PHILADELPHIA — Ashley Jordan, president and CEO of the African American Museum in Philadelphia, has been named to serve on the National Museum and Library Services Board by President Joe Biden, who recently announced his recommendations.
The National Museum and Library Services Board, which supports the nation’s museums, libraries, archives and related organizations, is an advisory body that provides guidance on policies related to the duties, powers and authority of those institutions, as well as the annual selection of the National Medals recipients. Members of the board are appointed by the president of the United States for five-year terms.
“I am honored to serve on this board and to be in service to museums and libraries across the country,” Jordan said of the appointment. “Museums and cultural sites especially have played an essential role in my professional and personal growth, and I know firsthand the impact that these sites can have in areas of education, inspiration and engagement for the general public. With this appointment, I will continue to be a champion for these institutions, specifically in engaging with new audiences and uplifting diverse perspectives within this industry, to ensure the longevity of these important spaces.”
Jordan was named president/CEO of the African American Museum in Philadelphia in 2021, after previously holding roles with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Ohio, the Evansville African American Museum in Indiana and the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Ohio.
Jordan earned her doctoral degree in U.S. history at Howard University in Washington, D.C., a master’s degree in public history from Howard University, and a bachelor’s in history from Kent State University.
She is also the recipient of numerous professional, academic and civic awards, including the Pace Setter Award from the Association of African American Museums, the Black Excellence Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and multiple doctoral fellowships from the Filson Historical Society and the Kentucky Historical Society.
After her appointment as the AAMP president/CEO, Jordan said the voices of people of color are importance parts of museum’s and the nation’s history.
“In the sense that no voice, no story is left unheard or omitted. Because that’s sometimes the realities of history, particularly for people of color, how we were left out. And in a story like freedom, it’s important to show how freedom is inclusive,” she said.
This story was first published by The Philadelphia Tribune, a content partner of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.