• Faith P. Leach, chief administrative officer of Baltimore joins Shamiah Kerney at the Baltimore Museum of Industry on Nov. 30th to celebrate the success of Afro Charities.
  • AFRO Board Member Dr. James Wood Jr., AFRO Director of Digital Solutions Dana Peck, AFRO Vice President for Marketing and and Technology Kevin Peck and Former Baltimore City Mayor Kurt Schmoke come together for the 60th anniversary of Afro Charities.
  • DJ Tanz turns out the tunes for attendees on the dance floor.
  • Members of the Afro Charities staff are recognized at their 60th anniversary gala. Shown here, from left to right: Megan McShea, Jasmine Clarke (back), Bacarri Byrd, Bilphena Yahwon, Oyinda Omoloja, Deyane Moses and Nicoletta de la Brown.
  • Chanel Johnson (left) and Dr. Oluwa Tosin Adegbola Richard, of the Afro Charities Board of Directors, speak to the audience of the mission of the organization.
  • AFRO News and Afro Charities Board Member Beverly Carter celebrates the work done by Afro Charities over the past six decades with John Carter.
  • Mfume: U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-D-07) speaks to the audience about the important work of Afro Charities. Mfume, along with U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), worked to secure a $2.25 million federal investment to renovate the Upton Mansion.
  • Charisse Paige speaks on her family’s legacy within the ranks of the AFRO American Newspaper’s staff, encouraging all in attendance to donate to the renovation efforts at the Upton Mansion.
  • Members of the AFRO American Newspaper’s founding family, from left to right: AFRO Board Member Dr. James Wood Jr., with Robin Wood, Esq, president Board of Directors for Afro Charities; AFRO Director of Operations Andre Draper; AFRO CEO and Publisher Frances “Toni” Draper; Afro Charities Executive Director Savannah Wood; (back) AFRO Vice President of Marketing and Technology; Angela Wheeler; AFRO Director of Digital Solutions Dana Peck; Laura Murphy and Bill Psillas.
  • AFRO Board Member Laura Murphy and Bill Psillas
  • Frank Lance, CEO of Baltimore’s Parks and People
  • Arnold Williams and Garland Williams

By AFRO Staff

Afro Charities celebrated six decades of success on Nov. 30 at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The organization was founded on Nov. 15, 1963 and serves as the non-profit sister company to the AFRO American Newspapers. The organization cares for the AFRO Archives and curates educational materials and cultural experiences based on the historic collection, which includes more than three million photographs, audio recordings and letters.

Currently, Afro Charities is in the process of building a new home for the AFRO Archives. Afro Charities has launched a campaign to raise funds for the renovation of the Upton Mansion, located at 811 W. Lanvale in West Baltimore. The building will serve as a permanent home for the AFRO Archives and include office space for the AFRO News staff and other interested organizations and companies. The Afro Charities team has been offered the opportunity to have funds raised matched by donors. They are currently on a mission to raise $350,000 in pledged donations by Dec. 31 of this year, with donors having five years to make good on their promise. Once the pledge goal is reached, it will unlock another $3.2 million in funds. 

To make a pledge to the Afro Charities campaign to renovate Upton Mansion, please visit afrocharities.org/make-history-with-us.