This proposal asks the Maryland Green Party to endorse the Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition, BACC is a coalition committed to stopping the desecration of the historic Moses African Cemetery on River Road in Bethesda, MD and memorializing the people buried there.  It is led by two Maryland Green Party members.

1. Is the coalition or organization/action clearly defined?

The Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition (BACC) seeks atonement for past injustices, sanctification of a final resting place for 1st generation free Africans in the United States and their predecessors who died in bondage, and the celebration of the individuals, their accomplishments, and the once-thriving African community they established in Bethesda within 5 years of Emancipation.

2. Is the coalition or organization transparent and open to communication?

The coalition is led by Dr. Marsha Coleman Adebayo and Rev. Segun Adebayo.  They run the organization on a consensus basis with input from all core members.  There are two zoom meetings a week plus demonstrations.  They actively seek out the help and input of other organizations.

3. Do the coalition or organization’s values align with the MGP’s?

The BACC believes in dignity and justice for all people.  It has a diverse membership.  BACC seeks a living memorial, a museum with programming that educates this and future generations about the history—both joyous and tragic—of the Bethesda African Community, its resilience, determination and talents, as well as its ethnic cleansing, the obliteration of its history, and desecration. Its rebirth in the hearts and minds of BACC and its supporters today assures us that the souls interred in Moses African Cemetery will imbue this and future generations of Americans.

4. Are expectations between the coalition or organization understood and appropriate?  

BACC seeks support from many organizations as well as help with such things as publicizing events, attendance at protests and other events.  Howie Hawkins has spoken at two of their events and MoCo Greens regularly attend their events.