The African American Museum of Iowa, in Cedar Rapids, has selected Anne Harris Carter as its new executive director. Ms. Carter will begin the role May 26, according to a news release.
Ms. Carter brings a background spanning government, regulated industries and senior leadership in multibillion-dollar corporations. Most recently, she served as community health (health equity) program manager with Linn County Public Health.
She also spent eight years at Alliant Energy, holding roles including director of recruitment and diversity, director of energy efficiency, and director of diversity & inclusion.
Beyond her professional career, Ms. Carter has been active in community advocacy, including work with the Racial Healing Institute, helping develop the state’s second citizen review board and advancing Make It OK, a campaign to reduce stigma around mental illness.
Ms. Carter is not new to the museum. She previously coordinated Make It OK programming at AAMI and loaned objects and shared family history for the 2021-2022 exhibit Mapping Exclusion: Redlining in Iowa. Her daughter, Evelyn Carter, Ph.D., also has a scheduled talk at the museum on June 11 at 6:30 p.m. about her book, Was That Racist: How to Detect, Interrupt, and Unlearn Bias in Everyday Life.
“The opportunity to participate in and help preserve the important histories and contributions of African Americans is something that feels especially poignant in this moment,” Ms. Carter said in a statement. “The task ahead is to ensure the important programming of the Museum is not only sustained but enlarged so that we can better meet the moment. I look forward to leading the Museum into a new era of meaning.”
AAMI Board President Anthony Betters, Jr. welcomed the appointment.
“Anne brings a deep passion for preserving and celebrating Black history, along with a strong commitment to community engagement and relationship-building across Iowa,” Mr. Betters said. “Her leadership, vision, and dedication to the Museum’s mission will help continue expanding our impact and inspiring future generations across Iowa.”
The AAMI Board of Directors is inviting the public to a welcome reception at the museum, located at 55 12th Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids, on Thursday, June 4 from 4-6 p.m.
The African American Museum of Iowa is a statewide museum dedicated to preserving, exhibiting and teaching Iowa’s African American history. The museum reaches more than 30,000 people annually through tours, traveling exhibits, research services, education programs and community events, and is the only African American museum in Iowa.
