Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project

08/28/2026

Meet the Moderator | Damika Baker-Wilson

As part of Stewarding Our Shared Stories: An Intimate Conversation, we’re excited to welcome Damika Baker-Wilson, Vice President and Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Sector Lead at The Compass Group and Association of African American Museums board member!

Damika partners with museums, cultural organizations, and nonprofits across the country to strengthen fundraising, build organizational capacity, and ensure institutions have the resources to preserve and share Black history for generations to come.

Join Damika and fellow museum and cultural leaders as they discuss the importance of collaboration, community, and the shared responsibility of stewarding our stories.

RSVP ➡️ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGy_l9OUz85EbFeJTXwrsMsiGOooTEDZB6PxCvLNO9z9dGhA/viewform

08/27/2026

As part of Stewarding Our Shared Stories: An Intimate Conversation, we’re excited to welcome Darius Johnson, Project Director for Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project!

A scholar-practitioner focused on public history, historic preservation, community development, and philanthropy, Darius is dedicated to strengthening communities through cultural heritage and storytelling.

A Kent County native, he leads efforts to preserve and share the rich history of African American life on Maryland’s Eastern Shore while building partnerships that connect local stories to a broader American narrative.

Join Darius and fellow museum and cultural leaders as they discuss the importance of preserving Black history, fostering collaboration, and ensuring our shared stories continue to inspire future generations.

RSVP ➡️ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGy_l9OUz85EbFeJTXwrsMsiGOooTEDZB6PxCvLNO9z9dGhA/viewform

08/26/2026

Meet the Panelists | Makya Purnell

As part of Stewarding Our Shared Stories: An Intimate Conversation, we’re excited to welcome Makya Purnell, co-founder of Eastern Shore Juneteenth and Oshun’s Garden, Inc.!

A recent graduate of the University of MD Eastern Shore and a devoted UnStoppable Upsilon Sigma soror, Makya is a Lower Shore cultural leader dedicated to expanding opportunities for communities to engage with Black history and heritage.

Through her leadership of Eastern Shore Juneteenth, she has helped create meaningful spaces for education, reflection, wellness, celebration, and dialogue, demonstrating how authentic leadership can strengthen cultural understanding and community connection.

Join Makya and fellow museum and cultural leaders as they explore the importance of preserving Black history, fostering collaboration, and stewarding the stories that continue to inspire and unite our communities.

RSVP ➡️ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGy_l9OUz85EbFeJTXwrsMsiGOooTEDZB6PxCvLNO9z9dGhA/viewform

08/25/2026

Meet the Panelists | Jaelon T. Moaney

As part of Stewarding Our Shared Stories: An Intimate Conversation, we’re pleased to welcome Jaelon T. Moaney, Deputy Director of the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience!

A proud Eastern Shore native and nationally recognized cultural stewardship leader, Jaelon is dedicated to elevating the people, places, and narratives that have shape our rural region with purposeful nuance. His work spans legislative advocacy, historic preservation, public memory, and civic engagement.

Appointed in 2023 by Governor Wes Moore as the youngest member of the Maryland Commission on African American History & Culture, Jaelon was unanimously re-elected for a second consecutive term as Vice Chair of the State agency in 2026. His lineage on the Delmarva Peninsula traces back over three centuries, including ancestors who helped found the free Black kinship communities of Unionville, Copperville and the Hill in Easton. Through restorative scholarship and authentic partnerships, Jaelon is helping ensure that local legacies remain a vital part of our shared American story.

Join Jaelon and fellow practitioners as they explore the importance of centering Black histories, strengthening collaboration, and building deeper connections across generations.

RSVP ➡️ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGy_l9OUz85EbFeJTXwrsMsiGOooTEDZB6PxCvLNO9z9dGhA/viewform

08/24/2026

Meet the Panelists | Tara Coursey

As part of Stewarding Our Shared Stories: An Intimate Conversation, we’re excited to welcome Tara Coursey, Executive Director of the Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center!

A lifelong advocate for community engagement and cultural heritage, Tara is leading Kennard into its next chapter by expanding educational programming, strengthening partnerships, and creating new opportunities for people to connect with the rich history of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Her work is rooted in the belief that museums are not only places of preservation, but spaces where communities gather, learn, and grow.

Join Tara and fellow museum and cultural leaders as they explore the importance of preserving Black history, fostering collaboration, and stewarding the stories that connect us all.

RSVP ➡️ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGy_l9OUz85EbFeJTXwrsMsiGOooTEDZB6PxCvLNO9z9dGhA/viewform

08/18/2026

Stewarding Our Shared Stories: An Intimate Conversation

As museums across the country gather to celebrate the 10th anniversary of NMAAHC, the Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center and Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project invite the Eastern Shore to continue the conversation close to home.

Following a screening of “August 28: A Day in the Life of a People,” a short film by Ava DuVernay for the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, local museum and cultural leaders will reflect on the power of preserving history, fostering collaboration, and strengthening the connections that unite our communities.

Inspired by the themes of the film, this intimate conversation will explore how cultural institutions can work together to steward our shared stories, create meaningful experiences, and ensure that Black history continues to inform and inspire generations to come.

Panelists:

Tara Coursey-Hill
Jaelon T. Moaney
Damika Baker-Wilson
Darius Johnson
Makya Purnell

Free and open to the public!

🗓️: Friday, August 28, 2026

⏰: 1:00 p.m.

📍: Location TBA

08/13/2026

Come and Sing with to Ancestors TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m. at Sumner Hall.

Join us for an evening of song, reflection, and remembrance, concluding on the Custom House lawn.

To RSVP or reserve shuttle seating, email [email protected]. All are welcome!

08/11/2026

08/07/2026

The Eastern Shore carries stories of leadership, resistance, and community.

This series highlights Eastern Shore icons whose lives and work continue to shape this region across generations.

A project by Chesapeake Heartland staff and student workers from our Community History and Outreach team.

Washington College students: Sophia Clark ‘28, Selena Francese ‘25, Jade Lee ‘27, Thomas Lundy ‘27, Ellen MacDonald ‘27, Katie Hoffmaster ‘28.

Share this with someone who should know this story and let us know who we should feature next!

08/04/2026

As part of local celebrations marking the 2026 ASALH theme, please join us for the 13th Annual Legacy Day Weekend this August 14-16 in Kent County!

To learn more, visit www.sumnerhall.org.