ANNAPOLIS, Maryland – It’s a rainy evening on a recent weeknight, but that didn’t stop people from gathering for the monthly meeting of the Caucus of African American Leaders (CAAL), a nonprofit that promotes human rights in Maryland. Inside the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center the vibe is electric and warm.
“What an incredible moment in history we find ourselves in,” says Carl Snowden, welcoming the crowd of about 60 people. Snowden is a civil rights activist who heads CAAL and his group is pushing for the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore to be renamed.
Daryl Jones walks to the podium to rousing applause.
“I’m legal counsel for the Caucus of African American Leaders,” he says. “I’m also one of the folks that is leading the charge to change the name of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to appropriately be named after Parren J. Mitchell.”
Mitchell was the first African American elected to Congress in Maryland. He was born in Baltimore and earned a purple heart as an officer in the 92nd Infantry Division in WWII.
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