Special Executive Citations Issued To 22 Anne Arundel Leaders

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — During a signature black history event, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman for the first time bestowed special executive citations to 22 African American leaders in Anne Arundel County who have each made lasting contributions in their communities.

The two honors -- The Sojourner Truth Award and The Elijah Cummings Award -- were created posthumously to recognize two landmark figures whose lives left marks on the struggle for equal justice and humanity.

“We are recognizing just a few of the many African American leaders who have contributed to making the county The Best Place - For All,” said Pittman in a statement. “Each of them have been foot soldiers in the long march toward greater equity in housing, education, health care, and discrimination in all areas of life. They stand on the shoulders of Sojourner Truth and they follow in the deep footsteps left by Congressman Elijah Cummings.”

As one of the better-known historical figures, even among millennials, Truth (1797-1883) urged young men during the Civil War to join the union cause and she organized supplies for black troops. After the war, she was honored with an invitation to the White House and became involved with the Freedmen’s Bureau, helping freed slaves find jobs and build new lives.

Before Congressman Cummings (1951-2019) died last year after longstanding health issues, he was a passionate leader and powerful advocate for civil rights and moral leadership, both at home in Baltimore City’s 7th Congressional District and as Chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

Sojourner Truth Honorees

• The Honorable Candace C.W. Antwine
• Dr. Linda Boyd
• Crystal A. Johnson Brown
• Josephine Brown
• Pamele R. Browne
• Claudia DeGrate
• Deidra Dennie
• Delores Duncan-White
• Bessie M. Knight
• Elizamae Robinson
• Jo Ann Scipio

Congressman Elijah Cummings Honorees

• Phil Ateto
• David Harris
• Rev. Rickey Nelson Jones
• William B. Kirby
• Vincent O. Leggett
• Leutrell M. Osborne
• Anthony A. Smoot
• Sgt. James C. Spearman, Jr.
• Anthony J. Spencer
• Ralph Thomas, Sr.
• Devin Tucker