Descendants of the enslaved create connections during 1856 Project event
The 1856 Project community convening at the Hyattsville library on Nov. 23. (Lae’l Hughes-Watkins/The 1856 Project)
The 1856 Project brought together organizations and individuals dedicated to persevering the history of enslaved people during their first community convening in late November at the Hyattsville Library. The event fosters connections between the statewide community of restorative archivists and advocates.
The project, established in 2019, looks to uncover the history surrounding the University of Maryland’s connection to slavery and nearby Black communities. In an update this past February, the project unveiled narratives of various African Americans connected to the university, such as the Dorey family and David Greenelaf.
Members of the Lakeland Community Heritage Project, Bowie Ancestors Project, League of Descendants Enslaved at Mount Vernon and other groups with similar reparative archival focuses from across the state attended the Nov. 23 event.
As slave owners and their children moved across the state in search of land, they brought the enslaved people they inherited with them, creating a widespread network of descendants, Irving Gaither, treasurer of the White Marsh Historical Society, explained.
The Linthicum Walks plantation in today’s Crofton, Maryland, Gaither described, is an example of the intertwined history of enslaved families. As the Linthicum children and the enslaved moved across the state, they settled in Linthicum Heights, Dayton, Frederick and Washington County.
“We’re all linked like chicken wire,” said Zunny Miller-Matema, a participant at the convening. “When [Gaither] mentioned those names…I know all of those people; some of them are in my family.”
Le Shaun Quander-Mosley, Vice Chair of the Mount Vernon descendants project, pointed out the importance of growing the network of reparative archivists, utilizing the interconnectedness of descendants.
“There’s a lot of overlap,” Quander-Mosley said. “This intentional erasure of history, or attempt to, requires a lot of work to recover. So sharing allows us to fill in those gaps.”
Many audience members emphasized the importance of accountability between the project and the wider community.
“I would hope…that you’ll have something demonstratively to show about the contributions of people of African descent as we approach and enjoy and benefit from the 250th anniversary of our nation,” Rohulamin Quander, a descendant of Mount Vernon’s enslaved community, said.
Corey Lewis, assistant state archivist of Maryland State Archives, commended the project for creating the space but reinforced the importance of an active community.
“For those of you that are thinking about partnering with the 1856 Project, make sure you hold [the 1856 Project] accountable,” he said. “Make sure that your work is sustained, your opinions, your voices are not muted in any way.”
While referring to the recent election of President-elect Donald Trump, Lae’l Hughes-Watkins, co-chair of the 1856 Project, emphasized the importance of community when faced with the potential challenges or attacks towards reparative archival work under his presidency.
“It’s going to be the community that we have in this room, the people who didn’t get to come today that wanted to and the ones we have not yet met, [that are] going to be so important to help us continue to do this work,” she said.
The 1856 Project will hold its second annual findings event in February 2025.