THE PRINCE GEORGE’S AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER (PGAAMCC) NEEDS YOUR HELP AND YOUR VOICE, APRIL 29 and MAY 5!

 

The Prince George’s County Council Public Hearings on the County Budget are fast approaching.  The County Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program Hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, 2014 and Monday, May 5, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room of the County Administration Building, First Floor, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD.  PGAAMCC is scheduled to present its request for funding for the completion of the museum building in the heart of the Gateway Arts District.  We need $4million to make an 18 year old commitment finally come true.

 In the mid 90’s, a group of citizens in North Brentwood, the oldest incorporated Black township in Prince George’s County, knew that they had a duty and an obligation to ensure their history was not forgotten by future generations.  The Friends of North Brentwood was established to build such an institution. In August 2010, PGAAMCC became an independent private 501(c) 3 institution with the mission of building a museum to tell the Countywide stories of the contributions of African American and African Diaspora peoples to the development of Prince George’s County.  Today, we are trying to make the Founders’ dreams finally come true. 

 Our programs have attracted international and national attention. At the Mall at Prince Georges families participate in our Early Keepers program of music, dance, art and storytelling for 3 to 7 year olds.  We work with the Arc of Prince George’s and are a veritable staple of the School System for our work with our Museum In A Box displays.  Our Culture Keepers program at the Suitland School for the Performing Arts works with the youth program at the Afro Museo in Sao Paulo Brazil. Our students will travel to Brazil to meet their counterparts and share research. Later in the year our students will host their Brazilian counterparts in our county. We are the only museum in the country to have a museum studies internship project with a community college workforce services program (Prince George’s Community College). Last year we served over 25,000 people with only 6 full time people and one part time staff person! We are now ready to move forward with building a 10,000 sq. ft. museum.  It will have performance, events, classroom, and meeting spaces, as well as a coffee shop, gift counter, and a 4,000 sq. ft. Gallery (already completed).  

If you feel that this project is worth completing, please come and add your presence and your voice to speak on our behalf at either of the two hearings listed above.  Please help us go the last mile of the way in making this dream a constructed reality! 

 Can we count on you to speak and bring others with you who are willing to stand with us?  If so, please contact Tracey T. Jones, Director of Media and Public Programs, by COB Thursday, March 20, 2014. She can be reached at ttjones@pgaamcc.org or (301) 809-0440 x111. Let the County Council know that Prince George’s County’s African American History and Culture are important to YOU and that this institution is critical to its dissemination.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jacqueline F. Brown, Ph.D

Executive Director