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Graves Near Youth Prison Spotlight Maryland’s Legacy of Injustice

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — A disturbing discovery in Maryland has reignited calls for urgent reform to the state’s youth justice system, one that critics say still reflects the racism and cruelty of its 19th-century past.

Published

1 year ago

July 21, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

A disturbing discovery in Maryland has reignited calls for urgent reform to the state’s youth justice system, one that critics say still reflects the racism and cruelty of its 19th-century past.

In a wooded area near the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center in Prince George’s County, at least 100 unmarked graves of Black children—some dating back to the 1800s—have been uncovered near the former House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children. Originally established in 1870 to detain Black boys as young as five, the facility operated under brutal conditions that included forced labor and systemic neglect. The site, long ignored by state officials, serves as a chilling reminder of the state’s history of warehousing Black youth. But according to The Sentencing Project, that past is tragically still present.

“Maryland’s shameful legacy of racism, neglect, and abuse in its treatment of young lives continues to this day,” said Olivia Naugle, Youth Justice Campaign Strategist at The Sentencing Project. “More than 150 years later, though desegregated by the courts and operating under a new name, it still overwhelmingly detains youth of color, who are often charged as if they were adults.” Maryland now ranks fourth in the country for incarcerating people for crimes committed as children. Per capita, it charges more youth as adults than almost any other state, second only to Alabama. Black children are seven times more likely to be charged as adults than their white peers.

Naugle and other advocates point to Maryland’s expansive list of 33 offenses that require automatic adult charges for youth, one of the most extreme in the nation. While over half of U.S. states have moved to restrict or eliminate such automatic charging mechanisms, Maryland remains an outlier. Senator William C. Smith Jr., who chairs the state Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee, has vowed to reintroduce legislation narrowing the list of crimes that send children directly to adult court. His proposed reform would reserve adult charges only for the most severe offenses, such as murder and rape. “This is a critical step toward addressing the racial disparities that plague Maryland’s youth justice system,” Naugle added. “We applaud Senator Smith for tackling this deeply flawed system of youth injustice.”

The Sentencing Project’s research paints a damning picture nationwide, but particularly in states like Maryland. Although the number of children tried as adults in the U.S. has dropped from 250,000 annually at the turn of the century to 53,000 by 2019, the overwhelming majority of those still being transferred are youth of color. Black youth—who make up less than 15% of the national youth population—comprise 63% of those detained pending criminal court hearings. The practice of treating children as adults in the legal system surged in the 1990s, fueled by racist myths about so-called “super-predator” youth. The policies disproportionately targeted Black and Brown children and have been thoroughly debunked by crime data and behavioral science. Violent juvenile crime has declined, and neurological research shows that young people are less capable of impulse control and more amenable to rehabilitation than adults.

Still, children sent to adult prisons are at a significantly higher risk of suicide, sexual assault, and long-term trauma. The Sentencing Project reports that housing children in adult jails increases recidivism and severely hinders their ability to reintegrate into society. Youth convicted in adult court often lose access to record expungement, educational and vocational programs, and community-based rehabilitation services. In 2019 alone, 76 minors were held in adult jails in Maryland. Another 16 were housed in adult prisons. Most of those detained were youth of color. Advocates say the rediscovery of the graves near Cheltenham offers a sobering parallel between past and present. The boys buried there were labeled “inmates” on death certificates dating as far back as 1898. They died behind bars for offenses ranging from petty theft to simply being labeled “incorrigible.” Their names and lives were long forgotten—until now.

“They can’t be made whole,” said Rosemary Clark, a genealogist who uncovered over 100 death certificates tied to the reform school. “But they at least deserve some respect in death that they didn’t get in life.” Senator Smith and former Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi have applied for funding to preserve and memorialize the site. However, advocates insist that memorials alone are insufficient. “We have to make sure we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past,” Schiraldi told the Washington Post. “They were segregating kids by race and treating the kids of color more poorly and burying them in a potter’s field. But at least they were taking them out of the adult prisons of the day.”

For Naugle and The Sentencing Project, Maryland’s modern policies show that not enough has changed. “It is long overdue that Maryland ends this harmful, ineffective policy,” Naugle said. “If we want to break the cycle, we must stop pretending children are adults. We must finally treat them like children, especially children of color who’ve borne the brunt of this system for over a century.”

Stacy M. Brown

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61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

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1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.