Nathan Hill

History Made: Soil Collection to Remember Thomas Juricks

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Thank you to everyone who made our Soil Collection a huge success.

We are still celebrating the packed house (200 seats); the talented chorus, soloist, dancer, and poet from local high schools; evocative adult poet and soloist; our moving speakers; the support of the staffs of Prince George’s County Parks’ Black History Program and Harmony Hall; and the reverent participation by so many in the soil collection ceremony to honor Mr. Juricks, led by Chapel Hill residents and students who built the Memorial Carts and dug up the soil in nearby Chapel Hill. Mr. Thomas Juricks will never again be forgotten!

We wanted to share with everyone links to the digital version of the beautiful and history-packed Printed Program for the event and to our media coverage:

Digital copy of the Printed Program:  Printed Program_FINAL from BHP+ltr w bleed 2P.pdf 


Washington Post:  front page of the Metro Section on Sunday
https://wapo.st/3MSfeWQ
The Intersection Magazine:  Fort Washington Community Held A Homegoing Service For Thomas Juricks, a Black Man Lynched in 1869 — The Intersection Magazine
WJLA: Thursday evening news Prince George’s to honor Thomas Juricks, victim of county’s oldest documented lynching | WJLA
CTV News: Wednesday evening news
 CTV News 4/12/23 at the 8:10 mark

Fact Sheets Now Available

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We have made available some Fact Sheets about Thomas Juricks, Racial Terror Lynching, and the PGCLMP on our Videos and Resources page.

Fact Sheets

  1. Fact Sheet on Thomas Juricks:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iImB0_HusDveNMPe_gRWTdeQL3YKVXtS/view?usp=sharing
  2. Fact Sheet – What is a Racial Terror Lynching?: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yECCupVUnreW3Yh4Neand39egnhS1VYo/view?usp=sharing
  3. Fact Sheet – What is the PGCLMP?: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gFDjaSXE_UBvR2ch6vTUYVfRSOjR0qIt/view?usp=sharing

The Untold Story of the 1869 Lynching of Mr. Thomas Juricks in Piscataway

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In this exclusive video, we invite you to understand history that is often not told – the story of a lynching in one of our Prince George’s County communities. Watch this presentation shared at a local library.

It also explains the necessity to tell this buried story from our past while learning about the PGCLMP and how you can get involved in their work around truth, reconciliation, and healing.

Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission to Hold Public Hearing in Baltimore County on June 4, 2022

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In 2019, the Maryland General Assembly enacted, and Governor Larry Hogan signed into law, legislation establishing the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission (MLTRC) as the first Commission dedicated to investigating racial terror lynchings in the United States. Sponsored by Delegate Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk, House Bill 307 tasks the Commission with researching cases of lynching, holding public hearings in communities where racial terror lynchings took place and developing recommendations for addressing the legacy of lynching that are rooted in restorative justice.

The MLTRC’s hearing process will allow members of the public, including the descendants of victims, witnesses, and perpetrators, the opportunity to offer testimony about how these murders have impacted their lives and their communities in addition to allowing them the opportunity to make recommendations for achieving racial healing. The hearings will also provide an opportunity to identify and bring to light possible cases of racial terror lynching that are remembered in families and communities but for which there is little or no documentation.

The June 4th hearing will focus on the tragic lynching of Howard Cooper, a 15-year-old boy who was killed on Monday, July 13, 1885, in Towson, Maryland. Cooper was convicted of assault and rape and sentenced to death by a jury that deliberated for less than a minute. Fearing the verdict might be reversed upon appeal, a mob of masked white men dragged Cooper from his cell in the old Baltimore County Jail in Towson and hanged him from a sycamore tree next to the building. Participants may include descendants of Howard Cooper, witnesses, community members, archivists, and scholars of the community.

The hearings will also explore the involvement of State, county, and local government entities and news media in cases of racially motivated lynching. In 1898, for example, the Maryland General Assembly failed to pass proposed anti-lynching legislation. It is also well documented that county sheriffs and jailers allowed mobs to take men from jail with impunity, county state’s attorneys refused to identify and bring charges against members of lynch mobs, county coroners routinely claimed that the victims of lynching died “at the hands of parties unknown,” and newspaper coverage of these events helped to perpetuate a culture that condoned and encouraged racial terror lynchings.

This is the second public hearing conducted by MLTRC. This event would not be possible without tireless effort and planning from the Baltimore County Coalition of the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project to build community partnerships.

Additional hearings will be announced as they are scheduled and published on MLTRC’s website.

HEARING DETAILS

When: Saturday, June 4, 2022
Time (in person and streaming): 9 am to 1 pm; with a 10-minute break
Where: Baltimore County Council Chambers, 400 Washington Avenue, Towson, MD 21204 How You Can Attend:

IN PERSON: Pre-registration is required. We must limit the number of people who can register due to social distancing requirements. Please let us know if you must cancel so that we may honor those on the waiting list. Upon registering, you will receive a confirmation notice which you should bring with you to the hearing. You will pass through security and will be required to wear a mask and adhere to any other safety protocols that are required.

STREAMING: A link to stream the hearing will be posted on MLTRC’s website one day before the hearing.

How You Can Share Your Story:

Members of the public are encouraged to submit written testimony concerning how the lynching of Howard Cooper (or any other racially motivated lynching occurring in Baltimore County) has impacted their lives and their communities or making recommendations to address the legacy of lynching in Maryland and promote racial healing. Submit your testimony to mltrc@maryland.gov or bring your written testimony if you attend in-person.

The Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission can be reached at https://msa.maryland.gov/lynching-truth-reconciliation/ or via email at mltrc@maryland.gov.

The Baltimore County Coalition of the MLMP can be reached at https://www.mdlynchingmemorial.org/ or via email at baltimoreco.mdlmp@gmail.com.

The Untold Story of the 1869 Lynching of Mr. Thomas Juricks in Piscataway

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Information here: https://ww1.pgcmls.info/event/6372270

Date: Saturday, May 21, 11 AM – 12 PM

Where: Oxon Hill Library

Were you aware that a Black man was lynched in Piscataway in 1869? Likely not, as with other racial terror lynchings, these incidents were not shared historically. This presentation tells Mr. Juricks’ tragic story, one of four documented racial terror lynchings that occurred in Prince George’s County, Maryland. It also explains the necessity to tell this buried story from our past while learning about the PGCLMP and how you can get involved in their work around truth, reconciliation, and healing.

Please be advised that the status, location, or format of this event may change based on COVID-19 pandemic conditions. Please visit this page prior to traveling to the branch/venue for the program.

  • Face masks and physical distancing are required for all participants over the age of 2.
  • Please register via the link on this page or by calling (240) 455-5451 to show interest and to receive event updates.
  • Registration does not guarantee admission.
  • Participation is permitted on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Capacity limits may apply.

Tenga en cuenta que el estado, ubicación, o formato de este evento puede cambiar dependiendo de las condiciones de la pandemia COVID-19. Por favor, visite esta página antes de ir a la sucursal/lugar para el programa.

  • Máscaras y distancia social se requieren para todos los participantes mayores de dos años.
  • Por favor regístrese por medio del enlace en esta página o llame al (240) 455-5451 para demostrar su interés y recibir las últimas noticias.
  • La registración no garantiza su admisión. 
  • La participación se permite por orden de llegada.
  • Podrá aplicarse límites de capacidad.

How the Word Is Passed

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How the Word Is PassedDownload

Gather with us for this two-part book discussion on Clint Smith’s book, How the Word Is Passed, on April 5 and 19. The link in the flyer is clickable, but you can also RSVP here.

We welcome you to attend the second session even if you missed the first.

We are excited to have Maya Davis, Director of the Riverside House Museum, and Dr. Dennis Doster, Prince George’s County Black History Program Manager, serving as our guest facilitators for what promises to be a lively, informative and impactful discussion.