Twelve Maryland nonprofits, including some in the D.C. metro region, will receive a total of nearly $1 million from a state grant supporting the acquisition or improvement of African American heritage sites.
The Hogan administration announced the grants from the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and Maryland Historical Trust on Wednesday, during the first week of Black History Month.
“Our administration is pleased to provide funding that will improve and preserve sites that promote African American heritage in Maryland,” Gov. Larry Hogan said in a news release.
“It is essential that we recognize and understand the history of these sites and their significance in the African American experience in our state and our nation.”
The list of 12 FY20 recipients includes four in the immediate D.C. and Baltimore areas:
- The Fairmount Heights World War II Monument in Prince George’s County will receive $12,250 for masonry repair and park improvements. The site features a granite and sandstone obelisk built in 1946 to honor area residents who served in the armed forces.
- Baltimore’s 95-year-old, Jacobethan-style Liberty Grace Church of God on Copley Road will be awarded $100,000 for a restoration.
- The Warren Historic Site in Dickerson might be the last post-Emancipation African American community in Maryland with its traditional church, school and lodge hall buildings. $100,000 will be put toward roof and masonry repairs for the school and church.
- Charles County’s McConchie School, built around 1912 to serve African American children, will receive $99,000 for structural repairs. The schoolhouse lay abandoned for at least a decade until it was purchased and relocated to the county fairgrounds in 1990, where it now serves as a museum.
Maryland’s African American Heritage Preservation Program accepts applications for funding every fiscal year. Nonprofits, local governments, businesses and individuals can apply to receive grants for eligible projects.
