Anne Arundel County Government Delivers Formal Slavery Apology Amid NAACP Disavowal

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman delivered a formal apology today at Maryland Hall in Annapolis for the county’s historic role in supporting and enforcing slavery. The ceremony proceeded despite not having the endorsement of the county’s NAACP branch, which disavowed the planned apology weeks prior.

In a letter written to County Executive Pittman on October 27, 2025, the Anne Arundel County NAACP Branch stated the civil rights organization "did not approve, authorize, or participate in any discussions, meetings, or public statements concerning a County-issued apology for slavery. The County Executive’s inclusion of the NAACP’s name in related press materials, announcements, or interviews—without consultation or consent—is misleading and undermines the integrity of our advocacy."   The letter continued, "All references to the Anne Arundel County NAACP Branch in connection with this apology must be immediately retracted from County records, websites, and public communications. Our branch was neither briefed on nor invited to review or comment on any drafts of the apology statement, nor were we given the opportunity to define its substance, terms, or reparative scope."

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The NAACP made key demands in the letter:

" The Anne Arundel County branch of the NAACP will not participate in or endorse any

apology initiative unless it is accompanied by substantive, measurable, and enforceable

reparations that include:

1. Immediate financial and land-based compensation for descendants of enslaved Africans, consistent with the NAACP’s 2019 National Resolution on Reparations.

2. Creation of an Anne Arundel County African American History and Reparations Museum to document local histories of enslavement, displacement, and resistance.

3. Implementation of a 40 percent Black/African American hiring benchmark across all County agencies and County-funded contractors, with preference given to qualified Black applicants who are full-time Anne Arundel County residents. This ensures that local residents—who have endured the County’s historic economic exclusive—benefit directly from equity initiatives. Too often, Black hires are recruited from other jurisdictions, leaving qualified County residents unemployed, underemployed or overlooked.

4. Re-negotiation of County health and service contracts—for example, Luminis Health/AAMC to include mandatory racial-equity and hiring compliance clauses.

5. Restoration and financial restitution for descendants of the Old Fourth Ward community displaced for County infrastructure.

6. Targeted wealth-building programs, including tax incentives, minority-owned business grants, and procurement set-asides.

7. Formal County advocacy for the establishment of a Maryland Reparations Commission, overriding the Governor’s 2025 veto.

8. Establishment of an Office of Black American Affairs and a commitment to disaggregate ethnicity data within all County reporting to ensure that the Black community receives a fair and proportionate share of County resources, support, and programming.

These are not aspirational items—they are the minimum threshold for justice if the County seeks to move beyond symbolic reconciliation."

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The NAACP said it will not endorse any apology without these actions and requested the County correct the public record to clarify the NAACP's lack of support, according to the letter. County Executive Pittman called the apology "long overdue" and acknowledged his own family's connection to local enslavers. Related: Anne Arundel County to Deliver Formal Apology Acknowledging Its Historical Role in Slavery

Earlier this week, The Capitol Accountability Project (CAP), a data-driven grassroots initiative focused on government transparency, racial equity, and policy accountability, has formally demanded the Anne Arundel County Government to adopt an enforceable framework for atonement and repair for Black Americans descended from U.S. chattel slavery. This demand is supported by community advocates, faith leaders, businesses, and civil rights organizations, including the Anne Arundel County NAACP and the Coalition for Atonement and Repair.

Related: Coalition for Atonement and Repair: We will not co-sign a hollow resolution where the City’s Office of Law erases the truth and prioritizes institutions over people.

In an open letter sent to County Executive Steuart Pittman—with copies to the County Council, the Office of Equity & Human Rights, and state officials—CAP wrote that the county must move beyond symbolic gestures to implement structural, measurable reforms. According to the letter, "Black Americans descended from U.S. chattel slavery are owed meaningful, tangible, and measurable repair—not ceremonial apologies or symbolic acknowledgment.”

The open letter outlined seven requirements CAP insists the county must adopt to pursue credible repair:

1.  Establish a Cabinet-Level Office of Black American Freedman Affairs.

2.  75% of the Community Reinvestment & Repair Fund allocated to Black owned and Black led organizations. 

3.  Implement countywide “Just Community” designations ensuring equitable budgeting and anti-displacement protections.

4.  Advance economic and land-based repair initiatives, including reparative homeownership and contracting equity enforcement.

5.  Adopt a 40% Black hiring benchmark, prioritizing long-term descendants of U.S. chattel slavery.

6.  Require equity clauses in county contracts with meaningful penalties.

7.  Support the creation of a Maryland State Reparations Commission.

For more information about the open letter, go to:

Capitol Accountability Project, Supported by NAACP, Residents and Local Advocates, Urges Anne Arundel County to Implement Enforceable Repair Framework for Black Descendants of Slavery

The Anne Arundel County NAACP's disavowal emphasized that true reconciliation requires structural change, not just words, and highlights ongoing calls for concrete actions to address the long-term impacts of slavery in Anne Arundel County.