PGC LMP Essay and Creative Arts Contests Winners

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The Prince George’s County Lynching Memorial Project is honored and excited to congratulate the winners of our racial justice essay contest and our racial justice creative arts contest. Each of our winners is a student at a high school in Prince George’s County.

Students who won the essay and creative arts contest pose with award plaques and certificates around a posterboard for PGC LMP
Chelsea Nelson, from left, Chase Matthews, Kai Lampley, Anise Lampley, Miso Abitria, Aleila Rankin, and Diana Osuji (on behalf of Stephanie Osuji) accepted their awards from Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan (back center).

Members of our coalition celebrated the winners and their families at two county Juneteeth events: a display table at the county Parks and Recreation Department festival and an awards ceremony held at the Greenbelt Community Center. It was great for us to gather in person after a long pandemic season of meeting virtually, and it was even better to hear from the talented students who took part in our contests.

Diana Osuji shares a moment of joy with Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan, left, and PGC LMP member Dr. Lois Rosado.
Miso Abitria, a student at Charles Herbert Flowers High School, reads from her 3rd place essay.
PGC LMP member Pat Neal talks with attendees at the award ceremony as she staffs the information booth.
People sit in two rows of chairs watching a woman in front of a projector making a presentation.
PGC LMP Co-Secretary Lula Beatty gives remarks at the awards ceremony.
More photos are available on our Facebook page!

Thanks go to the city of Greenbelt for providing space for us to host our awards ceremony and to Greenbelt Access Television (GATe) for broadcasting and recording the ceremony; to our sponsor of the essay contest, the Equal Justice Initiative; and to the co-sponsors of our creative arts contest, the Prince George’s County NAACP chapter and Joe’s Movement Emporium; and to our guest judges from the community who selected our winners.

Thank you as well to each of the students who entered these contests. Congratulations to the following students who were selected as winners. They received an award plaque or certificate as well as scholarship money for their future educational pursuits.

Essay Contest Winners

NameAwardSchool
Stephanie Osuji1st PlaceEleanor Roosevelt High School
Alyssa Liverman2nd PlaceDr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School
Miso Abitria3rd PlaceCharles Herbert Flowers High School
Aleila Rankin3rd PlaceOxon Hill High School
Ji’Mie WomackHonorable MentionCharles Herbert Flowers High School
Blessing NwokeHonorable MentionEleanor Roosevelt High School

Creative Arts Contest Winners

Name/Title of SubmissionAward/CategorySchool
Anise Lampley “Perennial Prejudice”1st place: Creative WritingOxon Hill High School
Chase Matthews “Hoodie”2nd place:  Creative WritingHome-schooled
Kai Lampley “The Tree of Cain”3rd place: Creative WritingOxon Hill High School
Chisom Amaikwu “When Race Clashes with Police”Honorable Mention:  Creative WritingAcademy of Health Sciences: Prince George’s County Community College
Nadia McCall “Gentrified”1st place: Visual ArtsCharles Herbert Flowers High School
Richard Martin “Lynching”2nd place: Visual ArtsLaurel High School
Seanna Harper “Her Life Mattered”3rd place:  Visual ArtsChesapeake Math and IT (CMIT) North
Momdjo Ashuakpa Windioscars Mbi “Environmental Racism”Honorable Mention: Visual ArtsCentral High School  
David Ingram “Justice”1st place: Spoken WordCharles Herbert Flowers High School
Chelsea Nelson “Black Baby’s First Misrepresentation”2nd place: Spoken WordCentral High School

PGCLMP at Juneteenth Celebrations

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The Prince George’s County Lynching Memorial Project is pleased to be participating in several of the local Juneteenth events this year!

We are providing an information booth at the Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation Department Juneteenth Festival at Watkins Regional Park on Saturday, June 18, from noon to 5 p.m. Come meet coalition members, learn about the history and continuing legacy of racial terror lynchings and the institution of slavery in our county, and see some of the winning artwork from our student creative arts contest. We will also be giving away prizes on the hour to folks who can answer questions about our work and the lynching victims, so be sure to read our informational materials and this website for a chance to win. For details about the event, visit this link.

Then, join members of our Education Committee at the Greenbelt Community Center gymnasium from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on June 18 for an awards ceremony honoring the winners of the arts contest and the racial justice essay contest. Hear some of the essayists read from their work and join us in celebrating the talented young people in our county. See the flyer below for more information.

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.

Webinar: Where Do We Go From Here?

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The History and Genealogy Committee invites you to Part III of their webinar series. This session is on Thursday, May 12, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. and features a full panel of guest speakers.

“Where Do We Go From Here?” will address issues that intersect: communities of color, immigration, housing, voting, poverty, reparations, and more, with a focus on how to build coalitions to do this work.

Register for free at https://bit.ly/PGCLMP_May2022

Mission Statement Change: A Change for Honor, Respect,  and Accuracy

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The Prince George’s County Lynching Memorial Project has revised its mission statement to honor and show respect for the Africans who were enslaved in America and reflect accuracy in current historical terminology. The specific changes made were: first, to explicitly state our concern with the fates of the Africans who were enslaved and their descendants and to honor their full humanity by not implicitly suggesting they were only “slaves”; and, second, to use the now preferred term of the “institution of slavery” versus “slavery” since the institution or system of slavery and other systemic oppressions are the major causes of current day racial injustices and are a major focus of our work. Selected sources supporting the reasons for this change include the following:     

New Mission Statement  

The  Prince George’s County Lynching Memorial Project educates the public about the truths of our nation’s continuing legacy of the institution of slavery and its impact on enslaved persons and their descendants, memorializes victims of racial terror lynchings in our county, and advances the cause of racial justice and reconciliation through mutual support and collaboration.

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.