The premiere of “The Three (Known) Lynchings of Montgomery County, Maryland” has been set for mid-November, 2020.
The film will premiere in an event sponsored by the Montgomery County Lynching Memorial Project, a group which is working to educate and engage the community about the history and legacy of lynching and racial terrorism in Montgomery County. The premiere will be online, and be followed by a discussion with key people involved in making the documentary, including filmmaker Jay Mallin and narrator Michael V. Williams.
Further updates on the screening and how to register will be posted soon.
“The Three Lynchings” film uses news clippings, maps, census records and other documents to detail the lynchings known to have occurred in the Montgomery County between 1880 and 1896, events that had been largely forgotten or erased from county history. It identifies the present-day sites these public murders occurred, and the responses of local institutions and leaders under which no one was ever charged or arrested for any of the three murders. Instead, the lynchings were either met by acquiescing silence by local citizens or, in some cases, the active support of institutions such as the local newspaper.
The film also looks at the work of the county’s Lynching Memorial Project, and discusses some of the present-day impact of these events.
“The Three Lynchings” was written and directed by Jay Mallin, a filmmaker and photographer based in Silver Spring, and narrated by Michael V. Williams, a lifelong county resident and award-winning county public school teacher. It includes interviews with Montgomery County historian Anthony Cohen of the Menare Foundation and Sarah Hedlund, archivist and librarian for Montgomery History.
To inquire further or to schedule a screening, please contact info@threelynchings.film
Why was this event not widely publicized? As a member of an Black family who has lived here in Montgomery for generations this is the first time I have ever heard of these events. Will this be repeated?
Hi Thomas —
Thanks so much for your comment here! Yes, your observation about having long-time ties to Montgomery County and yet never having heard about the three lynchings is one we’ve heard repeatedly. It’s why we made the film!
The first showing was arranged by the Montgomery County Lynching Memorial Project, and while they did amazing work to publicize it (the free online tickets were actually “sold out” days before the show), certainly it did not reach everyone who would be interested. I’m glad to put you on the list of people to be notified when a new showing is scheduled. And the plan is that eventually the film will be generally available to watch online.
Thanks again so much for your interest and your comment,
jay mallin
Director, The Three Lynchings