Memorial pays tribute to the more than 1,700 former patients who lived and died at Crownsville State Hospital
Crownsville, MD (September 4, 2025) – Today, County Executive Steuart Pittman, alongside the Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery, First Lady Dawn Moore, elected officials, and community leaders, unveiled the "Say My Name" Memorial at Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park.
This memorial will serve as a permanent tribute to the more than 1,700 patients from 26 states and 4 countries who lived and died at the former Crownsville State Hospital. Many of these individuals who were laid to rest between 1912 - 1965 were buried in unmarked graves, listed only as numbers without any personal recognition or ceremony. After years of research led by Janice Hayes-Williams and conducted by the Friends of Crownsville Patient Cemetery, the names of all these individuals have all been recovered and are listed on the memorial.
“This cemetery is the source of the inspiration that Anne Arundel County residents feel when they apply themselves to the task of making Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park a place for healing,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “Finally putting the names of the patients on a permanent memorial honors them and enriches us. Today is a day of healing.”
Following Anne Arundel County’s acquisition of the Crownsville property from the State of Maryland in December 2022, the county worked closely with the Friends to design and construct the memorial. The design, construction, and site work of the memorial was funded by a combination of state and county funds totaling $340,243 and will serve as a core element of the county’s Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park.
“In our state, we are surrounded by heroes who are unafraid to speak the truth – and never let the forces of ignorance blot out our history,” said First Lady Dawn Moore. “Today, I proudly stood with the Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery and our local leaders as we carry forward the legacy of the lives lost in Crownsville. Our administration remains committed to creating a brighter future where we invest in access to mental health services for all Marylanders, and continue to reclaim sites like this one, to make sure that our history is remembered and not replaced.”
The “Say My Name” Memorial was conceived by the Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery. The Friends began hosting annual “Say My Name” Ceremonies on the property in 2005, reading off the names they found to honor those who history had forgotten.
“The Say My Name Memorial unveiling was a culmination of years of work of love and commitment,” said Janice Hayes-Williams, Founder of the Friends of Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery. “I believe that this event is the true healing to the Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park. It is the beginning of reconciliation and healing as we move toward the future. Small acts of atonement are a sign of acceptance of the past mistakes and commitments to assure that it will never happen again.”
After an extensive community engagement process, County Executive Pittman released the Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park Master Plan in February 2025. The plan outlines the county’s vision to transform this property into a beacon of healing, reflection, and community wellbeing. Guiding this plan is the recognition of the painful history of this property, which the county plans to continue to acknowledge through future additions to the property, including a museum, educational exhibits, and programming.
For additional information and updates on Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park, visit https://www.aacounty.org/CrownsvillePark.