Personal reflections by Derrick C. Tabor
For several years now I have had occasion to reflect upon how I became involved with the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project (MLMP) and the Montgomery County Lynching Memorial Project (MoCoLMP). My reflections are typically catalyzed by revisiting the images I have taken as far back as the first Annual Lynching in Maryland Conference in 2018.
I suspect my “origin” story, or parts of it, may either resonant or intersect with yours. When did you first get involved? Did you reach out to someone or did someone extend an invitation to you? In this brief exploration, I share my answers to these questions.
Thankfully, I do not remove many old emails and thus the first evidence of becoming engaged is documented with by email I sent to Will Schwarz, then the coordinator of MLMP. I found his name through an internet search. On the “Subject” line it read: “How Can I Get Involved?” I included my name and telephone number in the body. The email was dated June 5, 2018.
Why June? After conducting a few retrospective internet searches, I learned that early in the spring and into June of 2018, the name Bryan Stevenson was rising. Rising in spite of the dark and horrific information he shared about the history of racial terror lynching in America. In early 2018, I did not know much about him. I did not know much about the history of lynching in America. I learned about Bryan Stevenson though an NPR broadcast and I also learned about grassroots efforts springing up across the country. If efforts were underway in Maryland, I wanted to be a part of the effort.
June 25, 2018, after finding his name in my search, I reached out to Will Schwarz because I wanted to learn more. I also wanted to do something. Soon, I was attending my first meeting of the MLMP held at Will’s house. Plans were underway for the first Annual Lynching in Maryland Conference. The conference was scheduled for October 13, 2018. I attended the conference along with a friend and, equally as important, I brought my camera gear. My attendance was only the beginning.
I heard and read along in the day’s program as the names of Maryland’s 38 known lynching victims were called out one-by-one. I did not know any of these individuals. I could not tell you who they were, why they were lynched or how. I became numb as the names were read. It took me a while to appreciate and process what I learning. Three victims were lynched in the county I call home! After finding some courage, I asked Will Schwarz if I could take pictures and he said yes.
I was doing something! Here are two images of some of the participants at the First Lynching in Maryland Conference. One clue as to how I found my way to MoCoLMP is in these pictures and is seated just in front of the projection booth.
Derrick C. Tabor is a local photographer. Several of his images have appeared in MoCoLMP newsletters.
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