Looking for volunteers to represent the Jewish Community

The Maryland Lynching Memorial Project

The Social Action Committee wants to make temple members aware of an opportunity to participate in the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project.  The Project’s goals are to educate the public about the shameful yet little-known history of lynchings in Anne Arundel County, and to establish a local monument to commemorate the victims.

Recent stories in the Capital Gazette, the Washington Post and elsewhere highlight some of the brutal facts:  at least 40 lynchings took place in Maryland statewide.  Of these, at least 5 were in Anne Arundel County, most recently in 1906 when an angry lynch mob gathered near the jail on Calvert Street. They dragged Henry Davis to a spot along College Creek, then hanged and shot him.

The Maryland Lynching Memorial Project (https://www.mdlynchingmemorial.org/) was recently established to expand public awareness and “truth and reconciliation” about Maryland’s lynching history.  Similar groups are organizing in other states, spurred by the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama.  This is a statewide interfaith effort, with a number of racial justice groups and faith communities (including synagogues) already involved, such as Beth Am Congregation in Baltimore.  The local Anne Arundel County chapter is looking for Jewish members.

Temple Beth Shalom has been invited to join the local initiative. Any interested temple members would attend a meeting in Annapolis about once a month and provide information back to the Social Action Committee. This would allow TBS to consider whether and how to express support for this effort. Interested please contact either Jodi Meisenberg (jodimeisenberg@aol.com) or Joan Harris (joanharris22@gmail.com).