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Proposals must be submitted by a Current AAAM Member.

Call for Proposals: 49th Annual AAAM Conference

Call for Proposals

AAAM2027 Annual Conference

The Work of Legacy: "What Will Your Legacy Be?"

Proposal Deadline: February 10, 2027

More than fifty years ago, Dr. Margaret Burroughs challenged each of us with a question that continues to resonate across generations:

"What will your legacy be?"

As a founding force behind the Association of African American Museums and one of the nation's most influential artists, educators, and cultural leaders, Dr. Burroughs understood that legacy is not measured solely by what we preserve, but by what we inspire, build, and leave behind for those who follow.

As AAAM enters its next half-century, we invite museum professionals, scholars, archivists, preservationists, educators, artists, public historians, cultural practitioners, students, and community leaders to help shape the future of our field.

The AAAM2027 Annual Conference will explore the enduring question:

What Will Your Legacy Be?

Together, we will examine how museums and cultural institutions are preserving history, cultivating new leaders, advancing scholarship, embracing innovation, and ensuring that African American stories remain central to the American narrative.

We seek dynamic sessions that challenge convention, inspire action, and provide practical tools for institutions of every size.

We encourage proposals in areas including:

• Leadership and succession planning
• Collections stewardship and conservation
• Public history and interpretation
• Community engagement and co-creation
• Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies
• Fundraising and institutional sustainability
• Governance and nonprofit leadership
• Education and lifelong learning
• Historic preservation
• Archives and digital humanities
• Exhibition development
• Oral history and storytelling
• Museum entrepreneurship
• Wellness, resilience, and leadership development
• The next generation of Black museums

Whether you are preserving a century-old collection, launching an innovative community partnership, mentoring future leaders, or reimagining the visitor experience, your work contributes to the legacy of our profession.

Now is the time to share it.

As we celebrate the achievements of those who built this field before us, we also recognize our collective responsibility to prepare those who will inherit it.

What will your legacy be?

Join colleagues from across the nation as we continue building the future of African American museums together.

Proposal Deadline

February 10, 2027

We look forward to receiving your proposal and welcoming you to AAAM2027.

Submission Guidelines

Proposals may include panels, workshops, and roundtable discussions. Please ensure that submissions align with the following criteria:

• Abstract: 300-word summary of the presentation topic, goals, and relevance to the theme.

• Format: Select one – Panel | Workshop | Roundtable | Poster Session

• Learning Outcomes: Clearly outline 2–3 participant takeaways.

• Engagement Strategies: Describe how your session will actively involve participants.

• Presenter Information: Names, titles, institutional affiliations, emails, phone numbers, and 100-word bios for all speakers.

• Panel Chair Contact Info: Name, Email, Phone

• Session Description (for public program): 150–200 words

Required for Submission:

• Panel chair Contact information- Name, Email and phone number.
• Session Description
• Connection to conference theme
•  Target Audience
• Learner Outcomes
• Issues session addresses
• Panelist Full name, Title, Institution, Email, Phone

Session Topics Should Address Best Practices in One of the Following Tracks:

• Track 1: Audience Diversity (Relevance, Outreach, and Responsiveness)
• Track 2: Collections & Digitization (Archiving, Conservation, and Access)
• Track 3: Financial Stewardship (Resource Management & Advancement)
• Track 4: Leadership Development (Strategic Planning & Succession)
• Track 5: Organizational Development (Governance, Mission, Operations)
• Track 6: Visitor Experience (Education, Curation, Interpretation, Exhibits)
• Track 7: Advocacy (Buy-In, Funders, Policy Makers)
• Track 8: Marketing (Audience Engagement, Social Media)

We also encourage proposals that provide interactive, skills-based training workshops.

Additional Topics of Interest:

• Funding & Institutional Sustainability
• Board Training & Governance Models
• Staff Retention, Recruitment, and Wellness

Tips for Online Submission:

• Proposals must be submitted via the AAAM online submission portal
• Submitters must be current AAAM members
• Use your email and a self-selected password to log in
• Retain login credentials for edits and updates
• Complete all required fields
• Click "Register" to begin your session proposal

Important Dates

- Submission Deadline: February 10, 2027 (11:59 pm PST)

- Notification of Acceptance: May 10, 2027

Submit Your Proposal

We welcome submissions from museum professionals, historians, archivists, CFO’s, educators, and community leaders.

By submitting your proposal, you agree to AAAM's Code of Conduct. If AAAM needs to switch to a virtual environment, you are willing to present and agree to have your session recorded and used by AAAM at a later date. 

For questions, please contact info@blackmuseums.org

Deadline for Session Proposals: February 10, 2027 (11:59 pm PST)

***PLEASE NOTE:

AAAM DOES NOT PAY TRAVELING EXPENSES OR AN HONORARIUM FOR PRESENTERS.  ALL SELECTED PRESENTERS MUST REGISTER.  

We look forward to your contributions to this powerful gathering!