A Juneteenth gathering at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bowie brought descendants, parishioners and community members together Friday to honor the hundreds of people enslaved on the former White Marsh plantation, and to confront the history still emerging from the ground beneath their feet.
The church sits on land once worked by enslaved men, women and children owned by Jesuit priests. In 2022, archaeological surveys on the hillside behind the parish uncovered what researchers believe are hundreds of unmarked graves, part of a long‑hidden burial ground for those held in bondage at White Marsh.
For the White Marsh Historical Society, the discoveries have launched a years‑long effort to identify who is buried there and reconnect their stories to living descendants…