SALISBURY, Md.- Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor said the city would offer the descendants of lynching victims an apology on behalf of the city.
"It's not a partisan thing, it's not a political thing it's just the right thing to do," said Taylor.
In August of this year, the Wicomico County NAACP and the Wicomico County Truth and Reconciliation Initiative wrote the city an apology for it to adapt for it’s involvement in the lynching of Garfield King and Mathew Williams. James Yamakawa with the WCTRI says this apology is long overdue.
"These were institutional and systemic acts of terrorism not just individuals but a whole community with the complicity of people in power," said Yamakawa.
Council member April Jackson says the city should issue its apology as soon as possible.
"We can't keep pushing this off, we can't keep saying, ‘oh we're gonna change this we're gonna edit that’, you can't keep doing that," said Jackson.
Monica Brooks with the Wicomico County NAACP says this apology can go a long way.
"The wonderful beauty, and connectivity and the reconciliation and the inclusivity that comes as a result of this is the beauty of ashes." said Brooks.
Taylor said the city should have a drafted apology by early December 2023.