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Committees & Workplan

Primary Committees

  • Advisory Committee
  • Finance Committee
  • Historical Search, Preservation, and Publications Committee
  • Banneker-Douglass Museum Program Committee

Special Committees

  • African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) Committee
  • Ancestral Remains, Cemetery Research & Preservation Committee
  • Book Drive Committee
  • Governance Committee
  • Nominations Committee

Membership eligibility for these committees is open to all Maryland citizens over the age of 13. However, only a Commissioner may serve as a committee chair. 

Administration/Finance Committee
Members: Reggie Turner (Chair) 

The Administration/Finance Committee guides the operation of the Commission and its role within the Governor’s Office on Community Initiatives; to recommend budgetary action; and to seek additional sources of financial support through grants from all sources. 

  1. Identify a bookkeeping system for BDM Foundation and the Commission which permits the Committee to compare actual results to budget.
  2. Conduct quarterly meetings with the Commission Director.
  3. Review Commission contracts, agreements and grant applications.
  4. Recommend financial policies and procedures based on best practices.
  5. To attend the monthly meeting of the BDM Foundation.

African American Heritage Preservation Grant Committee 
Members: H. Russell Frisby, Jr. (Chair)

The AAHPG Committee conducts a thorough review and ranking of applications submitted for consideration for the African American Heritage Preservation Grant to present to the MCAAHC for approval.

  1. At the discretion of the Chair, the members of this committee shall be appointed based upon the respective Commissioners knowledge of the rules & regulation of the AAHPG and experience in the grant and preservation disciplines.
  2. All Commissioners are expected to learn the rules & regulations for the AAHPG and are expected to attend at least one workshop to learn these rules & regulations.
  3. Commissioners are encouraged to volunteer to co-conduct a grant workshop with the MHT representative.
  4. Each year the MCAAHC holds a closed meeting to review and rank all the grant applications.  While all MCAAHC members are encouraged to read all AAHPG applications, only members of the MCAAHC’s AAHPG Committee conduct the review and ranking; they then make a presentation to the entire MCAAHC body for approval.
  5. The committee then makes a final recommendation to its joint partner agency the Maryland Historical Trust at its Annual Meeting of its Board of Trustees; they then submit the final recommendation to the Governor for funding.

Ancestral Remains, Cemetery Research, and Preservation Committee (Ad Hoc)

Members: Janice Curtis Greene (Co-Chair), Elinor Thompson (Co-Chair), Ada Pinkston, Barbara Paca

Mission Statement: Coordinate transfer opportunities for African American human remains in Maryland Historical Trust’s (MHT’s) possession. This project is in collaboration with Maryland Historical Trust. In addition, this committee will work to raise visibility and support of African American cemeteries in Maryland and plan an annual Memorial Day ceremony.

Banneker-Douglass Museum Program Committee 

Members: Vice Chair Maya Davis (Chair), Dr. Kara Hunt (Co-Vice Chair), Dr. Hakeem Tijani (Co-Vice Chair), Lori Bradford, Ada Pinkston

Mission Statement: It shall be the function of this committee to assist in the operations and development of the Banneker-Douglass Museum and to support it in all aspects of the museum. 

Book Drive Committee (Ad Hoc)

Members: Kennedi Wilson (Chair), Jaelon T. Moaney

Mission Statement: It shall be the function of this committee to organize a MCAAHC-led statewide book initiative.

Governance Committee

Members: Dr. Edwin T. Johnson (Chair), Vice Chair Maya Davis (Vice Chair), Director Chanel C. Johnson

The Governance Committee provides administrative oversight of the MCAAHC, its Executive Director, Administrative Assistant, and the Banneker Douglass Museum.

  1. At the discretion of the Chair, Vice Chair and Director (MCAAHC Leadership), the Governance Committee of the Commission shall submit nominations for any Commissioner vacancy, existing or contemplated, at a regular meeting of the Commission, at which meeting additional nominations may be made by any Commissioner. Nominations approved by majority vote of the Commission shall be recommended to the Governor for consideration.
  2. The Governance Committee shall consist of at least the Chair and Vice Chair and shall also include the Director, neither of whom shall be entitled to vote on matters before the Governance Committee. The Committee is responsible for recruiting, vetting, and nominating persons to be recommended to the Governor for appointment as Commissioners.
  3. The Governance Committee is responsible for the orientation of new Commissioners, review and drafting of bylaw provisions and procedures, the production of Commission materials, and for the evaluation of the performance of the Commission and Director.
  4. The Governance Committee’s responsibilities shall include, but are not necessarily limited to:

(a) planning and implementing the orientation of new Commissioners;

(b) review and drafting of bylaws provisions and procedures;

(c) drafting and updating of the Commission handbook; and

(d) evaluating Commission performance.

Historical Search, Preservation and Publications Committee

Members: Dr. Wali Gill (Co-Chair), Dion Banks (Co-Chair), Dr. Brian Morrison 

The Historical Search, Preservation and Publications Committee’s identifies areas of Maryland African American history that are marginalized or threatened and seek ways to re-engage the community to preserve, protect, and interpret those areas to increase awareness and appreciation of the rich contributions of African Americans to the development of the state of Maryland.

Public Relations Committee

Members:  

The PR Committee promotes advocacy for the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and the Banneker-Douglass Museum and acts as the liaison for audience engagement. The Committee publishes quarterly the Commission newsletter, The Maryland Pendulum. 

Public Meeting Agenda, Minutes, and Recordings FY24

  • August 7, 2023 – Agenda / Minutes / Video Recording
  • October 2, 2023 – Agenda / Minutes / Video Recording
  • December 4, 2023 – Agenda / Minutes / Video Recording
  • February 5, 2024 – Agenda / Minutes / Video Recording
  • April 1, 2024 – Agenda / Minutes / Video Recording
  • June 3, 2024 – Agenda / Minutes / Video Recording