It’s an impressive title to carry: Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay. Since 1959, Maryland governors have bestowed the title upon individuals “who exhibit an extraordinary commitment to the conservation and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.”
Until this year, the Admiral has been chosen by the sitting governor and the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), confirmed through internal department discussions. Think of it like a British royal bestowing a knighthood on a person for their achievements or service to the United Kingdom.
On the Bay, that selection process is changing. Starting in 2025, the Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay will be chosen through a public nomination process. Anyone can nominate a person they feel has earned the title through their contributions out in the Bay community.
BY making this change, DNR leaders hope to solicit a broad range of nominees. They are looking for leaders who have “organized communities, led restoration efforts, and helped improve the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.”
DNR was inspired to update the Admiral selection process as a way to honor Vince Leggett, who passed away in November. Leggett, a 2003 Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay, worked tirelessly as a historian and organizer to preserve undertold stories about African-American maritime life and Black watermen on the Chesapeake Bay. Most recently, he spearheaded an effort to preserve the remaining undeveloped property that was Carr’s Beach, a Black beach resort in the time of segregation that hosted world-famous performers. He was still pushing new projects to preserve Black Bay history until the day of his death.
The new public nomination form for Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay is DNR’s way of making sure the department and Governor Wes Moore are aware of Bay people whose work may not be well publicized, but have significantly benefited the Chesapeake and Maryland’s environment.
The Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay honor has been bestowed on more than 100 people over the past six and a half decades. Alongside Leggett, they include Chesapeake Bay Magazine‘s own John Page Williams, an environmental educator for 46 years with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation who has written enlightening Bay environmental pieces for CBM for just as long.
Other Admirals of the Chesapeake Bay have ranged from fishing guru Bill Burton to Baltimore Orioles legend Brooks Robinson and iconic black-and-white Bay photographer Marion Warren. They’ve included former governors, environmental nonprofit leaders, boatbuilders, iconic black-and-white Bay photographer Marion Warren, watermen, and many more. You can read the full list here.
“The Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay is among the most important awards we bestow in Maryland and we want to make sure we’re receiving nominations from every part of the state that encompass the diversity of people and activities that improve the Chesapeake Bay,” says DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz.
You can nominate individuals for Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay between now and March 31, 2025. A new committee of DNR staff volunteers will review the nominations and make a recommendation to Secretary Kurtz. The Admiral is expected to be announced by June 1.
