Banneker-Douglass Museum

The Banneker-Douglass Museum, named for Benjamin Banneker and Frederick Douglass, is dedicated to preserving Maryland’s African American heritage and serves as the state’s official repository of African American material culture. The original museum was housed within the former Mount Moriah African Methodist Episcopal Church in the heart of historic Annapolis. The Victorian-Gothic structure was included in the Annapolis Historic District in 1971 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Thanks to a community-led effort to transform the former Mt. Moriah AME Church building into a museum, the BDM opened on February 24, 1984. In light of this legacy, the BDM focuses on a community-based approach to building collections and exhibition and in providing tours, public programs, and other services. The museum is operated by the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC), which also operates the African American Heritage Preservation Program grant in partnership with Maryland Historical Trust.