House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children

LINKS:

 

The Scene at Cheltenham, Md., Burial Site:

In the woods of southern Prince George’s County are the mostly unmarked graves of youths who died while at the notorious House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children.

 

Black Maryland legislators visit historic graveyard where over 200 youth are buried.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/video/news/local/prince-georges-county/black-maryland-legislators-visit-historic-graveyard-where-over-200-youth-are-buried/3992540/

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/local/the-lost-graves-of-cheltenham/2025/07/17/affe1d35-3fd3-441c-8270-34994f637d0d_video.html 

 

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The Burial Site: The graves are located in a wooded area bordering the current Cheltenham Youth Detention Center and the manicured Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery.Investigation: The state of Maryland has pledged to investigate the deaths, with the Attorney General’s office leading an effort to map the graves and identify the victims.

 

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https://governor.maryland.gov/news/governor-moore-unveils-roadside-historical-marker

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https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/refserv/bulldog/bull01/bull15-19/html/bull15-

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.htmlhttps://wtop.com/prince-georges-county/2026/05/md-honors-kids-sent-to-die-at-cheltenham-and-then-forgotten/

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https://imprintnews.org/opinion/the-racist-roots-of-youth-justice-are-buried-deep/273246

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https://www.jamesarsenault.com/pages/books/6218/house-of-reformation-and-instruction-for-colored-children-incorporated-by-the-general-assembly?soldItem=true

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https://www.blackwomendaily.com/featured/juanita-jackson-mitchell

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https://marylandmatters.org/2026/05/09/death-count-at-cheltenham-boys-center-was-nine-times-that-of-white-facility/

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https://www.aol.com/news/survivors-stories-st-josephs-orphanage-084649925.html

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https://southernmarylandchronicle.com/2026/05/07/this-is-where-they-came-to-die-historical-marker-highlights-horrors-at-segregated-reform-school/

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https://www.prattlibrary.org/about-us/history/enoch-pratt

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https://marylandmatters.org/2026/05/07/this-is-where-they-came-to-die-historical-marker-highlights-horrors-at-segregated-reform-school/

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https://governor.maryland.gov/news/governor-moore-unveils-roadside-historical-marker

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https://cyj.georgetown.edu/fci-blog/new-forgotten-children-article-on-slate-the-horrifying-secret-of-the-child-detention-center-we-shared-as-detainee-and-jailer/-

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About the Forgotten Children Initiative

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Maryland Senator fights for deceased Cheltenham juveniles, pushes juvenile justice reform

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Victoria Lavelle/AFP via Getty Images

 

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EDUCATIONAL/Research – No copyright infringement intended.

© Dale Ricardo Shields (2026)

Pages:

iforcolor

ARCHIVIST, EDUCATOR, HISTORIAN, and ARTiST
Dale Ricardo Shields is highly accomplished African American actor, director, producer, and educator with a distinguished career in theatre and academia.

Here's a summary of his background and achievements:

Early Life and Family:
Born on November 4, 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio.
His family has a strong musical background; his grandfather and father were founding members of the Shields Brothers Gospel Quartet of Ohio, and his mother was part of the Turner Gospel Singers.
He is a cousin of boxing promoter Don King.
Education:
Graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 1970.
Holds both a BFA (1975) and MFA (1995) from Ohio University.

Career and Contributions
Theatre Professional:
Actor: Has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and in regional productions. His television credits include The Cosby Show, Another World, Guiding Light, Saturday Night Live, and the ITV series Special Needs. He has also appeared in commercials and films.
Director and Stage Manager: Has extensive professional credits in these roles, including projects at Lincoln Center, The Henry Street Settlement House (New Federal Theatre), The Negro Ensemble Company, and The Joseph Papp Public Theatre.
Assistant Director: Served as assistant to Lloyd Richards and assistant director for the New Federal Theatre premiere of Ossie Davis's play A Last Dance With Sybil starring Ruby Dee and Earl Hyman.

Educator:
Professor: He is a Professor of Acting, Directing, Black Theatre, Black Studies, and Stage Management. He has taught at various institutions, including Ohio University, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Susquehanna University (as artist-in-residence), and SUNY Potsdam.
Workshops and Programs: Conducted workshops for Joseph Papp's Playwriting in the Schools Program (PITS) at The Public Theatre for six seasons and represented the United States at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England, in 1988.
Artistic Activist and Historian:

Iforcolor.org: Creator and archivist for the Black History website Iforcolor.org, dedicated to preserving and sharing information about African Americans and artists of color. He also maintains the "Black Theatre/African American Voices" website on Facebook.
Project1VOICE Liaison: Serves as the Project1VOICE Liaison for the state of Ohio, directing "One Play One Day" events in Cleveland since 2011.

Awards and Recognition:
The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award: Recipient in 2017.
Paul Robeson Award: Recipient in 2021 (jointly presented by the Actors' Equity Association and Actors' Equity Foundation).
AUDELCO/"VIV" Special Achievement Award: Received in 2017.
Tony Award Nominee: Nominated for the "Excellence in Theatre Education Award" in 2015 and 2017.
Ebony Bobcat Network (EBN) Legend Award: Received from Ohio University in 2022.
ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund: Received in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Outstanding Professor Awards: Has received two of these and three "Educational Program of the Year" awards as a university professor.
The HistoryMakers archives: Interviewed and included in The HistoryMakers archives, permanently housed in the Library of Congress.
Dale Ricardo Shields is recognized for his profound impact on the lives of his students and his unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting Black theatre history and culture.