Vince Leggett (1953–2024), "Admiral of the Chesapeake"

"The Admiral"

Vincent Omar Leggett, known as "the Admiral" of the Chesapeake, devoted his life to preserving and sharing the African American history and culture of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed — its maritime history above all — and to environmental stewardship and equity. For that work, Maryland's governor named him "Admiral of the Chesapeake." Through the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation and many other efforts, he helped make the Bay not just a place on the map but a living archive of identity and community.

Early life

Leggett was born on June 26, 1953, in Baltimore, to Charlie Leggett, a labor union representative, and Willie Mae Leggett, an educator — an upbringing that gave him a strong work ethic and a love of the outdoors. He earned a bachelor's degree in urban planning and community development from Morgan State University in 1975, and a master's in public administration from Central Michigan University in 1999.

Career

• Education: he began as an education planner for Baltimore City Public Schools, then became supervisor of educational planning for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. On the Anne Arundel County Board of Education he served as vice president and president from 1988 to 1993.
• Advocacy: in 1990 he founded The Leggett Group USA, a consulting firm in government relations, public affairs and advocacy. As a lobbyist he pressed for educational equity, clean energy and cultural preservation.

Blacks of the Chesapeake

In 1984, Leggett launched the Blacks of the Chesapeake Project to highlight African American contributions to the Bay's maritime history and to promote environmental stewardship. In 1999 it became the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, recognized by the Library of Congress as a Local Legacy Project. Programs such as "Exploring the Chesapeake Bay Through Ebony Eyes" introduced students from kindergarten through college to the Bay's cultural and environmental heritage.

• Books: Blacks of the Chesapeake: An Integral Part of Maritime History (1997) and The Chesapeake Bay Through Ebony Eyes (1999).
• Conservation: he co-founded the Chesapeake Ecology Center, focused on urban conservation and environmental education.
• Opening doors: he worked to bring more minorities into environmental fields, through partnerships with Hampton University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
• Honors: among many, induction into the Maritime Hall of Fame; he also served as chaplain of the Annapolis Fire Department.

Legacy

Leggett died on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 71. Reaching underserved communities was never easy, but his work remains a model for future generations — helping ensure that the story of the Chesapeake's history and ecology reflects the diversity and resilience of its people. He taught that history is not only what we preserve but what we pass on.

Remembrances from those who knew and worked with him — "Vince's Crew" — continue in the Park Service series The Vince Leggett Legacy, starting with The Admiral's Tribe.

Sources

Based on "Vince Leggett (1953-2024)," The Vince Leggett Legacy, National Park Service, Chesapeake Bay; a work of the United States government in the public domain. Photographs credited to the Leggett family, and an uncredited portrait, are not reproduced.