett, in June of 1969. Pierre had been born with congenital heart disease, adding another hurdle in Shanie's life. In December, she secured a position at Peninsula Regional Medical Center as a desk clerk and remained there for seven years. Around this time, she met Gregory Green and the two married in 1971. In 1976, Shanie enrolled in classes at Salisbury State College (now Salisbury University). However, she left Salisbury once again in 1978 when her husband entered the military. The couple moved to South Carolina until 1981 when Shanie returned. Green had been sent to Texas for military training and Shanie, not wanting to be left in South Carolina, moved back to Salisbury to wait for the family’s relocation to Arizona. However, the couple divorced in 1981 before this relocation could happen and this marked the final time Shanie moved away from the Salisbury area. Shanie, always being able to get back on her feet, prioritized raising her children and did not let the divorce set her back. This is the moment that Shanie credits with sparking her involvement in the community. When she came back home in 1981, she struggled to find a decent job with proper benefits that could support her and her family. Instead of waiting idly by, she decided to fill her spare time with volunteer work, volunteering with various nonprofits. Her first volunteer work was with the Lower Shore Hunger Project through Delmarva Rural Ministries. As part of this, she would take food to different migrant camps and worked with James Leonard who further inspired her to do more activism. This activism helped bring attention to the poor and exploitative conditions faced by migrant agricultural workers in the area who were vital to the growing and harvesting of food on the peninsula. It was around this time that she also helped with a voter registration project in 1984 that registered 4,000 people to vote on the Eastern Shore. Haitian Migrant Farmworkers Phil Decker Papers (2013.102) Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture The following year, Shanie became part of the Chipman Foundation’s board, joining at the behest of her cousin Elaine Brown who Shanie jokingly says coerced her into joining. The building that is now the Chipman Cultural Center has a special place in Shanie’s heart. It was the church her and her family attended, back when it was known as the John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church. She has fond memories of going to John Wesley, noting that the church served as a community hub. She remembers walking down the street to the drug store after Sunday school to get ice cream, dubbed “the best ice cream” by Audrey Jackson Matthews. She also reminisces on having dinner at her great-grandparents’ home late at night after Sunday school and how some nights they were having dinner as late as 10:00pm. Another reason that the Chipman Center holds a special place in Shanie’s heart is that she has an ancestral connection with the church. One of her relatives, Elijah Pinkett, was a founding member of the original congregation dating back to 1837 and the first structure built in 1838. When regular church service at John Wesley ended in the 1960s and moved to Wesley Temple, the building had fallen into disrepair. Through the Chipman Foundation, the building was restored and preserved as a cultural center, highlighting Salisbury’s Black history. It was under Shanie’s leadership that the mortgage for the Chipman Center and the land for the Boundless Garden was paid off. Additionally, several grants were awarded to maintain the building with Shanie as president. While she continues to serve on the Foundation’s board, she has stepped back from the board to focus on other endeavors. However, she continues to express her desire to see the building to expand its inclusiveness, wanting see more involvement and representation from other communities that make Salisbury as diverse as it is today.
While Shanie was discovering her love for volunteer work, she was still looking for a decent paying job, which took six years of searching. In 1987, she was hired at Thompson Publishing Group as a data entry clerk and then promoted over time. Shanie remained there until the group left Salisbury seven years later, after which, she took the time to get her associates degree from Wor-Wic. She earned her degree in 1997, and during her education new opportunity came around the corner. This new opportunity took the form of Mel Toadvine, photojournalist and editor of The Daily Times. Toadvine had recognized Shanie from her involvement in community and called her, asking her to do a tab. Shanie was reluctant and already had a full plate “taking care of two moms...and going to school,” but was reassured when Toadvine told her it would only be for two weeks. The position ended up lasting 15 years. She was eventually transferred to the Somerset Herald and did the legal ads and obituaries for three papers: Eastern Shore News, Daily Times, and Somerset Herald.
The 1990s was an eventful decade for Shanie. In 1990, Shanie Met her second husband, James H. Shields, in Princess Anne while he was serving as a bouncer at a club. Shanie had been practically dragged there by a friend. Shanie was working seven days a week with two jobs, and was understandably tired. Nonetheless, she relented and went to this club where Shanie gave her future husband a lecture on money. The lecture must have won James over, since the couple married the following year in 1991. However, these fruitful years were not without hardships which Shanie has been proud of overcoming. First, there was the death of her son, Pierre, in 1989 due to his aforementioned congenital heart disease. Then, just three years later, another son, Rotan Green was killed in the same neighborhood that Shanie had grown up in. Death reared its ugly head again in 1999 when her foster mother, Esther Winder Williams, passed away. The 21st century provided more obstacles for Shanie. In 2006, James H. Shield had passed away in his sleep. Even more shocking was that the loss occurred on their 15th wedding anniversary. On top of having to grieve the loss of her husband, Shields had to handle the loss of their home too. Shortly before his death, James Shields had refinanced the home, and with him gone, the mortgage became unaffordable. Just four months later, her biological mother passed away. Shanie Shields has said that overcoming death has been her greatest struggle as it is has left her to pick up the pieces by herself. Even so, she was able to overcome these losses and press forward with her life and become a local figure in politics.  "Husband of Councilwoman Dies" James Shields Article by Monique Lewis The Daily Times, July 8, 2006. Shanie kicked off her political career in the 1990s, running against Lavonzella Siggers for the District 1 seat in Salisbury’s City Council in 1994 and again in 1998. However, she did not get elected until 2005 when she finally beat out Siggers. Four years later, in 2009, Shanie narrowly won her re-election campaign and won once more in 2013. She ran for a fourth term in 2015, but did not end up re-elected, ending over ten years of city council work. However, that was not the end of her time in public office. She ran for county council in 2018 against Ernie Davis, but did not win her race until the next election in 2022. During her time on both the city and county councils, Shanie Shields has been an advocate for the vulnerable by pushing diversity, inclusivity, historic preservation, and home ownership. Her support for diversity and inclusivity extends beyond race; it includes age as well. Over the years, she has been a proponent of preparing the younger generations through job training. She has also striven to include the youth in civics and encourages them to take an active role in their community. Part of this has taken the form of urging them to get to know their history, especially the Black history, because it can serve as an example of what can be done when communities band together. One example she gives was the former Friendly Benefit Playground which was funded by women. This playground near St. Paul’s Church once served as a gathering place children and the community. Shanie hopes that reflection on the sacrifices of those who came before will get people to appreciate the rights that society enjoys today and will make them realize that they too can achieve greatness. Shanie also recognizes and embraces the growing diversity of Salisbury, noting that “we have to respect each other as human beings,” showing one of her guiding principles of treating others the way that one wants to be treated. Over the last 40+ years that Shanie has been volunteering, she has been a member of many boards and volunteer groups including: • SHORE UP! Inc. • Habitat for Humanity • Salisbury Neighborhood Housing • Wicomico County Tenant Association, President • Westside Neighborhood Association, President • Chipman Foundation, President • Mayor’s Task Force of Housing • Salisbury Westside Revitalization Committee, Secretary • Wesley Temple Hunger Action Committee • Tri-County Council • Delmarva Rural Ministries • Steering Committee of the West Salisbury “Hot Spot” Shanie’s contributions to the community have been recognized with several awards, but she prefers not to show them off. Instead of hanging up her awards, she opts to hang up photos of her family, especially her grandchildren. Shanie says that “raising my kids to be good citizens” is her greatest achievement, highlighting how much she cares about her children. She also cares about the youth in her community, treating the neighborhood “boys on the corner” like her own children. By treating those around her with kindness and respect, she hopes to foster similar behavior in the community that she loves.
Ever since returning to Salisbury in 1981, Shanie Shields has been very community oriented. She attributes this to her deeply rooted lineage, saying that “It was in my blood to start getting involved in the community.” This deep history she has with the community has only made the love for Salisbury stronger. Shanie loves the place that she calls home and calls on others to “appreciate what you have. It’s like a blessing.” Her appreciation for her community has been evident through her work in both City and County Councils where feels that it has helped her give back to Salisbury. Her experiences as a single mother, care giver, divorcee, window, and displaced worker have given her a better understanding of her constituents and their needs while also allowing her to relate to them better. Using the past as inspiration for the future, Shanie wants to see her community succeed and knows it is possible if the community is able to work together towards their own improvement. Always having been project and community oriented, Eugenie "Shanie" Shields will continue to be an advocate for her community, education, the youth, the underprivileged, and for history for the foreseeable future just as her ancestors had been in the past.
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