Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture’s October 2025 Public Meeting to be held at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Commission engages the Eastern Shore community to preserve African American history and heritage at MCAAHC Public Meeting on October 6, 2025 in Princess Anne

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 30, 2025

Annapolis, MD – The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) is hosting its October 2025 Public Meeting on Monday, October 6, 2025 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in Princess Anne, MD. The public meeting is set for 11:00 am in the Allen J. Singleton Multi-purpose Room on the first floor of the UMES Student Services Center (SSC). This meeting is free and open to the public, and registration is encouraged. 

This public meeting is hosted by Talbot County commissioners, Vice Chair Jaelon T. Moaney and Commissioner Dina Daly, representing both sides of the Choptank River. The Commission is honored to hold this public meeting on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, recognizing the importance of engaging communities across our state to preserve African American history and heritage. This region is especially significant as the birthplace of two of the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum’s namesakes—Frederick Douglass of Talbot County and Harriet Tubman of Dorchester County—whose legacies continue to inspire both state and national history.

MCAAHC October 2025 Public Meeting

Date: Monday, October 6, 2025 |  Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Location: University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 

Allen J Singleton Multi-purpose Room  in Student Services Center (SSC 1st floor)

11868 Academic Oval, Princess Anne, MD 21853

RSVP: https://bit.ly/MCAAHCOct2025PublicMeeting 

Come to learn more about the work and initiatives of MCAAHC, and meet the 19 commissioners representing various counties throughout the state, in addition to connecting with people in the heritage and preservation community. Featured guest speakers include Keyanna Bowen, an interiors photographer, designer, and TV host of Magnolia Network’s Rental Redo, and Tranice Watts, the first Black woman to co-own and operate a craft brewery in the state of Maryland. A performance of the Negro National Anthem will be given by Dorchester County-based vocalist Jayla Elise.

Attendees will also meet the new commission leadership, Chair Kali-Ahset Amen, PhD, and Vice Chair Jaleon T. Moaney (as of July 1, 2025). 

“As a Commission, our greatest hope this year is to amplify our connection to all of Maryland’s communities. We are especially mindful of the Eastern Shore, a region whose history has shaped the very soul of our state and the nation. By bringing our October public meeting to Princess Anne, we are reaffirming our commitment to engage with Eastern Shore communities as partners in charting the future of African American heritage stewardship.

Our vision for this year is to lay a strong foundation for a more robust statewide engagement strategy—one that bridges regions, strengthens partnerships, and makes the Commission more responsive to Marylanders in every corner of the state. We are fortunate to be guided in this effort by Vice Chair Jaelon T. Moaney, a proud son of the Eastern Shore, whose co-leadership helps root our statewide ambitions in the wisdom, resilience, and creativity of this community,” said Chair Kali-Ahset Amen, PhD.

“In this Office, I look forward to expanding and normalizing accurate notions of Black joy, adventure, dignity, agency, ingenuity, and resilience in rural places and spaces. The salt of the Chesapeake flows through my veins, the frequencies of Afrofuturism fuel my vision, the sacred rhythms composed by Tindley and shouted by Richardson nourish my soul, and the land ethic of my elders keeps me grounded to wisdom cultivated with care. I am grateful to take the helm alongside Chair Kali-Ahset Amen, whose unflinching commitment to truth, equity, and growth within every zip code will prove invaluable in bridging both sides of the Bay, ” said Moaney about his passion for this work and his new role as Vice Chair of the Commission.

The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture is committed to discovering, documenting, preserving, collecting, and promoting Maryland’s African American heritage. Founded in 1969, the Commission operates the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, Maryland’s official museum on African American heritage, located at 84 Franklin Street in Annapolis, MD. The Commission’s six public meetings are held bi-monthly all around the State of Maryland. MCAAHC co-administers the $5 million African American Heritage Preservation Program grant in partnership with Maryland Historical Trust. 

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. The Commission’s six public meetings are held bi-monthly all around the State of Maryland. MCAAHC co-administers the $5 million African American Heritage Preservation Program grant in partnership with Maryland Historical Trust. The Commission is an independent State agency that operates the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum in Annapolis, MD. To learn more, visit https://africanamerican.maryland.gov/. 

About Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum

The Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum is the State of Maryland’s official museum of African American heritage and culture. It is operated by the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture. As recently featured in EBONY, The New York Times, WhiteHot Magazine of Contemporary Art, and MadameNoire, the museum 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. 

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