From Legacy to Leadership: Answering the Call

May 23, 2025
HOLLYWOOD, Md., June 22, 2025 – Historic Sotterley proudly announces a landmark celebration in honor of Ms. Gwendoline Bankins, who has made history by becoming the first descendant of the enslaved at Historic Sotterley to be elected President of the Board of Trustees, and the first such descendant in the State of Maryland to serve in this capacity.
The public is invited to commemorate this milestone on Sunday, June 22nd, 2025, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Historic Sotterley. Titled “From Legacy to Leadership: Answering the Call,” this special event will include:
  • A welcoming reception for Ms. Bankins
  • Open house tours of historic structures
  • Educational presentations and interpretive displays
  • Live entertainment
  • Wagon rides
  • A tribute to Historic Sotterley’s commitment to truthfully telling our shared history
Ms. Bankins’ election is a culmination of decades of service, leadership, and dedication to community and historical justice. Her legacy of involvement with Sotterley and the region includes:
  • Former Vice President and Secretary of Historic Sotterley’s Board of Trustees
  • Chair of the Preservation, Restoration, and Interpretation Committee
  • Chair of Historic Sotterley’s Descendant-led event, A Day of Unity and Healing
  • Member of the Steering Committee for Dismantling Racism and Privilege in Southern Maryland
  • Member of the Steering Committee for the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area
  • Law Enforcement Chaplain for the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office
  • Maryland Area Representative for the International Conference of Police Chaplains
  • Her remarkable journey from descendant to leader exemplifies the very heart of Historic Sotterley’s mission: fostering understanding, truth, and unity through inclusive historical interpretation.
“We believe this moment—both Ms. Bankins’ historic election and Historic Sotterley’s continued work to engage all voices in telling our shared history—is not only meaningful but worthy of celebration,” said Nancy Easterling, Executive Director of Historic Sotterley.
This event is free and open to the public. Community members, partners, and the press are warmly encouraged to attend and witness this unprecedented milestone. RSVPs are requested by Thursday, June 12th. RSVP here: https://sholink.to/legacytoleadership
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News Release Contact
Kristina Kuss, Marketing Manager
(301) 373-2280 ext. 1123
marketing@sotterley.org
44300 Sotterley Ln, Hollywood, MD 20636
About Historic Sotterley
A National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO Site of Memory for the Routes of Enslaved Peoples, Sotterley is one of the oldest museums of its kind in the United States, with a history dating back to the turn of the 18th Century. Through the preservation of the site’s historic structures and natural environment and the use of powerful stories to educate and bring American history to life, the organization strives to foster a better understanding of our world today by providing a living link to America’s complex history and legacy of slavery.