Anne Arundel County to issue formal apology for slavery on Maryland Emancipation Day

On Maryland Emancipation Day, Anne Arundel County will become the first local jurisdiction to formally apologize for its role in perpetuating slavery.

On November 1, 1864, Maryland abolished slavery, nearly a full year before the 13th Amendment was ratified in the United States.

However, the work to understand and correct the impacts of slavery in our state is still being done.

This year, on the 161st anniversary, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman will make a formal announcement during the planned "Day of Acknowledgment" event on Saturday, November 1, at Maryland Hall's Bowen Theater in Annapolis.

The formal apology comes at the request of the Anne Arundel County Human Rights Commission, the NAACP, and the Caucus of African American Leaders.  

"We felt like it was the right thing to do, and there is a lot of history in this county to be told," Pittman said Monday on WJZ News at 6.

Pittman said the message is to shine the light on the triumphs and resilience of the African American communities in Anne Arundel County.

"I would say that the history of the resilience of the African American community in this county, surviving enslavement and then creating so much history in this county, and so much success, is a history of triumph," Pittman said. "It's also a history that we never want to return to, and understanding and acknowledging what was done in our jurisdiction is absolutely essential. There are inter-generational traumas as a result of enslavement."

Pittman said the apology and proclamation will be housed at the Banneker Douglass Tubman Museum.

Day of Acknowledgement

On Saturday, November 1, there will be an event of education, reflection, and dialogue over Maryland's emancipation.

The program titled "A Day of Acknowledgement: Confronting the Legacy of Slavery," will take place at Maryland Hall's Bowen Theater in Annapolis from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Anne Arundel officials say the program will include historical context, tracing the journey from the arrival of enslaved Africans in Maryland through emancipation and beyond.

Officials say the event will also include:

• Two visiting exhibits during lunch – "Flee! Stories of Flight from Maryland" and the Maryland Emancipation Quilt.
• Panel Discussions:
  • A Conversation About Reparations – an educational conversation about reparations and the different forms they can take.
  • Opportunities Now! – a discussion with local leaders to showcase existing local programs that can directly improve the lives of individuals and families, including those that address disparities in health, wealth, and education.

Attendees must RSVP in advance at www.aacounty.org/OurHistory.  

Tubman honored on 160th anniversary of Maryland's emancipation

In 2024, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore renamed the Banneker Douglass Tubman Museum to celebrate Harriet Tubman's legacy on the 160th anniversary of Maryland's Emancipation Day.  

The Banneker Douglass Tubman Museum serves as Maryland's official African American history and culture museum, according to the governor.  

Tubman was the first African American woman to serve the U.S. military in combat, and she provided intelligence to the Union Army about the location, supply lines, and missions of Confederate troops.  

During the Civil War, Tubman served as a nurse and cook for soldiers and African Americans who were recently freed from slavery. After the war, she was awarded a Civil War pension for her service.  

Tubman was also the first woman to lead an armed military assault that freed over 750 slaves.