Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Gilder Lehrman Institute Teacher Seminar Online:Ida B. Wells, Jim Crow, and Women’s Rights in Partnership with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum
2025-07-21 - 2025-07-24
Gilder Lehrman Institute Teacher Seminar Online:Ida B. Wells, Jim Crow, and Women’s Rights in Partnership with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum
Live Zoom Sessions: Monday, July 21- Thursday, July 24, 2025 | 11 am – 1 pm
Registration Deadline | Thursday, July 17, 2025 | Admission: $25 for Teacher Seminar Program
This seminar explores the history of African Americans between 1865 and the 1930s by taking a close look at the life of anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells. Most known for her crusade against lynching, she was a social justice warrior whose long career as a civil rights activist illustrates the many challenges faced by African Americans during her lifetime. This seminar uses Wells’ life as a focal point for understanding not only anti-lynching, but also the rise of Jim Crow, the history of early Black civil rights organizations and women’s clubs, the Great Migration, the African American experience during the World War I era, and the emergence of New Negro leadership.
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum will present two online sessions during this seminar examining the last documented lynchings of Matthew Williams (1931) and George Armwood (1933) from the museum’s Lynching in Maryland installation. This new exhibition seeks to honor the victims of the 38 documented racial terror lynchings that occurred in the state of Maryland between 1854 and 1933. Dr. Charles Chavis, Jr. and Dr. Brian Morrison are the participating guest scholars for these two online sessions. Dr. Chavis will discuss his latest book, The Silent Shore: The Lynching of Matthew Williams and the Politics of Racism in the Free State.
Mia Bay is the lead scholar for the Gilder Lehrman Institute Teacher Seminar Online:Ida B. Wells, Jim Crow, and Women’s Rights. Bay’s works include Ida B Wells, The Light of Truth: The Writings of An Anti-Lynching Crusader. Mia Bay is the Paul Mellon Professor of American History at the University of Cambridge.
Learn More & Register Here

Jubilee: St. James at 200 | Film Screening and Panel Discussion
2025-09-05 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Jubilee: St. James at 200 | Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Friday, September 5 | 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for a film screening celebrating the legacy of the oldest African American Episcopal church in the southern United States. This 65 minute documentary by filmmaker, Russell Sharman, highlights St. James Church in west Baltimore and its recent 200th anniversary. A panel discussion will follow the film screening and church artifacts are currently on view in the exhibition, Stitched in Favor, 200 years of the Historic St. James Episcopal Church at the Maryland Center for History and Culture.
Panelists include:

Russell Sharman, Filmmaker
Chloe Green, Public Program and Outreach Manager, Maryland Center for History and Culture
Rebecca Johns Hackett, BCCC Historian and contributor to the Stitched in Favor Exhibition
Helen Griffin Anderson, Senior Warden, St. James Church
Dr. Lawrence Jackson, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of English and History, Johns Hopkins University

Film Trailer Here
Purchase Tickets

Blacks in White: African American Health Professionals Satellite Gallery
2025-09-19 - 2025-10-18
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum is proud to announce the opening of its newest touchpoint satellite gallery exhibition on September 19, 2025 at The Village at Mondawmin!
The Lewis at Mondawmin is a satellite gallery space created to extend the reach, impact, and presence of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture into the heart of the community. Located inside The Village at Mondawmin—a historic shopping center and civic hub for West Baltimore—this new exhibit space offers an accessible, community-rooted platform for rotating exhibitions and interactive displays that celebrate Maryland’s rich African American history and culture.
Blacks In White: African American Health Professionals highlights the vital contributions of Black healthcare professionals and institutions in Maryland, with a focus on West Baltimore. Spanning the late 19th and 20th centuries, the exhibit features pioneering institutions such as Provident Hospital, the Helene Fuld Nursing School, and Young’s Pharmacy, as well as the leaders behind them, including Dr. Howard E. Young and Dr. Nellie Louis Young. In the face of systemic and medical racism, these professionals provided essential care, trained future generations of nurses, and built institutions that served communities often denied access to quality healthcare. Emerging from a vibrant, resilient West Baltimore, their legacy reflects the power of community, dedication, and the ongoing pursuit of health equity for all.
? Location: The Village at Mondawmin, 3201 Tioga Parkway East Entrance, Baltimore, MD 21215
Explore the legacy of African American health professionals through powerful stories, images, and artifacts. Now on view at The Village at Mondawmin—join us in celebrating their strength, resilience, and brilliance!
Exhibition Page

Culturally Curated: Genius Vibes Edition
2025-10-03 19:00 - 22:00
Culturally Curated : Genius Vibes Edition
Friday, October 3 | 7pm – 10pm
The Lewis museum is excited to present our first “Genius Vibes” Culturally Curated Social Event. This dynamic evening is designed to bring our people together through the richness of Black art, music, and culture!
Guests will enjoy the smooth live sounds of The Spence Start Trio, the vibrant mixes of DJ NO ID, and the energy of our host Cool Ant guiding the night. Adding to the experience, artist Bryan Robinson will create a live art piece during the event, offering an interactive and creative element for attendees. To round out the evening, local food trucks will be on site with a variety of delicious eats to enjoy.
This event is more than a night out, it is a cultural celebration curated by our community, for our community.
Join us as we vibe, connect, and celebrate our culture
Must be 21+ to enter.
Note for Members: Once you log in the option to pay the member price of $20 will appear.
Purchase Tickets

Border State Freedom Seekers: Celebrating Maryland’s Emancipation Day
2025-11-01 13:00 - 15:00
Border State Freedom Seekers: Celebrating Maryland’s Emancipation Day
Saturday, Nov 1, 2025 | 1 pm – 3 pm | Cost: Museum General Admission
Did you know that Maryland legally abolished slavery a year after the Emancipation Proclamation on November 1,1864?
Join us and historian Maya Davis with author Scott Shane as we explore the complexities of abolishing slavery in this southern border state while also learning about earlier freedom fighters who helped enslaved Marylanders gain their freedom. Author Scott Shane will discuss the compelling story of Thomas Smallwood, a self-educated former Maryland slave turned abolitionist in Shane’s book, Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery’s Borderland. Maya Davis, Director of the Riversdale House Museum will discuss the origins of Emancipation Day and its impact on the state of Maryland.
Scott Shane was a reporter for 15 years at The New York Times, where he was twice a member of teams that won Pulitzer Prizes, and before that for 21 years at The Baltimore Sun.
Maya Davis is the Director of the Riversdale House Museum, the former 19th Century Plantation home in Prince George’s County. Prior to her arrival she was the Research Archivist and Legislative Liaison at the Maryland State Archives where she consulted on statewide projects related to the African American experience. Previously she served as the Vice Chair of the Annapolis 1864 Commission to Commemorate Maryland Emancipation Day.
Register Here

An Insanely Dope Artist Conversation: “Taste of Legacy” with Reginald A. Lewis
2025-11-22 13:00
Saturday, November 22, 2025 | 1 pm | Museum Admission
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for an artist conversation on its latest art installation, “Taste of Legacy” with mixed media artist Reginald A. Lewis, of Insanely Dope Designs and MICA Faculty Staff Rhea Beckett. “Taste of Legacy” is a vibrant tribute to African American heritage, resilience, and creativity. Reginald will discuss his journey to becoming a self-taught artist and muralist who uses his art to “speak to the history and legacy of African American culture.”
Reginald A. Lewis has participated in over 60 art shows throughout the east and west coast. In addition, he has collaborated with several national artists including Swizz Beats, Nipsey Hussle and Wiz Khalifa.
Rhea Beckett is a curator and fifth generation educator whose practice centers knowledge sharing and collaboration. In addition to teaching at MICA, Rhea is also an adjunct professor of African American art history at Fisk University (Nashville, TN) and Trinity Washington (Washington, DC). She is the Founding Director of Black Artist Research Space (BARS), a hub for creativity, scholarship, and imagination located in Baltimore, MD.
Register Here

Culturally Curated: The Sneaker Chic Edition
2025-12-06 19:00 - 22:00
Culturally Curated : The Sneaker Chic Edition
Saturday, December 6 | 7pm – 10pm | $30 General | $20 Members | $ More at the Door
Step into the holiday season in your best kicks and your flyest fit! Make protecting Black history one of your reasons for the season and join us for an Insanely Dope evening of Black art, music and culture! Guests will be immersed in the soulful vocals of Davon Fleming, the dynamic sounds of DJ Infame, and the engaging energy of host Tiara LaNiece as she guides us through an unforgettable evening. The creative spirit of the night continues with live art by Reginald A. Lewis of Insanely Dope Designs, offering an interactive experience that brings artistry to life! Island Quizine will be on site serving a variety of flavorful dishes.
More than an evening of entertainment, this event is a cultural celebration created by our community, for our community.
Note for Members: Once you log in the option to pay the member price of $20 will appear.
Culturally Curated Series
Smile Photobooth Images
Event Images

Holidays at The Lewis | 2025
2025-12-13 12:00 - 16:30
Saturday, December 13 | 12:00pm – 4:30pm | Museum Admission
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum and bring in the season of Christmas and Kwanzaa with soulful melodies and a little holiday funk. The Baltimore Center Stage will present sample tunes from Santa Claus Is Comin’, a dazzling, family-friendly musical concert celebration by Nygel D. Robinson. Enjoy live Christmas music classics from Motown & More and presentations from Dance Baltimore Repertory Ensemble to include a tribute to Paul “Fat Daddy” Johnson’s “Fat Daddy Christmas.” Experience a storytelling and funky drumming re-interpretation of the Little Drummer Boy song along with the Nativity Story by Mama Deborah Pierce Fakunle and Dr. David O. Fakunle. Children and families will be able to meet and take photos with Black Santa and participate in a holiday craft project with crafter Sallah Jenkins.
Celebrate the principles of Kwanzaa for all ages with Culture Queen followed by African drumming and dancing with Nyame Nti Cultural Healing Arts Therapy, Inc. (N-CHAT). Finally, explore the Kwanzaa principle Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics ) with Francis Formen of Black Commerce Maryland and Cluster Consulting. He, along with several local Black business owners will discuss how this principle strengthens communities by keeping dollars circulating, lowering costs, and building collective power.
Register Here

King Day 2026 | The Children Shall Lead
2026-01-19 11:00 - 17:00
Monday, January 19 | 11 am – 5 pm | Museum Admission | Kids Free
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum to celebrate King Day 2026 through the eyes of youth activists from the Civil Rights Movement to present day social movements. Program activities will include provoking conversations, film screenings, musical performances and a host of family fun filled activities. These programs are inspired by Kid Zone, the museum’s newest interactive permanent exhibit solely dedicated to children and families.
Guest Presenters and Participants Include:

Register Here

Last Night A DJ Saved My Life: A Salute to Black Radio DJs Panel Conversation and Short Kuts Show Presentation
2026-01-31 13:00 - 15:30
Saturday, January 31, 2026 | 1 pm – 3:30 pm | Museum Admission
Spend the afternoon grooving with local Black radio DJs from Bmore and the DMV as they discuss the impact of Black radio in the community and the use of their platforms for advocacy. This conversation will highlight DJ legends from the past to today. A Short Kuts Storytelling Presentation featuring DJs personal stories will kick off the program.
Guest Speakers and Presenters include:
DJ Quicksilva (92Q) | Quicksilva is the host of the The Quicksilva Morning Show. Quicksilva has worked on-air at radio stations such as WKYS 93.9, X105.7, 92Q, and V-103. He is an award winning DJ who’s won 2 Global Spin Awards, East coast #1 at the MixShow Power Summit and Ranked DC #1 for the last 2 decades. When he’s not working he is a motivational speaker at schools.
Konan (95.9 Magic) | Konan is a 36-year veteran in the radio and music industry. He started his career with Cathy Hughes at WOL-1450AM in 1985. He quickly became a household name in the DC area for his community work outside of radio.
LaDawn Black (Media Personality/Moderator) | LaDawn Black is a seasoned media professional with more than 20 years of experience across radio, print, digital, and broadcast storytelling. She began her career in traditional radio, serving as a producer at WPGC 95.5 in Washington, D.C., and later as a top-rated on-air host for WERQ 92Q and Magic 95.9 in Baltimore, as well as WBLS 107.5 in New York. Today, LaDawn has transitioned into digital journalism, working as an arts and culture contributor for The Baltimore Banner and as a digital writer and editor for WTOP News in Washington, D.C
The Short Kuts Show | The Short Kuts Show is a live short storytelling series that draws inspiration from the rich traditions of Black American barbershops and beauty salons. These spaces, echoing the West African griot and African-American oral storytelling traditions, have long been essential to the Black American community. Inspired by the dynamic tales told daily in these cherished establishments, The Short Kuts Show honors the voices and experiences of those within these communities.
Featured Storytellers:

Patti W. Smith – Patty was the 1st African American woman radio news broadcaster at WWIN 1400 AM.
Marc Clarke – Marc is a veteran media personality with over 30 + years experience in radio and television to include his time as radio morning host of the Mark Clarke and the Big Fat Morning Show at 92Q in Baltimore.
April Watts – A proud native daughter of the nation’s capital city, April is currently an on-air personality at Baltimore’s top rated urban a/c station Magic 95.9 FM.
DJ TANZ – DJ Tanz is a prominent DJ known in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area for his high-energy events and deep roots in radio (like 92Q) playing diverse genres from hip-hop to house.

The Short Kuts Show is produced by Executive Producer, Dr. LaMarr Shields, Ph.D. and directed by Live Performance Director Marc LaVeau. Set designs are created by scenic designer Kendra Rochambeau Banks.

In conjunction with iWitness: Media & the Movement.
Register Here

Voices in Solidarity: Baltimore’s Black and Jewish Operatic History | Roots and Resonance: An Operatic Love Letter to Baltimore
2026-02-14 11:00 - 15:30
Saturday, February 14 | 11 am – 3:30 pm | Cost: General Museum Admission
Voices in Solidarity: Baltimore’s Black and Jewish Operatic History, a collaborative partnership between Opera Baltimore, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, and the Jewish Museum of Maryland launches with a powerful kick-off event at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum on February 14th, 2026. Join us for an immersive public program using vocal music as a lens to explore the deep roots and lasting resonance of Black musical traditions shaped by migration, resilience, and artistic exchange in Baltimore.
The day begins with a moderated panel featuring scholars, archivists, and performers. including acclaimed Baltimore-born opera singer Daniel Rich. Anchored by artifacts from the Lewis Museum, the panel explores themes of tradition, support, tension, and solidarity across Black and Jewish communities. The afternoon culminates in a recital by Daniel Rich, tracing his personal and artistic journey through opera, musical theater, spirituals, and new works by Baltimore composers, reflecting the sound, stories and ongoing artistic excellence of Black Baltimore. Daniel will be joined by poet, singer, and visual artist Vincent Stringer and pianist, JoyAnne Amani
Lunch Service: Boxed Lunch is available during this event for pre -purchase for a $20 fee. Boxed lunch includes a sandwich, chips, small coleslaw or potato salad, fresh baked cookie, and a bottle of water. Lunch orders are limited to 2 per registration.
Register for Event/Lunch

Rec-To-Tech: A Community STEM Celebration with Digital Harbor Foundation
2026-02-20 13:00 - 17:00
Friday, February 20 | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Reginald F. Lewis Museum
Join Digital Harbor Foundation for Rec-To-Tech: A Community STEM Celebration!
Celebrate the impact of Rec-To-Tech, a National Science Foundation–funded initiative led by Digital Harbor Foundation in partnership with UMBC, transforming recreation centers into hubs of STEM learning in Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
Free and open to the public (free museum admission during event hours)
What to expect:

Hands-on STEM activities for youth and families
Panel discussions with educators, researchers, and community leaders
Community partner tables
Light food fare
Premiere of the Rec-To-Tech documentary trailer

Come learn, explore, and celebrate community-powered STEM learning!
Register Here
About Rec-To-Tech:
Rec-To-Tech is a National Science Foundation-funded initiative led by Digital Harbor Foundation in partnership with UMBC, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, and Pittsburgh City Parks and Recreation. The project focused on reimagining recreation centers as inclusive STEM learning environments through co-designed programming, professional development for educators, and community-engaged research. Rec-To-Tech supported hundreds of youth participants, trained recreation center staff, and produced a publicly available Toolkit to help other cities replicate and adapt the model in their own communities. Learn more at www.rectotech.org.
About Digital Harbor Foundation:
Digital Harbor Foundation is a Baltimore-based non-profit organization democratizing societal and economic well-being through digital equity for everyone, increased diversity in the tech sector, innovative education, and technology for the public good. The Tech Lab at Digital Harbor is dedicated to fostering technology-driven educational opportunities for youth in Baltimore and beyond. Through hands-on learning, Tech Lab empowers young people to develop critical 21st-century skills and become active contributors to the digital economy. For more information, visit www.digitalharbor.org

Beyond the Scoreboard: The Baltimore Black Sox and the Negro Leagues’ Civil Rights Legacy
2026-02-21 12:00 - 15:00
Saturday, February 21, 2026 | 12pm – 3 pm | SOLD OUT

Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum and community partners for a panel discussion celebrating the legacy of the Baltimore Black Sox, one of Baltimore’s historic Negro League baseball teams, and their impact on the Civil Rights Movement. Explore how these athletes navigated a segregated society, where “separate but not equal” defined life both on and off the field, and learn about their lasting influence on their communities and the fight for equality. After the discussion, visitors can participate in preservation workshops on family genealogy and celebrate community traditions, including baseball and family celebrations.
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead, President, Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH); Founding Executive Director, The Karson Institute for Race, Peace, & Social Justice
Jana Brooks, great grandniece of Black Sox player Leon Day
Dr. Milbert Brown, Jr., artist, photojournalist, and author
Sean Gibson, the Executive Director of the Josh Gibson Foundation; Great-grandson of Negro League player Josh Gibson
Kelly Elaine Navies, Museum Specialist, Oral History Initiative, National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
Damion Thomas, Supervisory Museum Curator, National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
Partnership | This program is presented in partnership with Parks & People and the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership as part of the Baltimore Black Sox Memorial project. It also aligns with the ASALH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History) Black History 2026 theme: A Century of Black History Commemorations.
Parks & People, in partnership with the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, is leading the creation of the Baltimore Black Sox Memorial in Westport. Founded in 1913, the Baltimore Black Sox began playing in Westport in 1917 as part of the Negro Leagues. The Memorial will celebrate the team’s legacy and contributions to Baltimore’s African American history and baseball culture.
This project is part of Reimagine Middle Branch, a community-driven initiative led by the City of Baltimore, South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, and Parks & People, working alongside a team of expert consultants, stakeholders, and Baltimoreans. This initiative celebrates African American culture through equitable development and implementation of the Reimagine Middle Branch Plan.
For more information, please visit, ReimagineMB.com .

Business 101: How to Thrive as a Creative Entertainer
2026-02-28 13:00
Saturday, February 28 | 1 pm | Museum Admission
Learn how to thrive as an artist in the entertainment industry with artist Wordsmith. Aspiring artists and entrepreneurs will learn how Wordsmith earns a living in music, acting, composing and songwriting while providing tips to those desiring to make it in this industry. Musical selections from Wordsmith will be performed following the workshop session.
In conjunction with TITAN: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis.
Register Here

A Soldier's Life: A Black Woman's Rise from Army Brat to Six Triple Eight Champion
2026-03-07 13:00 - 15:00
A Soldier’s Life: A Black Woman’s Rise from Army Brat to Six Triple Eight Champion

Saturday, March 7th | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Museum Admission

Join retired Army Colonel Edna W. Cummings to converse on her extraordinary personal journey in the US military and her triumphant effort to honor her predecessors with the Congressional Gold Medal in her new book, A Soldier’s Life: A Black Woman’s Rise from Army Brat to Six Triple Eight Champion. This memoir chronicles Cummings’s unlikely but successful path to leadership roles in the army and afterward, tells the story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the Six Triple Eight—a trailblazing African American World War II Women’s Army Corps unit now the subject of a Netflix film and a Broadway-bound musical—and the grassroots campaign Cummings led to honor them. A book signing will take place after the talk.

Register Here

Women’s History Program: “The Artistry and Activism of Frances Harper”
2026-03-14 14:00 - 15:00
Women’s History Program: “The Artistry and Activism of Frances Harper”
Saturday, March 14th | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Museum Admission
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum celebrating the life and legacy of activist Frances Ellen Watkins Harper through dance and poetry during Women’s History Month. “The Artistry and Activism of Frances Harper,” depicts Harper’s rise from being orphaned in Baltimore to becoming the most prolific Black novelist and most beloved Black poet of the nineteenth century after becoming the first Black woman to join the American Anti-Slavery speaking circuit. The 5 suite production includes original music, choreography and poetry performed by Sharing Our Legacy Dance Theatre (SOL) and directed by Professor Emerita, Lynnette Young Overby from the University of Delaware. Frances Watkins Harper Bicentennial birthday was recently commemorated in 2025.
Register Here

Invisible Warriors: African American Women in World War II
2026-03-28 14:00 - 16:00
Invisible Warriors: African American Women in World War II
Saturday, March 28th | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in a film screening and discussion of Invisible Warriors: African American Women in World War II. Invisible Warriors gives voice to the hidden heroines who helped reshape both a nation at war and the course of American heritage. Told by the women who courageously fought both racism and sexism on America’s home front, this is the untold story of 600,000 Black “Rosie the Riveters.” These trailblazing women entered factories, government offices, and shipyards, shattering barriers and laying the groundwork for future generations of African American women.
This film screening will include a post discussion with filmmaker Gregory Cooke (virtually) and local Rosie Riveter Susie King (in person).
This program is in conjunction with Women’s History Month and National Black Women’s Labor Day (April 5).
Register Here
Film Trailer

Children’s Book Festival 2026
2026-04-11 11:00 - 15:00
Children’s Book Festival | Presented by Baltimore Gas and Electric (an Exelon company)
Saturday, April 11th | 11am – 3 pm | Museum Admission | FREE for Youth & Children (17 and under)
This spring join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for the return of our family friendly Children’s Book Festival. Children and families can enjoy a fun-filled day exploring kids’ literature about African Americans while meeting some of your favorite children’s authors and illustrators in our Book Village. Enjoy a host of activities to include author readings, illustration workshops, craft activities, dance parties and more. Museum visitors can receive a free copy of A Ride to Remember by Amy Nathan and Sharon Langley while supplies last.
The African American Children’s Book Festival strives to connect families to high quality books about and for African American children. We aim to foster a love of reading for families by connecting them with renown and up and coming creators of children’s books.
Participating Authors, Illustrators, Presenters and Community Partners

Celebrity Guest Reader: Civil Rights icon, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland
Kwame Alexander
Marilyn Annette Barber
Carole Boston Weatherford
Jeffery Boston Weatherford
Julia K. Briggs Moseley
Sanaa Chege
Marc Clarke
Bryan Collier
Go-Daddy Productions, Ltd. – Wendell Shannon
Jordan P Jackson
Jordyn’s Journeys
Kujichagulia Press
Allison Lall
Dr. David C. Miller
Dr. Margaret Musgrove
Amy Nathan
Ashley Palmer
Enoch Pratt free Library Book Mobile
James E. Ransome
Culture Queen
Taunya T.D. Said
Markette “Sugar” Sheppard
Dr. LaMarr Darnell Shields
Shadra Strickland
Roland P. Taylor
Shenell Tolson, DrPH
Aisha Toombs
Mariah Torries
Renee Watson
Wellthy Entertainment
Katrina Denise
Dr. Mercedes Osakwe
Lor Xay Xay

Presented by:

Food Sponsored by:

Register Here

Maryland at 250: The Values That Shape Us (FREEDOM) presents “Freedom Is Not A Moment, It Is A Movement”
2026-04-16 18:00 - 19:30
Maryland at 250: The Values That Shape Us (FREEDOM) presents “Freedom Is Not A Moment, It Is A Movement
Thursday, April 16th | 6:00 PM-7:30 PM | FREE
As Maryland commemorates its 250th anniversary, the semiquincentennial of the nation’s founding, this moment calls for more than reflection. It calls for reckoning. In partnership with the Maryland 400 Commission and the Maryland Center for History and Culture, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture invites you to the opening program in a bold new lecture series examining the values that have defined and challenged the state across two and a half centuries.
Acclaimed historian Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries will deliver a powerful keynote exploring how Black Marylanders have continuously shaped the meaning of freedom from 1776 to the present. From the self emancipation efforts of Frederick Douglass and the daring leadership of Harriet Tubman, to the intellectual activism of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper and the ongoing work of community organizers, this lecture traces a long tradition of resistance, strategy, and collective action that continues to define Maryland today.
This program serves as a signature component of the Lewis Museum’s upcoming exhibition, The Lines We Cross: 250 Years of Maryland Forging America, which examines how individuals and communities throughout Maryland’s history have confronted the boundaries of race, citizenship, power, and belonging. Together, the exhibition and lecture series challenge us to consider: What lines have Marylanders crossed in pursuit of freedom and what lines remain before us?
At 250 years, Maryland’s story is not complete. It is still being written by those willing to question, to act, and to carry forward the work of freedom. Join us for an evening of history, insight, and purpose and take part in shaping what comes next.
Register Here
