“Black-Eyed Susans for Repair,” a new coalition of Maryland reparations advocates named for the vibrant and resilient state flower of Maryland, convened for the first time on February 9, 2026. In the words of Dr. Joanne Braxton, the convener: “One thing about a Black-Eyed Susan, when you see one, you never see one alone, you see a whole bunch! We are here today at this gathering because of those who came before us, for the beauty of those who struggle alongside us, and also for those who will follow.”
Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission Makes History
The Braxton Institute celebrates the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission (MLTRC), the first state-sponsored effort in the United States to investigate, document, and reckon with the history of racial terror lynchings. The Commission’s Final Report was submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly in December 2025. On Wednesday, January 14, the commission held a virtual briefing hosted by members of the Commission - providing the public with an overview of the key findings and recommendations.
Historic Override Paves the Way for Maryland Reparations Commission to Lead and to Serve
In December 2025, Maryland lawmakers overrode Gov. Wes Moore’s veto, leading to the establishment of the Maryland Reparations Commission. After generations of chattel slavery and Jim Crow, the state of Maryland is finally acknowledging what descendants and communities have said for generations: reparations are necessary.
Reflection on “A Day of Acknowledgement: Confronting the Legacy of Slavery”
On Saturday, November 22, 2025, I had the honor of representing the Braxton Institute at A Day of Acknowledgement: Confronting the Legacy of Slavery, held at Maryland Hall in Annapolis. The program centered on a historic moment: County Executive Steuart Pittman’s formal apology for the profound and enduring impacts of slavery on generations of Black Americans.
Reparations for Lakeland Now! Witnessing a Historic Reparations Moment in College Park, Maryland
On Tuesday October 7, 2025 the Braxton Institute pulled together a remarkable group of local, regional, and national reparations leaders to witness a historic presentation by the College Park Restorative Justice Commission to the College Park, Maryland City Council. “The Way Forward Towards Restorative Justice in College Park” is a comprehensive range of initiatives that, when carried out, will make good the City’s promise for repair.
Braxton Institute Reparations Leaders Featured in NBC4 Special
The Braxton Institute continues to lead the conversation on reparative justice and community restoration, as highlighted in a recent NBC4 special. The segment featured Dr. Joanne Braxton, founder and President of the Braxton Institute, alongside Maxine Gross, College Park Reparative Justice Commission Chair and Braxton Institute’s Reparations for Lakeland Now! initiative.
Not Just Lakeland! SB469 Harriet Tubman Community Investment Act in the Maryland Senate
On Thursday February 20th, 2025, Senator Joanne Benson along with a panel of witnesses introduced the Harriet Tubman Community Investment Act to the Education Environment and Energy subcommittee in the senate of the Maryland General Assembly. This subcommittee determines whether the bill will move on to the joint committee for voting.
The Braxton Institute West, in collaboration with Plymouth Church UCC, Seattle, welcomes the Rev. Dr. Yvonne V. Delk, October 18, 2023
From the Library of Congress, featuring our CEO and President of the Board Rev. Joanne M. Braxton, PhD: "At the Crossroads of Health and Spirituality."
"The 'Tree of Life' project examines the ways in which people of African descent create pathways to achieve resiliency and sustain health through their responses to the legacies and impacts of slavery and structural inequality. Scholars suggest that spirituality emerges as a protective factor for physical and social well-being (Chao 2010; Crowther, et. al. 2004). What can be learned from the legacies and traditions of African American communities as sources of survival and healing for body, mind and spirit?”
From Colorlines, featuring attorney and Braxton Institute Board Member at-large, Richael Faithful: "Meet Richael Faithful, a Queer Black 'Street Shaman.'"
“I was seeking a spiritual cleansing, but I didn’t know that that was what I needed,” says Heidi Williamson, a black social justice activist who recently saw Faithful for a session. “The talk therapy alone was not working. The exercise, diet, meditation alone was not getting it either. I needed something else.” Faithful says this is a common thread among the people who seek out her services: “Sometimes I’m the person that folks seek out last because they’ve tried everything else.”