The Wicomico Truth and Reconciliation Initiative (WTRI) is a movement in Wicomico County, Maryland, United States to address the community's history of white supremacy through education and advocacy. The organization was formed in 2018 by James Yamakawa and Amber Green.[1]

Activities

Early activities

WTRI drew upon Yamakawa and Green's early racial justice organizing work. This work included a soil ceremony to honor the three lynching victims in Wicomico County, Maryland.[1] Each victim had their own jar consisting of the soil from the lynching site.[1] These jars of soil can be found on display at the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama.[1] There are also jars of the same soil on display at the Chipman Cultural Center in Salisbury, Maryland.[2]

In 2016, WTRI founder Mr. James Yamakawa led a candlelight vigil for lynching victim Matthew Williams.[3] He led a crowd down the route in the city of Salisbury where Williams was dragged and ultimately hung to his death.[3] The candles were placed in the spot where Williams was hung.[3] In 2019, the Wicomico Truth and Reconciliation Initiative held a candlelight vigil to honor the last known lynching victim in Salisbury.[4] The man’s identity was never discovered and remains as “Unknown”.[4] The WTRI also worked together to organize a candlelight vigil for victims of racial terror, in 2020.[1]

Removal of Winder sign

In 1965, the city of Salisbury, Maryland installed a sign dedicated to Confederate general John H. Winder on the Wicomico County Courthouse lawn. Winder ran a Confederate prison system during the American Civil War in which more than 13,000 Union soldiers died in one camp alone. This sign stood within feet of the site where Matthew Williams was lynched in 1931. James Yamakawa of WTRI worked in a grassroots campaign to advocate for the removal of this sign. WTRI organized a local chapter of the national group Showing Up for Racial Justice, wrote letters to the editor of the local paper, and wrote a petition calling for the sign’s removal, which was supported by then-Salisbury Mayor Jake Day.[5] In June of 2020, county officials formally removed the sign.[6][7]

Placement of historical lynching marker

WTRI was formed for the purpose of supporting the creation of a memorial for three lynching victims in Wicomico County, Maryland. On May 22nd  of 2021 this purpose was achieved. People gathered on the Wicomico County Courthouse lawn to watch the unveiling of the historical marker.[7][1] WTRI partnered with the Equal Justice Initiative and other local organizations to plan events surrounding this unveiling.[1]

Formation of steering council

In August of the year 2021, WTRI vocalized their plans to form a steering council with the purpose of educating the community on the history of racism in Wicomico County and working toward healing.[8] These plans have been put into action and are currently still in the beginning stages of the council’s development.

Call on the City of Salisbury to issue apology

Calls for the city to apologize was started once they moved their government offices to the old firehouse, which is where the rope that was used in the lynching of Matthew Williams, came from.[9] Frederick Grier Jr., City of Salisbury Fire Chief at the time, provided the rope.[10] The WTRI and the Wicomico County NAACP drafted a resolution for the city to foster.[9] This resolution acted as an apology to the descendants of both Matthew Williams and Garfield King, who were both lynching victims of the City of Salisbury.[9] The city did not adopt this resolution, instead wanting to create their own apology as this is more sincere in April Jackson’s, the council president’s, eyes.[9] Both WTRI and the Wicomico County NAACP were glad the city wanted to work with them towards an apology for the lynching victims’ descendants and Salisbury’s Black community.[9] WTRI Organizer James Yamakawa acknowledges that those involved in the lynchings are no longer alive, but an apology is still needed from those who are a part of the same institutions today.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Urell, Aaryn (2021-06-08). "Historical Marker Dedicated in Salisbury, Maryland". Equal Justice Initiative. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  2. ↑ City of Salisbury (January 10, 2019). "Human Rights Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  3. 1 2 3 Culveyhouse, Henry (2016-12-05). "Vigil marks 1931 Salisbury lynching of Matthew Williams". delmarva now. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  4. 1 2 Harley, Deana (2019-12-05). "Candle light vigil honors life of unknown lynching victim". 47 WMDT. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  5. ↑ Holland, Liz. "Salisbury mayor joins call for removal of Confederate historical marker". The Daily Times. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  6. ↑ Holland, Liz (2020-06-12). "Winder marker removed from Courthouse yard". Bay to Bay News. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  7. 1 2 Powers, Kelly. "Confederate Gen. John Winder sign comes down in Wicomico". The Daily Times. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  8. ↑ Aiken, Maddie. "Wicomico group seeks input on educating community on history of racism". The Daily Times. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Pierce, Rachel (2023-09-19). "City of Salisbury To Apologize to Lynching Descendants". WBOC News. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  10. 1 2 Orens, Kyle (2023-07-21). "Several Organizations Urging City of Salisbury to Ramp Up Efforts to Acknowledge Racist Past". WBOC News. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
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