Media Coverage of Ritual of Remembrance | The Chloe Center for the Critical Study of Racism, Immigration, and Colonialism

The first Ritual of Remembrance, co-organized by RIC Postdoctoral Fellow Jasmine Blanks Jones and Billie Holiday Project for Liberation Arts Community Arts Fellow Jeneanne Collins, received excellent media coverage, linked below.

This community gathering on January 21st highlighted new research findings about the enslaved people who lived on the site of the Homewood campus and honored the legacy of Black labor in building the institutions of today. It featured remarks by Billie Holiday Project associate director Kali-Ahset Amen and Blanks Jones, music by Urban Foli, traditional dance, libations to remember ancestors, and a performance by first-year JHU student Yasmine Bolden.

Please check out the coverage:

January 2022, WBAL-TV 11 News: Ritual of Remembrance Honors Black History, Culture
January 2022, On the Record, WYPR: Shining Light on Enslavers in Congress and Honoring Those Held in Bondage
January 2022, JHU Hub: A Tribute to Homewood’s History
January 2022, JHU Hub: Honoring the Humanity of Enslaved People at Homewood
February 2022, Hard Histories: A Ritual of Remembrance on the JHU Homewood Campus

Procession of people during Ritual of Remembrance led by Urban Foli drummer. — Ritual of Remembrance procession led by Urban Foli drummer Menes Yahudah and Kali-Ahset Amen

Ritual of Remembrance procession led by Urban Foli drummer and Kali-Ahset Amen — Ritual of Remembrance procession led by Urban Foli drummer Menes Yahudah and Kali-Ahset Amen

Ritual of Remembrance dancing with woman in blue outfit and hands and face raised to the sky. — Baltimore community member Amari Grant joins in a collective improvised performance

Ritual of Remembrance dancing with woman in blue smock with white shawl and arms stretched like wings... — First-year Africana studies student Yasmine Bolden improvises dance steps in her performance role as an ancestor of Homewood

Ritual of Remembrance dancing with woman in black clothes and arms stretched toward sky.. — Lorraine Smith of the Black Faculty and Staff Association dances in the Ritual of Remembrance

Ritual of Remembrance banner with named Kelly Miller added by Jasmine Blanks Jones — Ritual of Remembrance banner with name Kelly Miller added by Jasmine Blanks Jones

Kelly Miller was the first African American student to enroll at JHU. Miller left JHU after two years and completed his studies at Howard University, where he earned a PhD in Mathematics.

List of names of enslaved people at Homewood and small stone with one name painted on it, William Ross — Ritual of Remembrance list of names of enslaved people at Homewood.

William Ross (c.1787, Annapolis, MD – d. unknown, probably Philadelphia, PA) was the enslaved manservant to Charles Carroll of Homewood. He was a husband to Rebecca Ross (life dates unknown), and a father to Richard (b. 1812, Baltimore, MD – d. unknown) and Mary (b. 1814, Baltimore, MD – d. unknown). After resisting his enslavement in 1809 by running away, he returned to Homewood until 1816. By 1850, the Ross family was found in the US Census living as freed citizens in Philadelphia’s Spring Hill neighborhood.

Photo of Inheritance Baltimore team holding Ritual of Remembrance banner. — Inheritance Baltimore team holding Ritual of Remembrance banner

All photos above by Will Kirk