Long-Time ASALH Member Obtains Coveted Position – Executive Director of the Association of African American Museums

The Board of Directors of the Association of African American Museums (AAAM) is proud to announce that Vedet Coleman-Robinson has been chosen as its next Executive Director. Coleman-Robinson’s hire comes on the heels of AAAM’s 40th Anniversary year, during which the all-volunteer Association embarked on an ambitious fundraising effort to bring on this full time staff member. With generous support from its members, long-timer sponsors, and a three-year, $400,000.00 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, AAAM is now poised to grow and continue its important role serving the museum field.

Coleman-Robinson comes to AAAM from the National Park Service (NPS) where she served for eleven years as a Grants Management Specialist within the State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division (STLPG).  During her time at the NPS, Vedet was the Program Lead for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Grant (HBCU) and the underrepresented Community Grant programs for STLPG.  She has devoted herself to helping bring voice to communities that lack representation in the fabric, space and time of American history.

In her eleven years with the NPS, Vedet has worked closely with numerable grantees to help preserve their stories through grant programs such as Save America’s Treasures, African American Civil Rights, HBCU, Preserve America, Underrepresented Communities, and the Native Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. She also served in leadership roles within the National Park Service’s Employee Resource Groups to help foster and promote relationships and visibility of employees and sites that are underrepresented within the National Park Service.  Coleman-Robinson is a long-time member of AAAM and has played an important role growing the ranks of the Association’s members, through her role on the Membership Committee.

“Vedet has the professional experience, intelligence, and visionary leadership AAAM needs to take its next evolutionary step forward,“ said Brian J. Carter, Board President and Chair of the Hiring Committee. “AAAM recently completed a National Needs Assessment, created a four-year strategic plan responding to the Assessment, and we are now poised to support Vedet as she expands programming and services that will address those needs expressed by the field.”

Located in Washington, D.C., AAAM is a non-profit member organization established to support African and African American focused museums national and internationally, as well as the professionals who protect, preserve and interpret African and African American art, history, and culture. Established as the single representative and principal voice of the African American museum movement, the Association seeks to strengthen and advocate for the interests of institutions and individuals committed to the preservation of African-derived cultures.

The services provided by AAAM enhance the ability of those museums to serve the needs and interests of persons of African ancestry and those who wish to know more about the art, history and culture of African-derived cultures.