Faces of Annapolis: Charles M. Kithcart of African Diaspora Maritime

At My Annapolis Office, we love to get to know each of our members  and a little more about themselves and their businesses. This month, we feature Charles M. Kithcart of African Diaspora Maritime. To learn more about Mr. Kithcart and his mission to spread awareness of and uplift young African Americans through sailing and maritime, continue reading below.

Tell us about your organization and what you do?

1. African Diaspora Maritime is a not-for-profit organization that strives to teach history while making history. More specifically, our mission is to:
   1. Participate in local, national, and international competitive sailing events and maritime activities, including but not limited to sailing’s pinnacle event: the America’s Cup.
   2. Train young African Americans as competitive race sailors.
   3. Teach the math and science behind high-tech sailing, as well as the role of African Americans in maritime history.
   4. Serve as a role model by raising awareness of sailing, not only in the African American community but also across America.

We will motivate, inspire, and teach problem-solving and cooperation through the study of our rich maritime history, offering a hands-on introduction to the high-tech sailing world of laminates, composites, velocity prediction programs, and computer-aided design. We aim to edify the mind and exhilarate the spirit while employing an exciting and cost-effective program with a broad scope. It will raise awareness of career opportunities in the maritime industry.

Tell us about yourself?

Kithcart was born in North Carolina; however, he was raised in Iran, Maryland, and Ohio. His exposure to life on the water began when he joined the Marines and served under the Intelligence Officer. Charles was a member of the 1992 America’s Cup-winning team, served as a Project Manager for the Age of Russia Challenge effort for the 1995 America’s Cup, and was given the title of Vice Commodore of the St. Petersburg Russia Yacht Club. In addition, he has also sailed the ocean on many oceanographic research expeditions. Where do you see ADM going in the future? In the future, African Diaspora Maritime is ready to stay together and continue to be leaders in shifting the paradigm of the sailing industry by empowering young African American seafarers not only nationally but worldwide. If you’d like to learn more about Charles and African Diaspora Maritime, you can visit their website here.