Jewish Amer. Society for Historic Preservation

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Completed Prgms 1

Mobile, Alabama

Annapolis, Md.

Little Rock, Arkansas

Cotopaxi, Colorado

Cong. Medal of Honor

Wilmington, Delaware

Pensacola, Florida

Palm Beach (1), Florida

Palm Beach (2), Florida

Keokuk, Iowa

New Orleans, La. -1

New Orleans, La. -2

Kansas City, WWI Museum

Leavenworth, Kansas

Bangor, Maine

Montgomery Cnty, Maryland

Hagerstown, Maryland

Jackson, Mississippi

Completed Prgms 2

Natchez, Mississippi

Helena, Montana April, 2001

Buffalo, New York

Omaha, Nebraska

Virginia City, Nevada

Las Vegas, N.M.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Lancaster, Pa.

Deadwood, South Dakota

Memphis, Tennessee

Salt Lake City, Utah

Wild Horse Butte, Utah

Richmond, Va.

Spokane, Washington

Charleston, W. Va.

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Leo Frank

The Last Herzl

International Programs

Buchenwald - Little Camp

Adam Worth - London

Joan Winters - Jerualem

Col. Patterson - Avihayil

American Holocaust Mem.

Hero Miles

Am. Jewish History

Boynton Beach Chronicles

Zionism and Israel

Article Submissions

Completed Programs 3

Thomas Kennedy and the Jew Bill

Thomas Kennedy, (1776-1832),  author of the "Jew Bill", had never met a Jew in his life;  Yet, he began a bitter eight year struggle that culminated in 1826 with the Maryland constitutional changes that freed Jewish citizens of the "Free State" from political discrimination.   Kennedy, elected from Washington County,  was a Jeffersonian Republican.  He took to heart the ideas of equality, freedom and human rights as the concepts were being evolved and applied in the young American Republic.   Discrimination and political dissenfranchisement in the Maryland Constitution  were vestigal wrongs that had carried over from Maryland's early colonial anti-Catholic history.  Kennedy set his goal, from the beginning of his public life, to correct the injustice against all Marylanders. 

     A joint effort of JASHP and the Maryland Historical Trust,  the interpretive marker is located along Rt. 65 in Hagerstown, next to Rose Hill Cemetery.   

     The marker text:         

  THOMAS KENNEDY   (1776-1832)

The Maryland Consititution of 1818 maintained religious test requirements the effectively prohibited Jews from being elected to State office.  Kennedy, a Scottish Presbyterian immigrant, was elected in 1817 from Washington County.  Kennedy believed religious discrimination was wrong.  He began a bitter eight year struggle culminating in 1826 with the consitutional changes that freed Jewish citizens of Maryland from political discrimination.  Kennedy also served in Maryland Senate and established the "Hagerstown Mail" newspaper.  He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.


Thomas Kennedy
Marker Rt. 65, Hagerstown
 
 

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