Wednesday’s Community Forum Explores Lynchings in Montgomery County

Film Screenings and Discussion Explore Lynchings in Montgomery County

Two films will be screened during a community forum titled “Remembering the Past to Protect the Future” Wednesday evening in Silver Spring. The films include “This Little Light of Mine: The Legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer,” a documentary by Robin Hamilton of ARound Robin Productions and “Burning: The Lynching of George Armwood,”  a documentary by Will Schwarz.

The event is hosted by Montgomery County’s Human Rights Commission, the Office of Human Rights, the Department of Police and the Committee Against Hate/Violence.

Following the films, there will be four short presentations on topics related to lynchings and the current status of hate crimes in Montgomery County.

Will Schwarz, a Baltimore-based filmmaker, video producer and founder of the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project, will provide a brief overview of the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project, Inc.

Local historian and The Menare Foundation, Inc. President Anthony Cohen will discuss lynchings that took place in Montgomery County.

Human Rights Director James Stowe will give a brief overview of the County’s current Remembrance Lynching Activities.

The police department will present the current status of hate crimes in Montgomery County.

Human Rights Commissioner and Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame member Terry Vann will moderate a panel discussion and a question and answer segment.

Director of Human Rights James Stowe will be joined on the panel by Acting Police Chief Marcus Jones; Will Schwarz; Anthony Cohen; and Willie Pearl Mackie King who transcribed Dr. Martin Luther King’s letter from the Birmingham Jail.

The organizers hope the event draws from a wide array of county residents who want to understand the past while working together on the shared goal of building a more unified, cohesive community.

The forum takes place at the Silver Spring Civic Building from 6:45 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. The first movie will begin promptly at 7:05 p.m.

For more information about the event, call the Office of Human Rights at 240-777-8450.

Previous post:

Commission Established to Honor 19th-Century Lynching Victims

About Michelle Queen

View all posts by Michelle Queen