AMERICA'S BLACK HOLOCAUST MUSEUM - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Communications and Event Coordinator, LISC Milwaukee

Job Titles:

• Founder
• Fund Development Consultant

Amanda is the Founder & Principle of Momentum Nonprofit Strategies, LLC and was hired as ABHM's Fund Development Consultant in April of 2020. As our Fund Development Consultant, Amanda has helped with the museum's overall development strategy, including grant writing, donor, corporate, and foundation relations, as well as with our programs.

Job Titles:

• Interim Executive Director
• Interim Executive Director, Began Work on the Museum's Reemergence in 2010, After Initially Being Invited to Work on a Film Exploring Dr. Cameron 's Life a Few Years Prior

Brad Pruitt, Interim Executive Director, began work on the museum's reemergence in 2010, after initially being invited to work on a film exploring Dr. Cameron's life a few years prior. For the last decade, Brad (an award winning filmmaker, writer, producer, and director) has been working on the rebuilding of the museum. From early advocate to interim Executive Director, Brad served for an extended period as ABHM's Executive Consultant. He continues to work on varied projects and initiatives, from community relations and engagement to strategic planning, fundraising, and organizational and physical space development.

Job Titles:

• Director of Operations

Cydney, an experienced real-estate and non-profit management professional, was hired as Executive Assistant in September of 2018 and was promoted to Director of Operations in March of 2020. As Director of Operations, Cydney oversees all administrative and facilities management, relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and supervises the Operations Staff and Volunteer Coordinator.

Job Titles:

• Journalist

James Cameron, who survived the lynching, and Tommy went to school together. 1 Cameron identifies Tommy's body as the one hanging closest to the trunk of the lynching tree in the famous picture. Journalist Cynthia Carr interviewed an elderly African American woman who was an adult at the time of the lynching. She told Ms. Carr that he was a good boy who "helped his mother." 2

Job Titles:

• Co - Founder
• ABHM 's Virtual Museum Coordinator
• Virtual Museum Coordinator / Consultant

Dr. Fran Kaplan is the Co-Founder and Lead Trainer/Consultant for Nurturing Diversity Partners (NDP). Fran holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and a Master of Social Work. She has spent fifty-five years working against poverty and for social justice and peace locally, nationally, and internationally. She founded ABHM's Virtual Museum and was part of the group of community volunteers who worked to rebirth the physical museum. Fran and NDP continue to manage the America's Black Holocaust virtual Museum. Fran has served as an adult educator, social worker, community organizer, and executive, program, and training director in farmworker rights, women's healthcare, child protection, parenting education, and public history. Dr. Kaplan and her work were commended in the 2017 U.S. Congressional Record and the National Association of Social Workers' 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award, among many other honors.

Job Titles:

• Founder
• Museum Founder and Lynching Survivor

James Cameron (circled in red) at age 14., He was known as "Jim" to his sisters and "Apples" to his classmates, in school picture. In the last row, just to the teacher's left, stands Thomas Shipp, who would be murdered two years later - at the age of 18 - by a lynch mob. Courtesy of the Cameron Family. James Cameron, also known as "Jim" to his sisters and "Apples" to his classmates, in school picture. Courtesy of the Cameron Family. James Herbert Cameron, Jr. was born in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. His father was a barber who cut white men's hair. He was also an abusive alcoholic who often lost his job. Seeking employment, he moved the family frequently. First they moved to Indianapolis, then through a series of small towns in Central Indiana. Finally, the family went to live in Birmingham, Alabama, when James was five. By the time he was seven, his parents had divorced. When he was about fourteen, his mother moved her children to the North Central Indiana town of Marion to be near relatives. Cameron describes his mother as a very loving, religious woman. She took in washing to support James and his two sisters. They lived in very humble circumstances. In Marion their home was a former stable on the edge of town. Cameron had lived a long, fruitful life that encompassed: rearing and college-educating five children organizing for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) serving as Indiana's Director of Civil Liberties traveling and lecturing nationally and internationally writing an important American memoir and hundreds of articles on American history and politics operating several successful businesses founding the one-of-a-kind America's Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee marching for civil rights and against the Ku Klux Klan receiving an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1999 Dr.Cameron was an honored guest of the US Senate, when, in 2005, eighty Senators passed a resolution apologizing for never outlawing lynching. But of all the recognitions he had received in his lifetime, the most meaningful was his official pardon from Indiana Governor Evan Bayh and the Indiana Parole Board. "'When (the Parole Board Chairman) told me that,' said Cameron, 'I broke down and cried over the telephone. I'd been carrying that load all these years and didn't know it was on me until it was lifted.'"4 America's Black Holocaust Museum's founder, Dr. James Cameron, was an avid reader and inspiring writer and educator. To this day, he is the only known survivor of a lynching to write and publish a memoir about such an experience. In his honor, we created this book club in November of 2020 to bring together a community of all backgrounds to learn about and discuss our collective past, modern manifestations of racism, and how we create racial repair, reconciliation, and healing for a better the future.

Job Titles:

• Historian
• Resident
• Resident Historian, Marquette University

Dr. Rob has been the resident historian for ABHM, alongside his roles as the Harry G. John Professor of History and the Director of the Center for Urban Research, Teaching & Outreach (CURTO) at Marquette University. Rob's research and teaching interests include African American history, civil rights history, and exploring the intersections of race and law. He has helped further position ABHM as an Academic Center of Excellence by bringing his scholarship to our internal infrastructure and programmatic elements.

Job Titles:

• Professor of Political Science, Alverno College - Treasurer

Job Titles:

• Human Resources

Kim has worked in the museum field for over 20 years and began volunteering her time and services with ABHM in the summer of 2019. In March of 2020, Kim was hired as the museum's Human Resources and Volunteer Coordinator Consultant to lead ABHM's planning, recruitment, training, management, and evaluation process for our volunteers, staff, and consultants.

Job Titles:

• Education and Research Coordinator

Mia is a Public Historian and Museum Professional who started working on behalf of ABHM as a consultant in September of 2018. In March Mia is a Public Historian and Museum Professional who started working on behalf of ABHM as a consultant in September of 2018. In March 2020, she was promoted to Executive Assistant to the President/CEO where she also assisted with developing operations and strategic plans, communications, fund development, and programming. In February 2022, Mia was promoted to Education and Research Coordinator and is currently in charge of creating educational tools for schools, managing logistics of educational programming, researching and implementing traveling exhibits relevant to ABHM, developing and maintaining collaborations with local and professional organizations, and collections management and research.

Job Titles:

• Director of Population Health and Well Being, Alliance for Strong Families and Communities - Board President

Job Titles:

• Owner, Atid Properties

Job Titles:

• Director of Special Education, Milwaukee Public Schools

Job Titles:

• Co - Founder
• ABHM Consulting Griot
• Consulting Griot

Reggie is the Co-Founder and Lead Trainer/Consultant for Nurturing Diversity Partners. He volunteered as ABHM's Head Griot from 2003 to 2008 and was part of the group of community volunteers who worked to reestablish the physical museum. Reggie has been a much sought-after speaker, researcher, and writer for over a decade - regionally and nationally. His work helps institutions and individuals understand how our country's racial hierarchy developed historically, its impact on our lives today, and how we can realize America's promise for all citizens. Reggie shares seldom-told stories and facts about the experiences of African-Americans and other peoples of color past and present. His award-winning online column and other writing and speaking provide background on current racial issues to regional, national, and international media.

Job Titles:

• Director of Visitor Services

Rodney, a native of South Carolina, has over fifteen years of experience within the non-profit and community relations field as a former YMCA Program Director and as a law enforcement officer. Rodney was hired as the museum's first Visitor Services/Membership Coordinator during the historic reopening in February of 2022 and was promoted to Director of Visitor Services in November of 2022. As Director of Visitor Services, Rodney oversees all Visitor Service's needs, supervises the wonderful Visitor Services Specialist team members, membership, merchandise, daily tours and events, and ensures top-tier facilities to offer a welcoming visitor experience.

Tommy worked at the Malleable foundry in Marion, Indiana, at the time of his death at age eighteen. Only a little more is known about him.