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JUNETEENTH REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY AND MARCH, 2021
On June 19, 2021 a “William Burns Remembrance” ceremony was held at the site of the proposed William Burns Historical Marker at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. The ceremony was sponsored by the Allegany County Lynching Truth & Reconciliation Committee (ACLTRC). William Burns was an African-American who was lynched on October 6, 1907. This was after a mob attacked the jail where Burns was awaiting trial for reportedly shooting a white police officer who was attempting to arrest him.
Update: The historical marker entitled “Lynching in Allegany County” was indeed dedicated on August 28, 2021. It was also determined that William Burns’ real name was Robert Hughes.
Speakers included Tifani Fisher, President of NAACP Branch #7007, Will Schwarz, President of the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project, Lisa M. Byrd who spoke on the history of the William Burns lynching and the Reverend Martha Macgill of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church who led the group in a “Lament for White American for People of Color.” Winners of the Equal Justice Initiative Racial Justice Essay Contest held in the public schools were also announced. Several songs, including “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”, were also sung. The event was attended by about sixty people.
Following the ceremony attendees gathered in the church parking area and marched to Canal Place from the street adjacent to the Allegany County Courthouse where the lynching of William Burns took place. Marchers who participated down to the Canal Place Heritage Area held numerous signs, banners and chanted such slogans as “No Justice, No Peace.” Once at Canal Place there were several speeches pertaining to Juneteenth, as well as entertainment and approximately 30 vendors (mostly African-American) throughout the day. The March and festival were sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Allegany County Branch #7007. Several hundred people attended the afternoon event.