History of Formerly Enslaved African Americans in Virginia, Task Force for the ID of the

Purpose

With such funds as are appropriated by the General Assembly and with the agreement of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (the Foundation), the Foundation shall identify the history of formerly enslaved African Americans in Virginia and determine ways to preserve that history for educational and cultural purposes.

Term

Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Gubernatorial appointments shall be for a term of two years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Nonlegislative citizen members may be reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

Composition

To assist the Foundation in its work, a task force is hereby created consisting of 17 members as follows: three members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; seven nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor, at least one of whom shall be a recognized historian with scholarship in American history and slavery and at least one of whom shall be the president of a historically black college or university located in the Commonwealth. The Director of the Department of Historic Resources or his designee, the Director of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia or his designee, the executive director of the Virginia Tourism Authority or his designee, the chairman of the board of trustees of the Virginia Outdoors Foundation or his designee, and the President of the Foundation shall serve ex officio.

Vacant Seats

No vacant seats available...

Current Board Members

Member:President Makola Abdullah
Seat: President of a Historically Black College or University
End Date:6/30/2026
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Member:Brenton H. Hammond
Seat: Member of the General Public
End Date:6/30/2026
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Member:Nikki Nichole Rattray Baldwin
Seat: Member of the General Public
End Date:6/30/2026
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Member:Dr Jonathan White
Seat: Historian (American History and Slavery)
End Date:6/30/2027
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Member:Pastor Roger Douglas Cheeks
Seat: Member of the General Public
End Date:6/30/2027
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Member:Rita Parks
Seat: Member of the General Public
End Date:6/30/2027
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Member:Cainan Townsend
Seat: Member of the General Public
End Date:6/30/2027
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