This initiative is dedicated to honoring the memory of incarcerated youth buried in abandoned and lost burial grounds throughout the United States. The work was inspired by the discovery of nearly 250 incarcerated Black children who died at the Maryland House of Reformation & Instruction for Colored Children and were buried nearby between 1877-1939, most of whom were placed in unmarked graves.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJJV5PCcT_0
Want to get involved? We appreciate the outpouring of support, and realize the enormity of the project. There are a few ways to get involved! Learn more here.
Explore the Past, Present, and Future of America’s Youth Justice Story with Us!
July 16th, 2026
Announcing three session titles for our upcoming 2026 Janet Reno Forum! We are pleased to announce the session titles of three of the panels we will be exploring in “America’s Youth Justice…
New on the Imprint: Many of America’s First Crossover Youth are Buried in Forgotten Graves
July 7th, 2026
When the term “crossover youth” is used today it refers to children who touch both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. These are young people whose lives are shaped by abuse,…
Remembering the Forgotten: Consecrating the Burial Sites at the Maryland House of Reformation
June 30th, 2026
On the last weekend of June, approximately 30 relatives of six boys who died while incarcerated at the Maryland House of Reformation for Colored Children came together for the first time to honor…
From Silence to Connection: Forgotten Children Family Gathering this Past Weekend
June 29th, 2026
This weekend marked a profound moment of remembrance and connection. Between the late 1800s and 1940, hundreds of Black boys were confined at the Maryland House of Reformation for Colored…
We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their contributions to the efforts to research, uncover and highlight the House of Reformation burial ground in Maryland:
