Arthur Hamilton

Arthur Hamilton was 12 years old when, according to a letter the family received, he died in 1917 at the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children in Cheltenham, Maryland. The family was told he died of tuberculosis, a claim that comes from that letter. Researchers have not found his remains, and they have not established why he was held at the institution. His relatives, including great-niece Veronica Spears and cousin Chuck Copeland, believe he is buried in a wooded area marked only by unnamed cinder blocks, where they gathered to pray in his memory.

Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness. Family members were told by a letter that he died of tuberculosis in 1917.

Reported by: letter to the family.

News report

• Over 1,000 children are buried at juvenile detention centers nationwide APR | Alabama Public Radio (also kawc.org, Connecticut Public, Delaware Public Media, NPR, Georgia Public Broadcasting, Hawaii Public Radio, NPR Illinois, Iowa Public Radio), October 7, 2026