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MCAAHC Mission
The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture is committed to discovering, documenting, preserving, collecting, and promoting Maryland’s African American heritage.
The Commission also provides technical assistance to institutions and groups with similar objectives. Through the accomplishment of this mission, the MCAAHC seeks to educate Maryland citizens and visitors to our state about the significance of the African American experience in Maryland.
Commissioners and staff at the 2023 Commission Retreat at Morgan State University.
MCAAHC OCTOBER 2024 Public Meeting
MONDAY, OCTOBER 7TH
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
SEVERN LIBRARY – ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
2624 ANNAPOLIS ROAD, SEVERN MD 21144
Our next Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) Public Meeting will be hosted by Commissioner Elinor Thompson and the Severn Improvement Association in Anne Arundel County. Join us to learn about upcoming commission initiatives.
Guest Speaker: Auriel Mayberry-Gaballa, Severn Improvement Association
New MCAAHC Leadership for FY25 Announced
The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) is pleased to announce the newly elected leadership of Chair Maya Davis and Vice Chair Dr. Kali-Ahset Amen effective July 1, 2024.
Engaging with Descendant African American Communities
We are looking for workshop leaders, potential descendants, and volunteers–particularly youth!
Saturday September 28, 2024
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Bryans RD Community Center
3059 Marshall Hall Road
Bryans Road, Maryland 20616
RSVP: https://bit.ly/Sept28CommunityWorkshop
Saturday, October 19, 2024
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Mt. Calvery United Methodist Church
1236 Jones Station Road
Arnold, Maryland 21012
RSVP: https://bit.ly/Oct19CommunityWorkshop
Learn about upcoming initiatives of the Ancestral Remains Cemetery Research & Preservation Committee at this first meeting. Commissioners of the MCAAHC, MHT, and staff from the MAC Lab are collaborating on a plan consistent with state regulations that will permit these remains of African Descent to be laid to rest.
MCAAHC’s Ancestral Remains, Cemetery Research, and Preservation Committee and Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) have launched a project aimed at identifying lineal descendants or communities that are culturally affiliated with the remains of at least 15 individuals of African or possible African descent that are currently housed at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab) in Calvert County, Maryland.
<<< Map of cemeteries at which remains were found | Courtesy of MHT
We are looking to actively engage with descendant communities in an ethical and inclusive manner and will result in a plan for the respectful reburial of the remains.
African American Heritage Preservation Program Grant Reviewers Needed
Are you passionate about the preservation of Maryland’s African American historical sites? We are seeking a diverse panel of experienced and enthusiastic volunteers to assist with reviewing the fiscal year 2025 African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) grant applications.
Those interested should apply by September 6, 2024.
For questions, please reach out to Taylor Means, Research & Preservation Specialist Lead at taylor.means@maryland.gov.
Administered as a partnership between Maryland Historical Trust and the MCAAHC, AAHPP provides awards up to $5 million in grants each year to assist in the preservation of buildings, sites, or communities of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in Maryland.
Loudon Park National Cemetery 2024 Memorial Day Ceremony
Join us and the Baltimore National Cemetery for our Memorial Day Ceremony at Loudon Park National Cemetery.
- Keynote Speaker: Congressman Kweisi Mfume
- Music By: Kim Poole
The program will also include playing of taps.
Due to parking limitations, we ask that you park at Saint Joseph’s Monastery Parish, 3801 Frederick Ave. at S. Monastery Ave., Baltimore, MD.
Maryland’s Year of Civil Rights 2024
The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) and Banneker-Douglass Museum are declaring 2024 as “Maryland’s Year of Civil Rights” with exciting and relevant programming, exhibitions, and partnerships.
With 2024 being the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act (1964), original programming and participation in platforms with community partners will commemorate the milestone year of this groundbreaking legislation. From 1964’s Bell vs. Maryland to 1963’s Treaty of Cambridge, Maryland has been the backdrop to civil rights legislation throughout the years. Additionally, Maryland has been the home to civil rights icons who will forever have a place in the history of this nation, such as Verda Freeman Welcome, Thurgood Marshall, and Gloria Richardson.
Check out the launch event of the initiative featuring guest speakers Gov. Wes Moore, First Lady Dawn Moore, MCAAHC Chair Dr. Edwin T. Johnson, and Dr. Vedet Coleman-Robinson above.
Upcoming Meetings
FY25 Public Meeting Schedule
- August 5, 2024
- October 7, 2024
- December 2, 2024
- February 3, 2025
- April 7, 2025
- June 2, 2025
Click here for Public Meeting agendas, minutes, and video recordings.