SILVER SPRING, Md. — Incoming Maryland Gov. Wes Moore marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day by participating in a national Day of Service and saying King would have been proud of the leadership positions now held by African Americans in Maryland.
Moore is poised to make history by being inaugurated as Maryland's first Black governor Wednesday.
Once in office, Black leaders will occupy four of the most powerful positions in the state with women also taking prominent roles.
Anthony Brown is now in office as the state’s first Black attorney general.
Dereck Davis has served since 2021 as the state’s first Black treasurer of Maryland.
Del Adrienne Jones of Baltimore is the history making first Black woman elected as the powerful speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates since 2019.
Monday, Brooke Lierman became the first woman comptroller of Maryland. Along with Moore and Davis, she will serve on the Maryland Board of Public Works which oversees all state spending and determines the future of huge projects such as the expansion of the Capital Beltway and I-270.
Moore said Dr. King would have been proud of the diversity in Maryland leadership.
"But I think he would also say to each and every one of us remember, that's not the assignment. That's not the job. The job isn't to be the first." Moore said.
"The job is to go out there and do the job so well, that it ends up becoming one of the last things that people mentioned when they talk about the impact that you had while you're in the seat.”
Moore and his wife Dawn appeared at Day of Service events from Frederick to Silver Spring, Columbia and Baltimore on Monday to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
"Dr. King once said 'everyone can be great because everyone can serve,'" Moore told a crowd in Baltimore as he congratulated them on turning out to support community projects.
"That's what this is all about. We want this state to be great. Therefore, we want this state to serve," Moore added.