Intended Audience
St. Mary's College of Maryland will celebrate the second anniversary of the award-winning Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland with the observance of The Sacred Journey: The Beloved Community on Friday, November 4 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The ceremony will begin at the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland and will include remarks by St. Mary's College of Maryland President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, PhD, a musical program and spoken word reading. At approximately 4.50 p.m., the Procession of Dignity will depart the Commemorative for the College's Waterfront. There, a candlelit ceremony marked by a choral performance, reading of the names of the enslaved by St. Mary's College students, and a libation ceremony will conclude the day's celebration.
In the event of inclement weather, the event will be conducted in the auditorium of the Nancy R. & Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center.
About the Commemorative
The Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland, the vision of St. Mary's College of Maryland President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, PhD., provides visitors with the space to acknowledge and learn from the lives of those who once toiled here, while providing a place for reflection and introspection about the nature of slavery and its connections to modern society. The Commemorative has been honored with the 2022 CODAaward for "Public Spaces" by CODAworx, and an honor award winner by the Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD). The College's Institutional Advancement unit received a Grand Award and Best of Show designation from the 2021 APEX Awards for the dedication ceremony for the Commemorative. The 2021 Sacred Journey: Re-Making Our World Anew, celebrating the first anniversary of the Commemorative, received the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence Gold Award.
About the Sacred Journey
An emerging tradition at St. Mary's College of Maryland, the Sacred Journey invites students, faculty, staff, and the community to physically walk the path taken by the enslaved who once toiled in our community. The Sacred Journey also serves as a metaphorical path from the past to the present, a sojourn of redemption as we preserve the history of the enslaved, and recognize their essential contributions to our college, our community, and our shared culture. This year's theme, The Beloved Community, is based on the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for a community of diverse peoples living in solidarity, justice, and love. The Sacred Journey planning committee - comprised of students, faculty, and staff - is led this year by Professor of English Jeffrey Coleman.
Parking
Participants are requested to enter the campus from Mattapany Road and proceed to marked parking areas (lots T & W are closest to the Commemorative, with parking also available in lots V & Z). For those attending the Waterfront Ceremony only, there is limited parking at the James P. Muldoon River Center and Kent Hall (lots J & E, respectively).
