Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition, frustrated with its lack of progress to convince Montgomery County to preserve land in Bethesda where it believes an African American cemetery was once located, poured symbolic bones Wednesday during County Executive Marc Elrich’s public budget forum.
Elrich called the incident “just a stunt,” and reiterated his belief that the land under the Westwood Tower Apartments parking lot on Westbard Avenue was a cemetery but abutting land that contains a self-storage unit was not. That parcel shares a corner with the land adjacent to the Westwood Tower Apartments parking lot.
Both BACC and Elrich agree that a cemetery did exist on land currently owned by the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County and the county parks department (Parcels 175 and 177).
BACC believes there were once 200 buried remains of African Americans, many of whom were slaves, at Moses Cemetery. They believe that more than 200 bones were “trafficked” from Moses Cemetery to a storage unit in Gainesville, Va.
But according to Elrich, a forensic study of the bones located beneath the self-storage units were most likely from animals. No skulls or hip bones were uncovered, he told MCM Thursday.
Also, he noted, 200 small bones could actually be just from one person.
According to the county, the cemetery was once owned by the African American fraternal society known as White’s Tabernacle Number 39 Lodge of the Ancient Order of Sons and Daughters, Brothers and Sisters of Moses.
BACC members said in a news release that Elrich “chose last night to once again deny the existence of the potential remains of enslaved, raped, and murdered Africans in Moses African Cemetery.”
BACC President Dr. Marsha Adebayo said that Elrich publicly called her a liar at the budget forum “when she spoke about the remains and demanded the return of the bones to the descendant community” along River Road.
“By continuing to deny the racism, criminal actions, and disregard for the Black community on River Road by the developers and county agencies, Mr. Elrich has chosen to stand on the side of white supremacy. We will continue to protest at events held by Mr. Elrich until he meets the demands of BACC and/or steps down,” BACC said in a news release.
This story was updated on June 20, 2025.
Yesterday, before the PUBLIC community forum, the police called BACC's president to intimidate us. Within seconds of speaking justice at the event, armed police swarmed BACC. @Marc_Elrich can't engage with Black people without a police shield. Racism in Montgomery County. pic.twitter.com/03rGWmiP5u
— Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition (@BethAfrCemetery) September 28, 2023
Please join us Wednesday at 7:00 PM as we continue to demand a return of the 200+ bones that were stolen from Moses Cemetery.
These bones were trafficked across state lines & we have no idea what's being done w/ them. Elrich, the developers, no one will respond to our lawyers. pic.twitter.com/vFQbk2N0gV
— Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition (@BethAfrCemetery) September 25, 2023
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