Melanie Adams

Melanie Adams (born 1969) is an American educator and museum administrator. She is director of the Anacostia Community Museum in Washington, D.C., a unit of the Smithsonian Institution, and was named interim director of the yet-to-open Smithsonian American Women's History Museum in July 2023.

Early life and education Melanie A. Adams was born in 1969, the daughter of a teacher and a librarian, and she grew up in East Hanover, New Jersey.

Adams received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and African-American studies from the University of Virginia. She went on to earn a Master of Education degree from the University of Vermont and a doctorate degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Her 2014 doctoral dissertation was titled "Advocating for Educational Equity: African American Citizens' Councils in St. Louis, Missouri from 1864 to 1927".

Professional career

Adams began her career in higher education working in student affairs at the University of California-Berkeley and California State University-Northridge.

Adams moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1997 after being offered a position in student affairs at Washington University.

She joined the Minnesota Historical Society as deputy director in 2016.

Professional leadership

She was appointed to the St. Louis Public Schools Special Administrative Board in 2007, working with the community to regain accreditation for the district. She served in that role for nine years.

She served as president of the Association of Midwest Museums from 2014 to 2016.

Adams is currently a member of the board of directors for the American Association for State and Local History.

Notable awards

St. Louis NAACP 100 Community Leader, 2009 Royal Vagabonds Foundation Extraordinary St. Louis Trailblazer, 2014