A young man visits the Historic Freedom Shrine, located on private property located on private property on the west side of East New Market-Ellwood Road (Maryland Route 331/16) 0.4 miles south of Preston Road (Maryland Route 318).

The Dorchester County Council proclaimed November 10, 2015 as Dorchester Historical Freedom Day. A celebration was held at the Hurlock train station commemorating this historical event. The historical freedom day team, comprised of representatives from some of the various branches of the local government, educational organizations, coordinated and sponsored the event. The mission is to educate, to celebrate and to preserve the Historical Freedom Shrine story for present and future generations. Some members of the Dorchester County Delegation were present and to celebrate with us the planned events.

The 2016 Freedom Shrine Marketing Team will like to advocate and to support the implementation of two major initiatives: Maryland Voting Equity Reform Day prior to November 10th annually. The second item is to have the photo-montage of the ten men and the Freedom Shrine portrait displayed in the Maryland State Office Building accessible for parents, teachers and students to see.

Our justification for Maryland Voting Equity Reform Day:

• North Dorchester County is the birthplace of Maryland voter reform.

• Group of ten local men in Dorchester County were instrumental in helping to bring changes in voting laws. Their efforts led to statewide reform in local elections.

• The Maryland State Constitution was amended in 1986 because the previous one disenfranchised minority citizens. The changes in the constitution brought about local and statewide voting reform from an at-large system to a district voting system.

• During the process and time for amending the constitution, no property or lives were lost from negative political backlash.

• Amending the constitution provided voting equity to all citizens of the county who can know that they are being equally represented.

• The other counties in Maryland followed the lead of Dorchester County in reforming their own method of local reform.

• A forty thousand pound Historical Freedom Shrine Monument was erected on November 10, 1987 to commemorate the ten men, and the political events that led up to changes in voting practices in Maryland.

Statewide recognition for the Maryland Voting Equity Reform Day will greatly bring the Historical Freedom Shrine story to public awareness and appreciation.