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We acknowledge that ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñin 1921 purchased and still occupies the land of a former plantation, initially part of Hampton and later known as Epsom, that was worked by enslaved men, women, and children from 1745 to 1864. Generations of families were subjected to less than human status, bought, sold, and separated from loved ones at the whims of plantation owners. Their labor supported both the business endeavors and the personal wealth of slaveholders.

We acknowledge that while slavery ended in Maryland in 1864, this did not end inequities in political, economic, and social systems. While some of the newly freed left for opportunities elsewhere, others continued to work at Epsom, earning wages and living in the Towson area. Despite inequities that have continued to this day, they joined others in Towson’s African American community in creating businesses, building homes, and establishing families.

We acknowledge the disparate numbers of African American faculty and staff in ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ’s history. Many African Americans on both the Baltimore and Towson campuses devoted their lives and service to ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ as they managed science labs, academic buildings, and the bookstore. They also worked in dormitories, the garden, the library, and the dining hall. ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ hired the first African American non-tenured professor in 1967 and tenured the first African American faculty member in 2002.

We acknowledge and regret perpetuating past discriminatory practices by law and by custom. We acknowledge the skills and contributions of generations of African Americans who helped make ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñthe institution it is today. Together, we will remember the college’s full history and tell it truthfully for today and future generations.

Learn more about the Labor Acknowledgement Process Paper.