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| Fort McHenry Bicentennial Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fort McHenry Bicentennial Foundation |
| Formation | 1998 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Purpose | Preservation; education; commemoration |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Fort McHenry Bicentennial Foundation The Fort McHenry Bicentennial Foundation was established to coordinate Baltimore's observances of the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and to support ongoing stewardship of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. The Foundation links commemoration of the Battle of Baltimore (1814), the composition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key, and the site’s designation within the National Park Service and the United States Department of the Interior. It has collaborated with federal, state, and local institutions to integrate historical interpretation, conservation science, and public programming connected to Maryland's maritime heritage.
The Foundation originated in the late 1990s amid planning for the Bicentennial of the United States's War of 1812 commemorations tied to the Battle of Baltimore (1814), Francis Scott Key, and the lyric inspiration behind "The Star-Spangled Banner". Founding partners included National Park Service, Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture, and municipal entities from Baltimore. Early advisory boards drew expertise from curators at the Smithsonian Institution, historians associated with American Antiquarian Society, and preservationists from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The organization leveraged grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, sponsorships from corporations headquartered in Baltimore such as T. Rowe Price and philanthropic support from families linked to the Peabody Institute and Johns Hopkins University. Initial campaigns emphasized restoration projects informed by archaeologists from Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory and conservators affiliated with the Museum Conservation Institute.
The Foundation’s mission aligns commemoration of the War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner with programs that support interpretation at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and related historic landscapes including North Point, Maryland and the Patapsco Valley State Park. Programmatic strands have included material conservation advising with specialists from the American Institute for Conservation, curriculum development in partnership with Maryland State Department of Education, scholarly symposia featuring researchers from Johns Hopkins University, and living history demonstrations coordinated with organizations such as the Company of Military Historians and the Society for History in the Federal Government. The Foundation also administered grant initiatives to fund exhibits at institutions like the Baltimore Museum of Industry and the Peale Museum.
Conservation projects supported by the Foundation targeted the fort’s masonry, artillery emplacements, and the historic Star-Spangled Banner flag artifact, working with conservators from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History and textile specialists linked to the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Structural stabilization efforts consulted engineers from Historic Preservation Training Center and landscape preservationists connected to the American Society of Landscape Architects. The Foundation collaborated on archaeological investigations with teams from University of Maryland, College Park and the Maryland Historical Trust, and coordinated environmental resilience planning with authorities at Chesapeake Bay Program and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect waterfront fortifications from sea level rise and storm surge.
Educational initiatives reached K–12 audiences through partnerships with the Maryland State Department of Education, the National Archives education programs, and the Library of Congress's teaching resources on The Star-Spangled Banner (poem). The Foundation sponsored teacher workshops with scholars from George Washington University, lesson plans incorporating primary sources from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and student essay contests judged by historians from Society of American Historians. Public outreach included interpretive signage developed with input from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and multimedia installations created in collaboration with curators at the Baltimore Museum of Art and media historians associated with Peabody Institute.
The Foundation organized anniversary ceremonies commemorating the Battle of Baltimore (1814), public readings of The Star-Spangled Banner (poem), and large-scale observances involving musical performances by ensembles such as the United States Marine Band and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Commemorative programming has featured reenactments staged with groups like the American Civil War Institute (for educational context), lectures by scholars from Rutgers University and University of Virginia, and public exhibitions curated with partners including the New-York Historical Society. Special events have included symposiums on maritime history with researchers from Naval Historical Center and festivals coordinated with Maryland Office of Tourism.
The Foundation operates under a nonprofit board including representatives from Baltimore City Council, the Maryland General Assembly cultural committees, and civic leaders with affiliations to Johns Hopkins University and the Peabody Institute. Funding streams have combined private philanthropy from foundations such as The Abell Foundation and corporate sponsors, government grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and Institute of Museum and Library Services, and earned revenue from ticketed events coordinated with the National Park Service. Financial oversight incorporated best practices promoted by the Council on Foundations and audited processes advised by accountants linked to BDO USA-type firms.
The Foundation’s partnerships span federal agencies like the National Park Service and National Endowment for the Humanities, state bodies including the Maryland Historical Trust and Maryland Arts Council, academic institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and community organizations including neighborhood associations in Locust Point, Baltimore and veterans groups like the American Legion. Engagement efforts prioritized inclusion of descendant communities connected to African American history in Baltimore through collaborations with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture and oral history projects with the Baltimore City Archives. Collaborative conservation and educational networks extended to national partners including National Trust for Historic Preservation, Smithsonian Institution, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Category:Historic preservation organizations in the United States Category:Organizations based in Baltimore