October 4th 2023.
On October 3rd, Federalsburg, Maryland, made history by swearing in its first Black lawmakers in over two-hundred years. Brandy James and Darlene Hammond, both Black, were elected as councilwomen to represent District 1. This is a momentous occasion that has been part of James' family legacy for years.
Her father, Reverend Charles T. Cephas, Sr., was elected as the first Black mayor of Hurlock, Maryland in 2021. The pastor had served on the Hurlock Town Council for two decades prior to his bid for office, and now his daughter is following in his footsteps.
Speaking to CNN, James expressed the significance of this achievement: “It was a thankful moment that I was able to win this election not only to help my community but to pay homage to those who paved the way for people of color and different ethnicities to be able to go to the town hall and vote, to be able to have the right to vote.”
Though they have achieved success, James and Hammond’s journey to office has not been easy. In August 2022, voting rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, sent a letter to the Federalsburg mayor calling for changes to the flawed election system. This system was often exclusionary to minorities, despite there being a large Black population in the town.
The letter detailed the consequences of this system, noting how it left Black residents uninformed about the town’s happenings. “Inattentiveness to the needs of Federalsburg’s Black residents also leaves unaddressed their concerns regarding the lack of transparency and communication about Town functions, health care issues during the pandemic, housing, the educational needs of Black children and the lack of diversity among teachers in Federalsburg schools,” it read.
This issue eventually led to a lawsuit against the town, as the ACLU of Maryland and seven Black residents, including Hammond, filed a suit claiming that the election process was designed to “override and dilute the influence of Black voters” and “suppress Black candidacies.”
After months of advocacy, the Federalsburg town council passed a motion in June to adopt a new two-district voting system map. This new system will ensure that Black voters’ voices will be heard, and James and Hammond’s victory is a testament to how far the town has come.
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