By 1812Blockhouse
A Mansfielder has been chosen to head one of the foremost institutions in the country focusing on the story of African Americans, the African American Museum in Philadelphia.
Dr. Ashley Jordan was selected in a process that took almost an entire year, who brings significant experience and expertise in leading cultural institutions in the field. Her most recent position was Senior Director of Development for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati.
Jordan has also held a position with the National Afro-American Museum in Wilberforce, and has also taught at North Central State College here in Mansfield.
Dr. Jordan 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 (NAACP), and a recipient of multiple doctoral fellowships from the Filson Historical Society and the Kentucky Historical Society.
The museum in Philadelphia covers all aspects of the African-American experience, including family life, the Civil Rights movement, arts and entertainment, sports, medicine, architecture, politics, religion, law, and technology.
The Afircan American Museum in Philadelphia is the first municipal institution of its kind, and is a focal point for scholarship and exhibitions sharing these important stories.
Dr. Jordan grew up on the North Side in Mansfield, which she described as a “front porch community” in a February article in NECIC’s North End Matters, and is a graduate of Lexington High School.
“My roots as far as the North End, it’s through and through,” she said. “The community was a breeding ground where I saw greatness around me early on,” she shared.
Jordan started in her position on Tuesday.
Sources: Press Release, NECIC
