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New MCAAHC Leadership for FY2025 Announced

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2024


Contact: Jan Lee, Director of Marketing and Communications
(410) 216-6185 / jan.lee@maryland.gov 

New Leadership for FY2025 Announced for the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture

Chair Maya Davis
Vice Chair Kali-Ahset Amen

Chair Maya Davis, representing Prince George’s County, was appointed to the MCAAHC in 2017 by Governor Larry Hogan. Commissioner Davis currently serves as the Director of the Riversdale House Museum in Riverdale Park, MD, and brings 20 years of public history experience to the Commission. She previously served on the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission and worked for the Study of the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland at the Maryland State Archives.

“I look forward to leading and collaborating with my fellow Commissioners as we embark on continuing the work of our predecessors to provide a framework for the preservation, documentation, and education of African American history and culture. Under my leadership I hope to connect with African American descendant communities and cultural heritage organizations across the state to protect our rich heritage for the future,” Chair Davis says about the upcoming commission year. 

Vice Chair Kali-Ahset Amen, Ph.D., representing Baltimore City, was appointed to the MCAAHC in 2023 by Governor Wes Moore. Commissioner Amen is a sociologist whose teaching, community engagement, and research have focused on Black social identities and lived experiences. She is currently the inaugural Executive Director of the Center for Journalism and Democracy, founded in 2022 by Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the 1619 Project. Amen is also a board member of the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, and the ACLU of Maryland. 

“African American contributions are now, and always have been, foundational to American life. The task of the Commission is to illuminate those contributions and support the many culture workers keeping our traditions alive. I am so grateful for this opportunity to work alongside Chair Davis and my fellow commissioners. I am honored to be of service to the state of Maryland and the diverse Black communities that inspire our work,” Vice Chair Amen says of her new role.

We welcome the general public to join us for the commission’s upcoming public meeting:

MCAAHC August 2024 Public Meeting
Date: Monday, August 5, 2024 |  Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Our Lady of Mt. Providence Convent, 701 Gun Road, Baltimore MD 21227
Hosted by: Commissioner Janice Curtis Greene and Commissioner Dr. Hakeem I. Tijani
RSVP: https://bit.ly/Aug2024PublicMeeting 

Additionally, the commission invites interested individuals who have a great enthusiasm and passion for preserving and promoting African American history and culture in Maryland to apply for commission vacancies. Please visit the following link for more information: https://govappointments.maryland.gov/instructions-for-filling-out-the-general-application-form/ .

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About the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture 

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. To learn more, visit https://africanamerican.maryland.gov/. 

 

About the Banneker-Douglass Museum

The Banneker-Douglass Museum is the State of Maryland’s official museum of African American heritage. It serves to document, interpret, and promote African American history and culture through exhibitions, programs, and projects in order to improve the understanding and appreciation of America’s rich cultural diversity for all. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. To learn more, visit http://bdmuseum.maryland.gov. Follow on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.