News Article - 3 minute read

Sigma Mu Mu Chapter Attends Commemoration of Charles Craven Lynching

On 16 July 2025, the men of Sigma Mu Mu Chapter, Third District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., attended the unveiling of a roadside historical marker on Market Street in Leesburg, VA, along with twenty (20) other state representatives, community leaders, and citizens. The marker is located directly across from Historic Douglass High School and commemorates the lynching of Charles Craven in 1902.  On July 31 of that year, Craven was forcibly taken from the Leesburg jail by a mob of 300 to 500 men and brutally beaten, hanged, and shot hundreds of times at that very location. Tragically, none of the perpetrators were ever held accountable, a stark reflection of the oppressive Jim Crow laws that prevailed in Loudoun County, VA at the time.  The commemoration event served as a powerful reminder of the past and underscored the continued need for truth, remembrance, and justice.

The dedication ceremony began with an opening and welcome remarks from Ms. Robin Reaves Burke, first vice president of the NAACP Loudoun Branch and executive director of the Loudoun Freedom Center. Guests who spoke during the program included Leesburg Mayor Ms. Kelly Burk; Pastor Michelle Thomas, president of the NAACP Loudoun Branch and CEO and founder of the Loudoun Freedom Center; Mr. Phillip Thompson, immediate past president of the NAACP Loudoun Branch; and Virginia Delegate Mr. Fernando “Marty” Martinez. DHR Deputy Director of Preservation Programs Mr. Roger Kirchen attended the ceremony on behalf of the department.  The ceremony was followed by refreshments and a roundtable discussion at Historic Douglass High School, fostering community reflection and dialogue.

The marker’s installation was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the Loudoun County Branch of the NAACP and the Freedom Center.  It was officially approved by the Town Council in February 2024.  The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) also played a vital role in making this state historical marker a reality; its Board of Historic Resources, which is authorized to designate new state historical markers, approved the manufacture and installation of the Charles Craven marker in September 2024.  Mr. Kirchen, the Deputy Director of Preservation Programs at DHR, emphasized the importance of such commemorations, stating “DHR creates markers not to ‘honor’ their subjects but rather to educate and inform our community about a person, place, or event of regional, state, or national importance.”

By attending the solemn unveiling ceremony, Sigma Mu Mu demonstrated to the community and event organizers that the chapter is a reliable supporter of worthy causes that inform and uplift the local community.  The brothers of Sigma Mu Mu stand ready to support similar future events.