Preservation Maryland

The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and the Maryland Historical Trust, with the help of several partner organizations, including Preservation Maryland and descendant communities, have recently released a draft study report on Maryland’s Historic African American Cemeteries. The public is being asked to comment on the draft which will inform the final report submitted to the Maryland General Assembly later this summer.

When most people think of preservation, the tangible comes to mind: saving a storied 19th-century structure or a physical space that radiates historic charm. Here at Preservation Maryland our work is as much about the intangible as we work to protect all of Maryland’s rich heritage – meaning physical pieces of our history, like buildings, as well as those parts of history you can’t touch, like historical knowledge or personal experiences. Preservation is a tool for a more equitable future and, although not overt, preserving the intangible aspects of communities is dependent on updating infrastructure that allows those spaces to remain vibrant and livable.

Earth Day was first celebrated on this day in 1970 when 20 million people attended events at sites across the United States. Originally designed to fight for environmental causes, today’s Earth Day mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Preservation Maryland frequently details our work advocating for a more environmentally sustainable future, on historic structures to fight the effects of climate change, and how the “greenest” building is the one that’s already built. Today we’re taking a much deeper dive into the preservation issues associated with sea level rise with a guest blog from Benjamin Curran, Curriculum Developer for The Campaign for Historic Trades, powered by Preservation Maryland.

As we continue to profile Maryland women who have made an everlasting impact on our state, we’re featuring Shauntee Daniels, current Executive Director of the Baltimore National Heritage Area, an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Baltimore’s historic buildings and neighborhoods. The Baltimore National Heritage Area is one of 13 certified heritage areas in Maryland and one of 55 Congressionally designated national heritage areas across the country.