Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/722202
B M & T ••• May/June 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 13 Baltimore Convention Center showfloor In addition to its history and culture as a popular draw for many African-American meetings, Baltimore serves as a convenient and easily accessible location for attendees coming from all over the world. After a reor- ganization of their geographic regions, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Region 1 chose Baltimore as the host city for their 2016 Annual Conference, not- ing the importance of Baltimore's historical areas to their conference. "Baltimore has many Black historical areas that offered great potential for a regional conference or even a national convention, and because of that we are expecting this year's conference to be one of the most sig- nificant regional conferences in memory," said Johann Calhoun, Region 1 director of the NABJ. The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity also recently announced that Baltimore would be the host city for its 2017 Annual Convention, bring- ing members from around the country home to Baltimore. "Our fraternity shares a significant bond with this city. For almost 25 years, Baltimore has been the location of Alpha's international head- quarters," said Bryan J.A. Kelly, director of communications for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. "Two of our most notable members, Thurgood Marshall and Frederick Douglass, lived in Charm City. By hosting our international convention here in 2017, Alpha remains committed to investing in Baltimore's success. We look forward to hosting our broth- ers in the city we call home." Baltimore is a destination continually growing its African-American tourism industry to reflect the city's rich history and strong cultural roots. Visitors to Baltimore can see, taste and feel the uniqueness of the city's diverse culture, from an array of restaurants, to shopping, nightlife, art, history and culture. Bringing a meeting or convention to Baltimore will enable your group to experience and celebrate Baltimore's diversity and see how the city's history and culture is a source of inspiration and celebration. For more information contact the Baltimore Area CVB at Baltimore.org M E R I C A N M E E T I N G S National Great Blacks In Wax Museum