Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown has presented the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) with a $70,000 matching grant in support of a new War of 1812 exhibit planned to open at the museum in 2013.The funding was announced at an October 4 Star-Spangled 200 grants awards ceremony in Baltimore.
CBMM joined 21 other non-profit and government organizations across Maryland which together are investing more than $6 million in bicentennial projects that support programming, education, visitor experience, and capital improvements while expanding economic development and tourism-related job creation throughout the State.
“The War of 1812 in the Chesapeake and the writing of The Star-Spangled Banner are important chapters in our history as a State and as a Nation,” said Lt. Gov. Brown. “I want to congratulate the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and thank you for your commitment to telling this story and investing in our communities.”
“We’re honored to receive this Star-Spangled 200 grant,” said CBMM President Langley Shook. “Our new exhibit will bring to life the stories of the Chesapeake’s people during the time of the war 200 years ago. It will expand the public’s understanding of this generally obscure conflict that shaped world history, and perhaps was just as significant to the future of our nation as the Revolutionary War. I’m particularly pleased that this unique exhibit will explore the attitudes and actions of diverse groups of Americans toward the war, including original research into the role the War of 1812 played in giving freedom to African American slaves along the Chesapeake.”
CBMM’s exhibit will focus on the issues and events related to the regional hostilities on the Chesapeake Bay. Highlighted will be local stories, including those of shipbuilding during the time of the war, and the Battle of St. Michaels, which occurred on August 10, 1813. Coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the war’s Battle of St. Michaels, CBMM’s exhibit is scheduled to open in spring 2013 and continue through February 2015.
“Most war exhibits focus on military battles,” explains CBMM’s Director of the Center for Chesapeake Studies Robert Forloney. “Our exhibit will focus on the social history of the war—such as the stories of shipbuilders, slaves, farmers, sailors, and the men and women who lived throughout the Chesapeake region during the time period.”
Forloney said grant funds will support significant new research from nationally recognized experts, an experienced guest curator, and educational programming to complement the exhibition. “Public lectures, teacher workshops, curriculum development, and an on-line component will also make the exhibit more accessible to larger, more diverse audiences.”
The Star-Spangled 200 (SS200) grant program stimulates investment in the commemoration of the bicentennial of the War of 1812 for maximum benefit to Marylanders. The grant program will operate for the three-year commemoration and is funded through Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin surcharge proceeds, corporate sponsorships and state appropriations.
About the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is dedicated to sharing the stories of the Chesapeake Bay and the people who have shaped their lives around it. With 18 waterfront acres in the historic town of St. Michaels, the museum offers exhibits, educational programming, boat rides on the Miles River, and annual festivals that celebrate Chesapeake Bay culture, boats, seafood, and history. Learn more by visiting CBMM in St. Michaels or at www.cbmm.org.
About Star-Spangled 200, Inc.
Star-Spangled 200, Inc. is the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that supports the fundraising goals of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission and is charged with helping to ensure the realization of successful programs, events, and community investment during the three-year commemoration period. For more information: visit www.starspangled200.com.
About the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission
Established by Governor Martin O’Malley, the commission is staffed by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, Division of Tourism Film and the Arts. The bicentennial period runs from June 2012 through February 2015. It commemorates Maryland’s unique contributions to the defense and heritage of the nation, including the pivotal battle that led to an American victory and the birth of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” For more information: visit www.starspangled200.org.
In photo: At an October 4 Star-Spangled 200 grant awards ceremony in Baltimore, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, MD received a $70,000 matching grant in support of a new War of 1812 exhibit planned for the museum. Opening in spring 2013, the exhibit will focus on the social history of the war, including the stories of shipbuilders, slaves, farmers, sailors, and the men and women who lived throughout the Chesapeake region during the time period. Pictured from left: Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian Johansson, CBMM Center for Chesapeake Studies Director Robert Forloney, CBMM President Langley Shook, CBMM Vice President of Development David Crosson, and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown at the October 4 awards ceremony in Baltimore. Photo credit: Executive Office of the Governor