FEDERALSBURG, MD - The Town of Federalsburg has agreed to a settlement in a historic voting rights lawsuit that includes an official apology for historical racism within the town.
The settlement concludes a suit first brought against Federalsburg by the Caroline County Branch of the NAACP, the Caucus of African American Leaders, and black voters, who alleged the Town’s election practices unlawfully favored the Town’s white majority.
Last September, the town of Federalsburg marked a significant moment in its history as voters elected two Black members to the town council. Now, in the wake of a recent lawsuit settlement, the community is witnessing further steps toward reconciliation.
One of the notable restorative measures undertaken by the town is the renaming of Gerardi Boulevard, a symbolic gesture among several outlined in the $260,000 settlement agreement between the NAACP and the town.
The sum of $260,000 that will go to the ACLU is split up. Within 30 days of the agreement, $50,000 must be paid to the ACLU. Then, $35,000 must be paid to the ACLU every October between Oct. 1 2025 to Oct. 1, 2030.
According to the terms of the settlement, the town is obligated to pay the sum to the ACLU, marking a significant financial commitment toward rectifying past injustices. Alongside the financial settlement, key remedies include changing the name of Girardi Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue in the predominantly Black district, issuing a public apology, and other measures aimed at fostering healing and equity.
Roberta Butler, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, expressed her satisfaction with the progress, noting, "Like I said, a long time coming. We deserve this, especially the residents back in Brooklyn where I live at. We deserve this."
Jeff Stevenson, who ran for mayor in the September election, emphasized the importance of the public apology and the need for representation in the political system. "Me running for mayor wasn't about winning the actual election; it was just to inspire. We just wanted a voice in this political system," Stevenson said.
Carl Snowden, convener of the Caucus of African American Leaders, commended the town's acknowledgment of historical injustices. "It's the first time in the history of our work here on the Eastern Shore that the town of Federalsburg has agreed to issue a public apology," Snowden stated. "I'm very proud of the town of Federalsburg. They've owned up to the fact that African Americans were locked out of economic and social systems."
In response to inquiries, Mayor Kim Abner conveyed the town's commitment to reforming its election system, which began before the lawsuit. From the time the Mayor and Council of Federalsburg were approached with concerns about the Town’s election system in August 2022, they committed to reforming the election system. The lawsuit was filed while the Mayor and Council were actively engaging with advocates and the public to reform the system. Unfortunately, the litigation continued after a new election system was enacted, and persisted even after the Plaintiffs’ claims were dismissed by the U.S. District Court following the historic election under the new election system in September 2023, which resulted in the election of two Black Council Members," Abner wrote in an emailed statement to WBOC.
However, Abner also expressed, a possible tax increase for residents in order to pay for the settlement. "The lawsuit led to a settlement after the historic election that, among other things, requires the Town to pay the ACLU of Maryland over a quarter million dollars in legal fees, which is about four times as much as what the Town spent on legal fees resulting from the suit. The Mayor and Council are proud of the successful overhaul and improvement of the election system and their other efforts to promote racial equity. They remain committed to continuing inclusion and growth in Federalsburg. However, they wish that they could have utilized the funds that will be paid to the ACLU to support further growth and improvement within the community. Instead, they are faced with the reality of a tax increase to their residents to fund these payments and they wish that the process they started prior to the lawsuit could have reached its conclusion without the litigation."
Provided by the ACLU of Maryland:
The unprecedented settlement promises a series of actions by the Town to rectify past wrongs, promote reconciliation, and bring healing to the community:
- The Town will deliver an official, signed apology, which will be framed and permanently displayed at Town Hall.
- The Town will commission a commemorative plaque to be affixed to the building at Town Hall, “From Protest to Progress: Events that Changed the Face of Federalsburg”, celebrating Black voters’ historic voting rights victory.
- The Town will install a photo display at Town Hall, in collaboration with the historical society and the Plaintiffs in this case, featuring Black community contributions to the Town.
- The Town will restore the name Brooklyn Avenue to the portion of the avenue in the Black district renamed Gerardi Boulevard.
- The Town will erect a historical marker in the Black community of Brooklyn celebrating the contributions of the neighborhood's residents and their ancestors.
- The Town will issue a Proclamation naming September 26 of each year as Voting Rights Day in recognition of Black voters' historic win on that day in 2023, the Town's bicentennial year.
- The Town will establish a Town Unity Committee of elected officials and residents from each district to focus on community engagement in future elections and matters related to the promotion, engagement, and enhancement of the Town’s diverse community.
- The Town will establish an annual multicultural celebration.
You can read the full apology for historical racism here:
By this writing, the Town of Federalsburg formally acknowledges responsibility and expresses its deep regret for actions and inactions contributing to racial discrimination and exclusion of Black residents, including its use of an election system that prevented any Black person from holding a position on the Town Council over 200 years. As officials of the Town, we accept moral accountability for the harms these actions inflicted upon Black residents, their families, and ancestors before them.
Black residents have lived in Federalsburg since the Town’s founding in 1823, and today make up a much-valued share of our diverse community. In times past, however, the Town excluded Black residents from full participation in the Town’s political life, working a grave injustice for which we are deeply sorry. As officials and residents of the Town of Federalsburg, we have collective responsibility to build a community based firmly on the principle of equality of opportunity, regardless of one's race or ethnic origin
Through this expression of regret to those who endured race-based hardship and injustice, we seek to turn the page on this shameful history, and to begin a process of reconciliation among all of the Town’s residents. Our deep sorrow for past wrongs inspires our unwavering commitment to build a better future for all Federalsburg residents. Going forward, we pledge to do all within our power to ensure that such injustices never happen here again, and to embrace all residents of our Town in an inclusive and vibrant community.
