,

"When you played at night at Johnson's Park, you felt like you were a pro." , - Eddie Dove (b. 1935), Scotland Eagles player, 2021

, In 1948, Edward Johnson built a park where African Americans could enjoy themselves at a time when segregation kept them from many public places. A dance pavilion stood near today's tennis court, and a premier ballpark with a grandstand and towering lights drew crowds from across the region., Whether a sunny afternoon after church or a cool evening, paying fans cheered on local rivals or visiting Negro Leaguers. Children chased foul balls to turn in for coins. And everyone enjoyed food from the concession stand run by Emory Grove market owners Ruize and Minnie Tyler. Adults stayed to dance the night away to music from locals or visiting entertainers like Ike and Tina Turner. Other African American stars, including Little Richard and Ruth Brown, performed around the corner at the popular Du Drop Inn run by William T. "Bub" Duvall., In 1970, Mr. Johnson sold the park as part of a larger redevelopment effort. Known as urban renewal, the government program promised modern utilities and new housing for Emory Grove residents. However, the process stretched over 15 years and irrevocably changed the area. Local businesses were demolished. Most residents had to sell their homes and couldn't afford to return as promised. Housing was initially planned for Johnson's but the community pushed for their beloved park to stay just that way. Emory Grove Local Park opened in 1974. In 1995, the name Johnson's was restored at the community's request., Edward "Beans" Johnson , Emory Grove Entrepreneur , "On the move day and night," is how a 1959 Washington Afro-American article described Edward Johnson (1908-1971). A tireless entrepreneur and civic leader, Johnson lost an arm in a traffic accident as a teenager. The settlement funded his first businesses, including driving a taxi in D.C. By the 1930s, he had opened Johnson's Tavern in Emory Grove. He later purchased the park, managed rental properties, and became the county's first African American licensed bondsman., A descendant of one of Emory Grove's founding families, Johnson was dedicated to his community. He donated land for the church cemetery, testified before county officials for better schools for Black children, and hosted charity ballgames to support youth programs and civil rights efforts., [Captions:] , A top area semi-pro team, Rockville's American Legion 151, in front of the outfield fence at Johnson's Park, ca. late 1940s., Front row (l-r): Clarence "Pint" Isreal, Elbert Isreal, Dewey Isreal, Jr., Son Baker, Bill Williams; Second row (l-r): Carl "Buddy" Webster, Walter "Buddy" Williams, unidentified, Thomas "Babe" Snowden, Carl "Tank" Smith, Dewey Isreal, Sr., Russel Awkard, James "Zip" Riggs; Back row (l-r): Walker Hill, unidentified, former Negro league players , Courtesy Russell Awkard Family and IOKTS Productions Archive,