Martin Luther King Jr. Day: A Celebration of Service

Join Us in the celebration of Dr. Matin Luther King Jr. !

RSVP Here! 

 

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Continue to Share Our Stories: Support Us Today

We see you and want to thank you for your continued support and active participation this year. This year has been full of exciting programs and exhibitions that we hope you have enjoyed. As we prepare ourselves for the new year we want to make sure we can count on your participation and support for another year. We are asking our members to give a little more!

How can you participate?
We want to hear from you, let us know how we can better serve you and continue growing our strong community base.

How can you support?
We have 270 members to date. If each member gave a donation of $50 we would be able to reach our goal this year.

There are only 2 months left to reach our goal! I hope you will make a gift to PGAAMCC today to help us educate our community about the rich history and culture in Prince George’s County.

Your support will allow us to continue offering free education and outreach programs, including:

  • Our Cultural Education Passport Program that helps provide a fuller, more complex narrative and images about the African American experience and community for children and youth.
  • Art & History Exhibitions tell the stories of the diverse experiences of the County’s African American communities and aim to reflect the broad spectrum of social and cultural activities.
  • Special Programs bring together diverse groups of people to create new approaches to cultural understanding.
  • General Operations support our staff and administrative success.

You can make the difference for so many influential teachers, artists, and thousands of students. Please make your gift today!

Thank you,

-PGAAMCC Staff

For any questions about the Community Investment Tax Credit Program please reach out to
Zena Wubneh at zwubneh@pgaamcc.org


PGAAMCC on NBC4: The Importance of Black Art

NBC News4's Molette Green spoke with local artists from our current exhibition, Preston Sampson,  Chanel Compton, PGAAMCC board member  and Executive Director of the Banneker-Douglass Museum and Will Watson, an MFA candidate from the Maryland Institute College of Art to discuss the importance of black

art.https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/News4-Your-Sunday-The-Importance-of-Black-Art_Washington-DC-477850103.html


Dedication Ceremony Watch Party

Join us September 24th at 10 am as we celebrate the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture!

 

NMAAHC Dedication Ceremony will be streamed live
Complimentary brunch and mimosas
Free entry; suggested donation: $5
All ages admitted; must be 21+ to drink

Location: Prince George's African American Museum and Cultural Center

4519 Rhode Island Ave, North Brentwood, MD 20722

Click here for more information


Call for Artists

CALL FOR ARTISTS

Fall 2016 Exhibit: Through Their Eyes- Art, Education, and Influence: Creative Expressions Inspired by Prince George’s County CVPA Alumni”

Duration: October 12- Friday January 20

Submission Deadline: August 31

 

PROPOSALS

 “Through Their Eyes- Art, Education, and Influence: Creative Expressions Inspired by Prince George’s County CVPA Alumni” showcases the work of select alumni of the visual arts programs at Suitland High School and Northwestern High School. We are seeking art works and other narrative expressions inspired by curricula, teachers, pedagogical approaches, peer interactions, overall CVPA program experiences, and the schools themselves.

 

ELIGIBILITY

This call is open to:

  • All artists who are aged 18 years or older.
  • Of African origin/descent
  • Attended or graduated from the Center for Visual & Performing Arts at either Suitland High School or Northwestern High School

Alumni Call for Artists Invite

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact Laura Perez, Director of Education and Programs at

301-809-0440 ext 110

lperez@pgaamcc.org


Exploring Black Innovation Exhibit Reception Opening

On June 2, 2016, PGAAMCC held an opening reception for the newest exhibit, 'Exploring Black Innovation: A Collection of Works By Culture Keepers Students from Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. and Northwestern High Schools'. This exhibition honors the contributions of Black innovators who have shaped and impacted our world. Kudos to Laura Perez (Director of Education and Programs), the amazing students of the Culture Keepers Program and our very talented team of teaching artists for producing a breathtaking mural, a stunning exhibit and a successful program.


Donor Spotlight - Mr. Nathaniel Mathis

This month, we would like to acknowledge one our donors and biggest supporters, Mr. Nathaniel Mathis aka The Bush Doctor.

Nathaniel Mathis is a man of many talents and measures and success in many ways. He is a hair stylist, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, inventor, and published author. His invention (the barber's apron) is currently on display in the Patented Ingenuity: The Art of African American Inventors exhibition.

Click here to learn more about The Bush Doctor


A New Beginning at the Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center

Chanel Compton appointed PGAAMCC’s new Executive Director

chanel's photoThe Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center (PGAAMCC) appointed a new Executive Director, Chanel Compton.  As a long-time friend and dedicated colleague of PGAAMCC Ms. Compton returns to us from the Creative Alliance in Baltimore, where she was Education Director,  which involved directing instructors and staff to implement city-wide arts programs.  “We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect candidate!  Not only does she have a Masters in Arts Management from American University with extensive academic training in non-profit management, but she has a true talent for fostering strong community partnerships and support.  We have full confidence that Ms. Compton will lead this institution to new heights, bringing in new and diverse audiences in celebration of Prince George’s African American history, art, and culture” states PGAAMCC Board President, William Q. O. Shelton, Sr.  She previously served as PGAAMCC’s Education Director.   In her past work with PGAAMCC, Ms. Compton developed several signature school-based programs that received local and international acclaim; including Culture Keepers, Early Keepers, and Museum-In-A-Box.  Addressing the need for culturally relevant experiences in schools and communities, these programs garnered a 2-year partnership with Prince George’s County Public Schools, annually serving more than 2,000 students and over 40 schools throughout the County. 

Ms. Compton grew up in Bridgeport, CT, and has had a love for museums and the arts since childhood, stating, In high school, my art teacher would take the class on field trips to museums and galleries; these trips were really special to me because there were absolutely no art museums or galleries near my neighborhood.  During a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I was introduced to the work of Leonardo Drew, a renowned African American artist who actually graduated from my high school.  I was very proud that an artist from my local community was featured at such a prestigious museum; showcasing artwork that enhanced me and my classmates’ knowledge of Black history.  For me, that experience illustrates that a museum can be a powerful place of learning and inspiration.   Institutions such as museums can be places that inspire a new generation of leaders and innovators; a place of unity and connection, a place of learning, and a place of individual and collective transformation.”

The Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center’s mission is to celebrate and inspire the community through the cultivation, preservation, and presentation of the cultural and artistic contributions of African Americans in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  Ms. Compton believes, “We encourage our audiences to delve deeper into how they approach the Black experience, especially on a local level.”  Through exhibitions and programs, PGAAMCC shares the County’s untold stories of African Americans—starting with legacies that began with ancestors from the continent of Africa; from pre-enslavement to enslavement to emancipation; the formation of Black townships and communities; and the great thinkers of today that continue to pave the way in the arts, human rights, and innovation.  To learn more about our programs, visit www.pgaamcc.org.  Stop by to enjoy our Culture Keepers, Youth Exhibition celebrating Black Innovation, on June 2, 7pm-9pm.  4519 Rhode Island Avenue, North Brentwood, MD  20722


April Early Keepers Program

Join us Saturday, April 16th for Early Keepers.

Time: 12-1:30 PM

Theme: Amazing Artists of Prince George's County

Location: The Prince George's African American Museum and Cultural Center

4519 Rhode Island Ave

North Brentwood, MD 20722

Click here for more information

Click here to register


Happy Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture. Celebrated from 26 December thru 1 January, its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits" in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language.

The first-fruits celebrations are recorded in African history as far back as ancient Egypt and Nubia and appear in ancient and modern times in other classical African civilizations such as Ashantiland and Yorubaland. These celebrations are also found in ancient and modern times among societies as large as empires (the Zulu or kingdoms (Swaziland) or smaller societies and groups like the Matabele, Thonga and Lovedu, all of southeastern Africa. Kwanzaa builds on the five fundamental activities of Continental African "first fruit" celebrations: ingathering; reverence; commemoration; recommitment; and celebration. Kwanzaa, then, is:
The Origins of Kwanzaa the First-Fruits Celebration

  • a time of ingathering of the people to reaffirm the bonds between them;
  • a time of special reverence for the creator and creation in thanks and respect for the blessings, bountifulness and beauty of creation;
  • a time for commemoration of the past in pursuit of its lessons and in honor of its models of human excellence, our ancestors;
  • a time of recommitment to our highest cultural ideals in our ongoing effort to always bring forth the best of African cultural thought and practice; and
  • a time for celebration of the Good, the good of life and of existence itself, the good of family, community and culture, the good of the awesome and the ordinary, in a word the good of the divine, natural and social.

 

Source: http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/origins1.shtml

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