Between 1865 and 1950 more than 6,000 African Americans were lynched in the United States. These lynchings were a form of racial terrorism intended to intimidate and to enforce racial hierarchy and segregation. In Maryland, at least 42 documented lynchings took place between 1854 and 1933, with at least three known to have taken place in Montgomery County.
Among our efforts:
- Documenting and authenticating the three known lynchings in our county by providing primary documentation, verifying oral histories and seeking new forensic evidence
- Hosting soil collection ceremonies at the sites where George Peck, John Diggs-Dorsey, and Sidney Randolph were lynched
- Sponsoring public forums, film showings and discussions related to our county’s painful history, with the intent of encouraging healing and racial reconciliation, and exploring the ongoing legacy of police violence, mass incarceration and other inequities
- Collaborating with local schools on educational programming to deepen historical knowledge and understanding of systemic racism
We are committed to educating our community about the history and legacy of lynching and racial terrorism in Montgomery County, Maryland.
By reckoning with the historical truth of racial violence, we believe we can advance healing and reconciliation in our county.
Please help support this important work.