Events and Updates

Events:

November 7, 2020 American Legion Greenbelt Post #136 “Rally To The Peace Cross” motorcycle ride fundraiser for Restore The Peace Cross. Meet at the American Legion at 10:00 and leave for Peace Cross at 12:00.

November 11, 2020 Veterans Day Ceremony at the Peace Cross 11:00.

History and Updates:

July 12, 1925 The Bladensburg WWI Memorial Peace Cross was dedicated to honor 49 men from Prince George’s County who had died during WWI.

In 1960, the state roads commission deeded Bladensburg World War I Memorial Peace Cross to the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

February 2014 The American Humanist Association along with three individuals Steve Lowe, Fred Edwords, and Bishop McNeill, filed a lawsuit to have the Peace Cross removed because they are humanist and atheist who do not believe in God, and they felt the Peace Cross was a Christian symbol that offended them.

May 31, 2014 Renee Green Productions started the Save The Peace Cross Documentary by interviewing individuals at a demonstration that supported the Peace Cross. She continued for the next 5 years researching and interviewing the plaintiffs and defendants along with many supporters of the Peace Cross case.

February 2015, Renee Green, Executive Producer of the Save the Peace Cross documentary, received a subpoena to appear in court from the American Humanist Association’s lawyer to testify about the Peace Cross.

March 23, 2015 Renee Green appeared in court to testify on behalf of the Bladensburg WWI Memorial Peace Cross. She was represented by Attorney Roger Byron from Jones Day along with 7 other Attorneys and M-NCPPC. All the documentary records, scripts, research, emails and financial records, and the documentary were included in the subpoena.

April 21, 2015, Frederick Stachura, the Historic Preservation Committee Council, discussed the historic significance of the Bladensburg World War I Memorial at the Prince George’s County Historic Preservation meeting. Then Renee Green officially nominated the Peace Cross to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. She had a group of supporters with her at the meeting. It was approved by the County Executive, Rushern Baker and the Governor Larry Hogan. It went to the Department of Interior.

September 8, 2015 the Bladensburg World War I Memorial Peace Cross was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

November 30, 2015, the Federal Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, ruled that the Bladensburg World War I Memorial peace Cross was constitutional. The judge stated that the Peace Cross is not a governmental endorsement of religion. It honored fallen soldiers for almost a century. The judge noted that the monument bears a plaque listing the names of 49 men who died in World War I. The judge noted that the Peace Cross was listed on the National Register of Historic Places after the case was filed on December 30, 2015.

The plaintiffs’ attorney, Monica Miller, filed to appeal the federal ruling. The case went to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia.

December 7, 2016, the Fourth Circuit Court heard the case.

October 17, 2017, the Fourth Circuit Court ruled the Peace Cross to be unconstitutional and that it must be torn down.

First Liberty Institute and Jones Day Law Firm are representing the American Legion in this case. They appealed the Fourth Circuit Court ruling. The case headed to the Supreme Court.

February 27, 2019 the Supreme Court was briefed on the case.

June 20, 2019 Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that the Bladensburg WWI Peace Cross was constitutional. We Won!

July 7, 2020 Flag Folding Celebration at the Bladensburg WWI Peace Cross to celebrate the Supreme Court victory. Then a Save The Peace Cross Documentary Screening at American Legion Colmar Manor Post #131.

July 14, 2020 Save The Peace Cross Documentary Screening at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, MD.

October 21, 2019 Renee Green, the Executive Producer/Director received many awards at the Town of Bladensburg City Meeting. She received the following:

· State of Maryland Governor’s Citation

· Senate Resolution

· General Assembly Citation

· Prince George’s County Proclamation

· We Lead By Example Award.

November 11, 2019 Mayor Takisha James awarded Renee Green with the Town of Bladensburg Proclamation.

November 11, 2019 Michael Moore, Commander of American Legion Greenbelt Post #136 awarded Renee Green with a Governor Citation.

November 11, 2019 Save The Peace Cross Documentary Screening at American Legion Greenbelt Post #136

February 15, 2020 Save The Peace Cross Documentary Screening at Colmar Manor for Black History Month

March 7, 2020 Renee Green went to the State of Maryland Legislative Meeting requesting a $160,000 State Bond for the restoration of the Peace Cross. She was with Senator Malcolm Augustine, Delegate Diana Fennell, Delegate Wanita Fisher and Delegate Julian Ivey. This was matched by M-NCPPC. There is $320,000 available to restore the Peace Cross.

September 22, 2020 Restore The Peace Cross Committee Meeting at the Peace Cross to review the restoration survey provided by Worcester Eisenbrandt a historic architectural restoration contractor. It was determined that the cost to restore the Peace Cross will be approximately $1,000,000.

November 1, 2020 Save The Peace Cross Documentary was completed.


Press Release

11/30/15
Contact: Renee Green
Email: Renee@savethepeacecross.com
Phone: (410) 608-2274

Federal Court ruled that Bladensburg World War I Memorial Peace Cross is Constitutional.

Bladensburg, MD, November 30, 2015 – The United States District Court for the District of Maryland ruled that the historic Bladensburg World War I Veterans Memorial, built in the shape of a cross, is constitutional and may continue to stand where it was erected in 1925. Review the decision at https://www.libertyinstitute.org/file/Bladensburg.MSJ-Order.113015.pdf.

Law firms Jones Day and Liberty Institute intervened in the lawsuit on behalf of The American Legion and filed a motion for summary judgment asking the court to uphold the Memorial as constitutional. Today’s ruling by the Court granted the motion and found the Memorial was well within the bounds of the First Amendment.

The Bladensburg WWI Veterans Memorial, or Peace Cross, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on September 8, 2015. The listing can be found at the following link: http://www.nps.gov/nr/nrlist.htm.

The listing is thanks in large part to the determination and dedication of Renee Green from Annapolis, MD who realized that the Memorial was listed as a Historical Place but not on the National Register of Historic Places. She submitted an application for the Memorial to be nominated to the National Register and it was accepted. There was a nomination meeting at the Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Committee meeting on April 21, 2015. Then it went through a formal process to finally be listed.

Ms. Green has created a documentary about the Bladensburg WWI Memorial Peace Cross entitled, Save The Peace Cross. For more information visit www.SaveThePeaceCross.com. Ms. Green, who was raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, was recently quoted in the Prince George’s Gazette’s article Woman fights to save Bladensburg Peace Cross http://www.gazette.net/gazettecms/story.php?id=14032. “In order for people to really make a decision, they had to know the history,” Green said. “It’s a World War I memorial dedicated to 49 men who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”

The Memorial was dedicated on July 12, 1925 to honor 49 men from Prince George’s County, Maryland who fought and died for our country during WWI. It was erected and dedicated by the American Legion. It is currently owned by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.