Remembering the Past.
Building the Beloved Community.

Inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative's Community Remembrance Project, Anderson Area Remembrance & Reconciliation initiative honors the memory of the past and works toward a more just and beloved community for all.

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Join Us:

A Night with the Judge

July 21, 2026 - 5:30pm
Anderson Arts Center

Featuring:
Judge Pauline Hankins
District Court Judge
North Carolina’s 15th Judicial District

Click to Reserve Your Seat

MEET THE FIVE

  • Silhouette of a man in a suit with handwritten script in the background.

    Ed Sullivan

  • Silhouette of a man in a suit with handwritten text in the background.

    Elbert Harris

  • Silhouette of a young man with curly hair, wearing a collared shirt and overalls, with a sepia-toned background featuring handwritten text about a person from Rock Mills, South Carolina, convicted as a laborer in 1901 at age 17 or 18.

    John Laddison

  • Silhouette of a man with short hair in front of a vintage paper background with handwritten text, wearing a suit and tie.

    Reuben Elrod

  • A silhouetted portrait of a young man with short, curly hair, wearing a jacket and a collared shirt, with a historic document or text in the background.

    Willis Jackson

Learn Their Stories

OUR CURRENT PROJECTS

  • Two people planting soil with gardening tools into glass jars labeled with Elbert Harris and his birth and death dates, outdoors on grass.

    Soil Collection

  • A memorial display in a lobby with numerous people gathered around. The display features a pile of charred wood with a church pew behind it, roped off with black barriers. A large wall behind has text that reads 'Family Ministry Complex' and directions to various facilities, with a quote from the Bible.

    The Sculpture

  • Blue historical marker plaque with gold border and black text, discussing lynching incidents in Anderson County, South Carolina, with a map icon at the top and trees and parked cars in the background.

    The Marker

  • Three people, two women and one man, are standing in a museum, looking at display cases with historical artifacts and maps on the wall.

    Earth Remembers Exhibit

  • People filming an interview in a library or bookstore with shelves of jars or bottles in the background.

    The Documentaries

  • A party table with empty plates, partially eaten food, fruits, drinks, and cake, surrounded by people.

    Community Conversations

Learn More
  • Icon of a candle with a flame on a brown circular background.

    REMEMBRANCE

    Honoring the memory of the past.

    Historical Research & The Five

    Soil Collection

    Markers & Exhibits

  • Icon of two overlapping chat bubbles on a dark blue circular background.

    RECONCILIATION

    Creating space for healthy conversations.

    Breaking Bread

    Dialogue

    Education

  • Icon of three people on a gold circular background.

    BELOVED COMMUNITY

    Working together for a future of justice and fellowship.

    Building Relationship

    Community Events

    Future Generations

"The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community."

— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.