More than a century after hundreds of Black boys died under state custody in Maryland, lawmakers are pushing to uncover what really happened.

A new bill in the Maryland legislature would create a commission led by the state attorney general to investigate the deaths of children once imprisoned at the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children — a long-closed, segregated juvenile facility in Prince George’s County. Lawmakers say the move is about accountability and healing.

“How did so many children die in state custody?” asked Del. Jeffrie E. Long Jr. (D-Calvert), who’s sponsoring the measure, during a hearing before the House Government, Labor and Elections Committee on Thursday. “What were the conditions that led to their deaths? Were signs ignored?” 

According to The Washington Post, the commission would include descendants of the boys who died, state officials, and researchers charged with conducting archaeological surveys, forensic work, and historical research.

“Let’s be very clear. These weren’t just any graves. They were neglected children by the state of Maryland,” said Long.

In recent years, hundreds of gravesites were rediscovered near the facility, and most were marked only by cinder blocks. An investigation by the Washington Post concluded that at least 230 children died there between 1870 and 1939 — an amount that was far more than previously shared with the public. The report also shared that most of these deaths were likely caused by abuse and neglect.

“This isn’t just about graves,” Long said. “It’s about children the state of Maryland failed to protect.” The bill would also support memorials, reburials, and educational programs to ensure the boys’ stories aren’t erased.

The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services and Gov. Wes Moore (D) have pledged more than $280,000 toward restoring the cemetery, while Georgetown University’s new Forgotten Children Initiative is tracing descendants and digging deeper into the facility’s history.

No one testified against the measure during the recent hearing, and a Senate vote is expected soon. Long believes the effort could finally bring long-overdue recognition — and justice — to the boys buried in unmarked ground.

“The institution operated during a deeply segregationist period, and investigating its conditions, practices and deaths is a moral and civic responsibility,” said Betsy Fox Tolentino, the acting secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, to the Post.

“Proper memorialization, education, and respectful treatment of the burial sites are essential steps toward accountability and community healing.”