The board of directors of The Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM) have announced Shane Carter as the organization’s new executive director. Carter will begin his role this month.
Carter comes to the position from the Lincoln Community Center in Troy, Ohio, where he served as executive director. The historic center has served Troy’s Black community first as a school in the 1860s and then as a community center since 1916.
Carter, who worked at the center for 13 years, helped expand the center’s programming, helped lead a $5.5 million capital campaign and helped oversee the construction of a 21,803-sq.-ft. expansion to the center.
In addition, he helped expand the center’s programming to include nearly 60 programs and 10 major annual collaborative events including a Thanksgiving feast, Easter egg hunt, and back-to-school bash. The center also offers a youth summer camp that this year will offer a unique weekly-themed camp over seven weeks.
Carter also operated his own contracting and construction management company that completed residential and commercial construction and remodeling.
All of these skills make Carter an excellent fit for The Kansas African American Museum, which is about to undergo the transformation of its future new home from a bank to a state-of-the-art museum and community center that offers an expanding list of outreach programs to the community and the region.
“I am thrilled to join TKAAM at such a pivotal moment in its history,” said Carter. “The new museum and cultural center in downtown Wichita will not only transform TKAAM into a central hub for cultural tourism but will also expand the museum’s reach, engaging visitors and communities both locally and online.”
C. Edward Watson, the TKAAM board chair, was impressed by Carter’s “knowledge, enthusiasm and experience with programming for diverse age groups, fundraising, and community engagement. We are fortunate to have him.”
Carter’s passion for TKAAM’s mission resonates with the Board’s vision. “I’m inspired by the board’s bold plans for the new facility, and I am excited to be part of an organization that is about to grow its offering to Kansas as an invaluable educational resource,” he added. “The opportunity to elevate the museum’s reach and deepen its impact is an endeavor I wanted to be part of.”
Carter replaces Denise Sherman, who served as TKAAM executive director for six years. She resigned in January for a position in higher education.
In 2023, under Sherman’s leadership, the museum announced plans to relocate from their existing facility in the historic Calvary Baptist Church to the former Sunflower Bank Building at 201 N. Main, in downtown Wichita.
The Board of Directors of The Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM) announced Shane Carter as the organization’s new executive director. Carter will begin his role this month.
Troy comes to the position from the Lincoln Community Center in Troy Ohio, where he served as Executive Director. The historic center has served Troy’s Black community first as a school in the 1860s and beginning as a community center since 1916.
Carter, who worked at the center for 13 years, helped expand the center’s programming, helped lead a $5.5 million Capitol Campaign and helped oversee the construction of a 21,803 Sq. ft. expansion to the center.
In addition he helped expand the center’s programming to include nearly 60 programs and 10 major annual collaborative events including a Thanksgiving Feast, Easter Egg Hunt, and Back to School Bash.
The center also offers a youth summer camp that this year will offer a unique weekly-themed camp over seven weeks.
Carter also operated his own contracting and construction management company that completed residential and commercial construction and remodeling.
All of these skills make Carter an excellent fit for The Kansas African American Museum that is about to undergo the transformation of its future new home from a bank to a state of the art museum and community center that offers an expanding list of outreach programs to the community and the region.
“I am thrilled to join TKAAM at such a pivotal moment in its history,” said Carter, “The new museum and cultural center in downtown Wichita will not only transform TKAAM into a central hub for cultural tourism but will also expand the museum’s reach, engaging visitors and communities both locally and online.”
C. Edward Watson, the TKAAM Board chair, was impressed by Carter’s, “knowledge, enthusiasm and experience with programming for diverse age groups, fundraising, and community engagement. We are fortunate to have him.
“Shane is a result-driven executive,” says TKAAM Board chair C. Edward Watson. “His knowledge, enthusiasm, and experience with programming for diverse age groups, fundraising, and community engagement made him the ideal candidate for this role. We are fortunate to have him.”
Carter’s passion for TKAAM’s mission resonates with the Board’s vision. “I’m inspired by the Board’s bold plans for the new facility, and I am excited to be part of an organization that is about to grow its offering to Kansas as an invaluable educational resource,” he added. “The opportunity to elevate the museum’s reach and deepen its impact is an endeavor I wanted to be part of.”
Carter replaces Denise Sherman who served as TKAAM executive director for six years. She resigned her position in January for a position in higher education.
In 2023, under Sherman’s leadership, the museum announced plans to relocate from their existing facility in the historic Calvary Baptist Church to the former Sunflower Bank Building at 201 N. Main, in downtown Wichita.
