Statement
Statement from Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich on the Passing of Rev. Dr. Ruby Reese Moone
For Immediate Release: Wednesday 11 February
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Rev. Dr. Ruby Reese Moone. My thoughts are with her family and all who were inspired by her example.
Dr. Moone lived a life defined by courage, conviction, and service. Born in segregation-era Georgia, she experienced firsthand the injustice of Jim Crow. She walked miles to a segregated school while others rode the bus. Those early experiences shaped her commitment to civil rights and equal opportunity.
She worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and participated in the Selma to Montgomery marches that helped lead to the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.
After moving to Montgomery County, she continued that work here. As a guidance counselor at Poolesville High School for four decades, she opened doors for generations of students. She authored the proposal that led to the creation of a career center within Montgomery County Public Schools — ensuring that students preparing for the workforce had real support and opportunity.
Dr. Moone helped establish the Montgomery County NAACP chapter and the Maryland State Unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She served as the first female chair of the Montgomery County Dr. Martin Luther King Commemorative Committee. Her leadership strengthened civil rights institutions in this County.
In 2019, Dr. Moone was recognized as a Montgomery County Living Legend and inducted into the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame — honors that reflect a lifetime spent advancing justice.
As we observe Black History Month, we remember that history is shaped by individuals who refuse to accept injustice as inevitable. Rev. Dr. Ruby Reese Moone did not just witness history — she helped bend it toward fairness, equity, and opportunity for people of color and for our broader community.
Montgomery County is better because she chose to serve here.”
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Release ID: 26-006