African American Commission and Maryland Historical Trust award $1,000,000 to assist African American Heritage Preservation
13 Organizations Receive AAHPP Grants
CROWNSVILLE, MD – The African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) provided 13 grants totaling $1,000,000 to Maryland nonprofit groups, local governments and businesses in fiscal year 2016. These AAHPP grants, made available through a partnership of the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) and the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), offer assistance to organizations and private citizens in their sponsorship of successful acquisition, construction or improvement of African American heritage projects.
The goal of the AAHPP is to identify and preserve buildings, communities and sites of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in Maryland. This year’s grant awards ranged from $14,000 to $100,000 (Click here to view detailed list for all grants awarded).
“I commend the work of these individuals and organizations in their effort to preserve and showcase Maryland’s unique African American heritage and culture,” Gov. Larry Hogan said. “The diversity of these preservation projects and their geographic distribution across our state demonstrates the significant contributions African Americans made in every corner of the state. I applaud the hard work and dedication of the commission and the Trust in identifying these landmarks and ensuring this piece of history will be preserved for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.”
The mission of the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) is to interpret, document, preserve, and promote Maryland’s African American heritage; to provide technical assistance to institutions and groups with similar objectives; and to educate Maryland’s citizens and visitors about the significance of the African American experience in Maryland and the nation. MCAAHC is housed within the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives.
The Maryland Historical Trust is an agency of the Maryland Department of Planning. The Trust was formed in 1961 to assist the people of Maryland in identifying, studying, evaluating, preserving, protecting and interpreting the state’s significant prehistoric and historic districts, sites, structures, cultural landscapes, heritage areas, cultural objects and artifacts, as well as less tangible human and community traditions. Through research, conservation and education, MHT assists the people of Maryland in understanding their historical and cultural heritage.
Online applications for fiscal year 2017 AAHPP funding will be available in early spring 2016 on MHT’s website (mht.maryland.gov/grants). Application deadlines and workshop dates will also be announced on this page.
For more information about the grant program, please contact Anne Raines (MHT) at 410-514-7634 or Dr. Joni Floyd (MCAAHC) at 410-216-6180.
For information about organizations receiving grants, please contact the institutions directly.
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