Exploring America’s Racism:  Featuring the National Memorial for Peace and Justice

The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice partnered with the League of Women Voters of Sussex County and the Lewes Library to present their Black History Month Observance entitled: “Exploring America’s Racism:  Featuring the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.”  The Town Hall Program was held on Tuesday, February 12th.

Sussex County activists for racial justice described their experiences with major Civil Rights and Racial Justice museums and monuments in the Deep South.

Valerie Reeves of Ocean View, a member of Lower Sussex NAACP, SDARJ, Sussex Community Gospel Choir and Director of the South Coastal AARP, chaired the panel. Rose Mary Hendrix of South Bethany is a member of LWV of Sussex County, SDARJ, AAUW, a mediator at Community Justice Center, a member of Thresholds at Sussex Correctional Institution, and the Ministerium of Bethany Beach Christian Church.  Alicia Jones of Lewes is a member of SDARJ, the Community Liaison Committee advising Cape Henlopen School District, the Sunshine Ladies’ Circle, and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Lewes.  Don Flood of the Cape Gazette also spoke about his response to the memorial.

In an illustrated presentation, the panelists introduced the creators of established and recently opened sites, described newly-discovered stories commemorated by them, and shared their personal discoveries and responses. The work of Sussex County’s own Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative –the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice–in Montgomery, Alabama was featured. 

The YouTube video of the Town Hall can be found here:

To download slides from the Town Hall click here: