The Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation will hold a ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Rockville to honor two of the three known victims of racial terror lynchings in the county from 1880-1896. The marker dedication will serve to acknowledge the past and hope for a just future.
“As a former teacher, I know that education and understanding are essential for true progress,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The dedication of these markers offers an opportunity to commemorate the painful history of racial terror lynching in our community, remember the lives lost to racial violence, and work toward a better future.”
The dedication will be held at the Stella B. Werner Montgomery County Council Building in memory of John Diggs-Dorsey and Sidney Randolph. They will be recognized with historical markers to show the County’s commitment to “acknowledging the past and building a more righteous future.”
“Too often people want to skip to reconciliation, but we must start with remembrance and truth, sharing this difficult history and acknowledging that these acts happened here,” said Montgomery County Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation Chair Jason Green. “As we pay tribute to the victims, their stories provide an opportunity for us to speak in one unified voice that we will not stand for hatred or discrimination in all its forms.”
The ceremony is part of a month-long series of events, discussions and programs for November which is recognized as “Remembrance and Reconciliation Month.” Throughout the month, the community is invited to join the activities that explore history and a path toward reconciliation.
