SALISBURY, Md. - After months of debate, the City of Salisbury has adopted an apology for past lynchings of black men in the city.
The resolution uses the words "apologize," acknowledge" and "condemn" to describe the city's view of the murder of three black men between 1898 and 1931.
This discussion was brought forward because a Salisbury Fire Chief at the time provided the rope used in one of the lynchings.
The resolution specifically mentions the 1898 lynching of Garfield King, a black man who was taken from the Wicomico County jail, and lynched from a tree after he allegedly killed a white man. King, who was 23 at the time of his death was shot 50 times.
It also references the 1931 lynching of Matthew Williams, an 18-year-old man accused of killing a white man. Williams was hanged from a tree, and his body was paraded around black neighborhoods by a white mob, before being set on fire.
Hours after Williams' lynching, a white mob killed an unidentified black man. That incident is also detailed in the apology.
Monica Brooks, President of the Wicomico County NAACP wishes the apology went further.
"The difference between a proclamation is actionable and legal right. So with a resolution there's supposed to be points of action, things we're going to do moving forward and that's just missing from this piece," she said.
Mayor Randy Taylor told WBOC the apology is about hearing the people's concerns.
"When people feel like it needs to be done, I think that we react to it, that we're not ignoring it. It's a tragic period in our history and we recognize it as such," he said.
Brooks said after the Council adopted the resolution, she wants to see actionable change from the city.
"It was meant to start the process of self examination of where we are in the city, what do we need to do differently, how can we increase our diversity. How can we make this city of ours that we call inclusive truly have a culture of inclusivity," she said.
The resolution was passed in a 4-0 vote on Monday night. Councilwoman April Jackson, who had reservations about the apology was not present for the vote.