ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore proclaimed today, Monday, February 20, 2023, as Civil Rights Heroes Day in Maryland. Today we recognize the courage, sacrifice, and relentless efforts of civil rights and abolition leaders throughout history and reaffirm commitment to making Maryland a place of opportunity, hope, and justice for every citizen.

“Our nation’s civil rights leaders’ legacies transcend race, nationality, and religion to inspire action and promote equality all over the world,” said Governor Wes Moore. “We will continue to lead in honor of their memory and for the future of all Marylanders, as we seek to form a more perfect union both in our state and across the nation.”

Maryland is the birthplace of civil rights heroes including Frederick Douglass, who died on Feb. 20, 1895, Harriett Tubman, and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall—leaders whose action, despite threats to their lives, advanced the highest ideals of freedom. The legacies of civil rights heroes continue to serve as lasting inspiration to build stronger communities and embrace equality for all.

In observance of Civil Rights Heroes Day, the Maryland flag will fly at half staff from sunrise to sunset.​