County Executive Pittman, First Lady Dawn Moore, & Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery Unveil ‘Say My Name’ Memorial

Today, County Executive Steuart Pittman, alongside the Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery, First Lady Dawn Moore, elected officials, and community leaders, unveiled the "Say My Name" Memorial at Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park.

According to an announcement, the memorial serves as a permanent tribute to over 1,700 patients from 26 states and 4 countries who lived and died at the former Crownsville State Hospital. Many of these individuals, laid to rest between 1912 and 1965, were buried in unmarked graves, identified only by numbers without personal recognition. After years of research led by Janice Hayes-Williams and conducted by the Friends of Crownsville Patient Cemetery, all their names have been recovered and are now listed on the memorial.

County Executive Steuart Pittman stated, “This cemetery is the source of the inspiration that Anne Arundel County residents feel when they apply themselves to the task of making Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park a place for healing. Finally putting the names of the patients on a permanent memorial honors them and enriches us. Today is a day of healing.” Following Anne Arundel County’s acquisition of the Crownsville property from the State of Maryland in December 2022, the county collaborated closely with the Friends to design and construct the memorial. The project, including design, construction, and site work, was funded by a combination of state and county funds totaling $340,243 and will be a core element of the county’s Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park.

First Lady Dawn Moore commented, “In our state, we are surrounded by heroes who are unafraid to speak the truth – and never let the forces of ignorance blot out our history. Today, I proudly stood with the Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery and our local leaders as we carry forward the legacy of the lives lost in Crownsville. Our administration remains committed to creating a brighter future where we invest in access to mental health services for all Marylanders, and continue to reclaim sites like this one, to make sure that our history is remembered and not replaced.” 

The “Say My Name” Memorial was conceived by the Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery, who began hosting annual “Say My Name” Ceremonies on the property in 2005, reading the names they found to honor those history had forgotten. 

Janice Hayes-Williams, Founder of the Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery, said, “The Say My Name Memorial unveiling was a culmination of years of work of love and commitment. I believe that this event is the true healing to the Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park. It is the beginning of reconciliation and healing as we move toward the future. Small acts of atonement are a sign of acceptance of the past mistakes and commitments to assure that it will never happen again.”

After an extensive community engagement process, County Executive Pittman released the Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park Master Plan in February 2025. The plan outlines the county’s vision to transform this property into a beacon of healing, reflection, and community well-being. This plan is guided by the recognition of the property’s painful history, which the county intends to continue acknowledging through future additions, including a museum, educational exhibits, and programming.

The event's livestream can be viewed here.

For additional information and updates on Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park, please visit www.aacounty.org/CrownsvillePark

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