Inaugural Annual Meeting
2024-01-18 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Inaugural Annual Meeting
Thursday, January 18 | 6:30 pm – 8 pm
FREE EVENT
We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for your invaluable support of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. As a highly appreciated supporter, we extend an invitation to attend our Inaugural Annual Meeting, on Thursday, January 18th, at 6:30 pm at the museum.
The meeting serves as an opportunity to talk with board members and senior staff and learn about accomplishments and opportunities for the coming year.
Kindly confirm your attendance by using the link provided no later than January 12th.
We are delighted to have you as a supporter of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, and we look forward to your attendance at the Inaugural Annual Meeting.
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Inaugural Annual Meeting
2024-01-18 18:30 - 20:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Inaugural Annual Meeting
Thursday, January 18 | 6:30pm to 8pm
Please RSVP by Monday, January 15th

We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for your invaluable support of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. As a highly appreciated supporter, we extend an invitation to attend our Inaugural Annual Meeting, on Thursday, January 18th, at 6:30 pm at the museum. The meeting serves as an opportunity to talk with board members and senior staff and learn about accomplishments and opportunities for the coming year.
Kindly confirm your attendance by registering no later than January 15th!
We are delighted to have you as a supporter of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, and we look forward to your attendance at the Inaugural Annual Meeting.
RSVP Here

In Conversation | Barracoon: Adapted for Young Readers Author Talk with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Jazzmen Lee-Johnson & Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead
2024-01-23 18:30 - 20:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
In Conversation | Barracoon: Adapted for Young Readers Author Talk with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi & Jazzmen Lee-Johnson
Moderated by Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead
Tuesday, January 23rd | 6:30pm to 8pm – Doors open at 6pm
Admission: $20 for Members | $25 for Non-Members
Admission includes a copy of the book

Join The Reginald F. Lewis Museum for an inspiring discussion with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi on his brand new release Barracoon: Adapted for Young Readers with Jazzmen Lee-Johnson, Illustrator, and moderated by WEAA 88.9 FM’s Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead. In the first middle grade offering from Zora Neale Hurston and Ibram X. Kendi, young readers are introduced to the remarkable and true-life story of Cudjo Lewis, one of the last survivors of the Atlantic human trade, in an adaptation of the internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed Barracoon. This is the life story of Cudjo Lewis, as told by himself. Of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America to be enslaved, eighty-six-year-old Cudjo Lewis was then the only person alive to tell the story of his capture and bondage—fifty years after the Atlantic human trade was outlawed in the United States. Cudjo shared his firsthand account with legendary folklorist, anthropologist, and writer Zora Neale Hurston.
Adapted with care and delivered with age-appropriate historical context by award-winning historian Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Cudjo’s incredible story is now available for young readers and emerging scholars. With powerful illustrations by Jazzmen Lee-Johnson, this poignant work is an invaluable contribution to our shared history and culture.
Jazzmen Lee-Johnson is a visual artist, scholar, composer, and curator. Her practice centers on the interplay of animation, printmaking, music, and dance, informed by a yearning to understand how our current circumstance is tethered to the trauma of the past. Through her visual, sonic, and movement investigations across time and technology she disrupts and asserts ideas of history, body, liberation, and otherness. Above all, she is interested in redistributing the privileges that allow her to maintain her creative and scholarly practice.
She received her BFA in Film, Animation, and Video at RISD, her MA in Public Humanities at Brown University, and a heavy dose of education working with youth in Baltimore, South Africa, India, New York City and Providence. She has curated exhibitions at the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Artist Proof Studio and the ABSA Art Gallery in Johannesburg, South Africa; RISD Museum; and Brown University Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, where she was also a Public History of Slavery Fellow.
As the 2019 inaugural Artist in Residence at the Rhode Island Department of Health she utilized the arts to confront health disparities. She was the 2020 Artist Fellow at the RISD Museum making work in response to the collection. As a 2022 Fitt Artist-in-Residence at the John Nicholas Brown Center for Humanities and Cultural Heritage at Brown University, she created Not Never More a visual remix of the historic wallpaper Les Vues D’amérique Du Nord. At the 150th Anniversary of the Colfax Massacre she designed the Colfax Massacre Memorial—etched in granite, it honors and centers the stories of the Black victims of the tragedy. She is the illustrator of Zora Neale Hurston’s Barracoon, adapted for young readers by Ibram X Kendi.
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CIAA SCAVENGER HUNT | 2024
2024-02-01 00:00 - 2024-02-12 00:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
THE CIAA IS ON THE HUNT
JOIN US ON OUR SCAVENGER HUNT TO EXPERIENCE THE BEST BUSINESSES IN BALTIMORE!
The Hunt is on in Charm City, Baltimore! The CIAA Business Scavenger Hunt is back for its second annual hunt, and when you participate, you can win big. Find one of our CIAA partnered businesses, tap the E powered by E-Smart with the back of your phone, and get special discounts. Listed are the businesses and discounts you could get when you participate:

Berries By Quicha – Buy two gourmet chocolate covered strawberries and get ONE FREE
Cajou Creamery – 10% off a double scoop cone
Drama Mama Book Shop – 10% off your purchase
Reginald L. Lewis Museum – $2 off admission
Saturday Morning Cafe – 10% off your meal

And that’s not all, by visiting one of the businesses and submitting your name and email address, you will be entered to win the grand prize. A lucky grand prize winner will win a 2 night stay at Lord Baltimore Hotel, CIAA step show tickets, Official CIAA party tickets, Food Lion CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship game tickets, breakfast for 2 at Saturday Morning Cafe and ½ dozen of strawberries from Berries by Quicha. You have until February 12th to enter to win big.
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BLACK WOMAN GENIUS: Elizabeth Talford Scott—Tapestries of Generations
2024-02-01 10:00 - 2024-09-30 17:00
Opening February 1, 2024
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum presents BLACK WOMAN GENIUS: Elizabeth Talford Scott—Tapestries of Generations, in partnership with the Elizabeth Talford Scott Community Initiative, the 2023-24 Exhibition Development Seminar (EDS) capstone project for MICA’s undergraduate Curatorial Studies Concentration. The exhibition focuses on Elizabeth Talford Scott as a key figure for Black women in the fiber arts. Her work will be showcased alongside contemporary Black women fiber artists from the Chesapeake area. The exhibit will explore themes including Ancestry, Tradition, Fiber Narratives, and Healing, aiming to spotlight the distinctive elements of Elizabeth Talford Scott’s work and featured artists including: Kibibi Ajanku, Aliana Grace Bailey, Aliyah Bonnette, Mahari Chabwera, Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither, Murjoni Merriweather, Glenda Richardson, Joyce J. Scott, Nastassja Swift, and Katherine Stewart Wilson.
We will showcase several of Elizabeth Talford Scott’s remarkable works. Among these, “Stamps and Flags II,” one of her early creations, pays tribute to her evolution and exploration as an artist. This exhibition aims to emphasize Elizabeth’s significant influence as a maternal figure for generations of Black women fiber artists. Through her exceptional artistry, she brilliantly reflects her life experiences as a Black Woman.
The Elizabeth Talford Scott Initiative
This initiative brings together five museums and four university sites across Baltimore City for a reunion of the artist’s work from February through May 2024. Each venue will have at least two Exhibition De students from the participating colleges—Coppin State University, Johns Hopkins University, MICA, and Morgan State University—working on a presentation of Talford Scott’s work for their gallery spaces and organizing a free public program. Under the guidance of 2023-24 EDS Instructor Deyane Moses, the students will determine the curatorial direction of their presentation, drawing out connections to each organization’s collection, space, history, and/or audience.
Major support for “No Stone Unturned” provided by the Bunting Family Foundation and Friends of EDS. Community Day is supported by Lorraine Whittlesey & Markell Whittlesey. Printed and digital materials are supported by The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund. The Closing Reception is supported by Carol and Jerry Doctrow. In-kind support is provided by the Estate of Elizabeth Talford Scott at Goya Contemporary Gallery.
NOTE: Purchasing a ticket to BLACK WOMAN GENIUS: Elizabeth Talford Scott—Tapestries of Generations view grants visitors access to all current Museum exhibitions.
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Historic Change: Celebrating the Activism and Impact of Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray
2024-02-03 11:00 - 15:30 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Historic Change: Celebrating the Activism and Impact of Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray
FREE EVENT | Saturday, February 3, 2024 | 11am– 3:30pm
Join us to celebrate the latest release in the American Women Quarters™ Program! AWQ is the first circulating coin program dedicated to honoring women whose achievements, triumphs, and legacies reflect the strength, perseverance, and resiliency of our nation.
The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and the United States Mint, in partnership with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, invite you to Historic Change: Celebrating the Activism and Impact of Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray.
Taking place in conjunction with the opening of the Black Woman Genius exhibition at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, this free community day will explore the civil rights activism and impact of Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray. Attendees will learn more about Rev. Dr. Murray’s life and her leadership in the civil rights movement, as well as her dedication to community service in Baltimore.
10:00 am – 3:30 pm | Tabling Activities with SAWHM and U.S. Mint
11:00 am | Formal Ceremony of Pauli Murray
11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm | Leaders Like Us: Pauli Murray Story Time
1 pm – 3 pm Quilted Education Film Fiber Art Workshop Hosted by The Reginald F. Lewis Museum in conjunction with the opening of BLACK WOMEN GENIUS: Elizabeth Talford Scott – Tapestries of Generations
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Quilted Education Film Screening and Fiber Art Workshop
2024-02-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Quilted Education Film Screening & Fiber Art Workshop
Saturday, February 3 | 1pm – 3pm
Explore Black History through quilting with a short film screening of QUILTED EDUCATION. This film celebrates a mother’s artistry and determination to fill the educational void for her daughter regarding Black History within the public school system. A conversation will follow with filmmaker Kayla Robinson and quilter historian Karen Robinson about their Black history story quilt which features over 64 Black pioneers in the fields of sports, military service, science, politics, civil rights, performing arts, literature and more. This conversation will be moderated by Glenda Richardson, who’s work is featured in BLACK WOMAN GENIUS: Elizabeth Talford Scott |Tapestries of Generations Museum visitors will be given the opportunity to create their own Black History quilt square with this mother – daughter team.
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Black Theater Book Conversations with Michelle R. Scott & Caseen Gaines
2024-02-10 13:00 - 15:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
NOTICE: This program is being rescheduled to a later date. A new date for will be announced at a later date. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to our Visitors Services desk at 443-263-1800.
Black Theater Book Conversations with Michelle R. Scott & Caseen Gaines
Saturday, February 10 | 1 pm – 3 pm | Purchasing a ticket to Black Theater Book Conversations grants visitors access to all current Museum exhibitions.
Black vaudevillians and entertainers joked that T.O.B.A. stood for “tough on black artists.” But the Theater Owner’s Booking Association (T.O.B.A.) played a foundational role in the African American entertainment industry and provided a training ground for icons like Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Sammy Davis Jr., the Nicholas Brothers, Count Basie, and Butterbeans and Susie.
With the curtain rising against the backdrop of widespread racial discrimination and a theater industry struggling to rebound after a global pandemic, Shuffle Along challenged social norms and defied the odds to become the first Broadway musical with an all-Black cast and creative team to become a phenomenon. No one was sure if America was ready for thoughtful portrayals of Black characters.
Celebrate African Americans in the Arts with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for this year’s Black History Theme recognized by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The museum will examine the contributions in Black Theater with a joint book talk with authors Michelle R. Scott (T.O.B.A. Time: Black Vaudeville and the Theater Owners’ Booking Association in Jazz-Age America) and Caseen Gaines (When Broadway Was Black – The Triumphant Story of the All-Black Musical That Changed the World). A book signing will follow afterwards
NOTICE: This program is rescheduled to a later date. A new date for will be announced at a later date. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to our Visitors Services desk at 443-263-1800.

Disruption: Highway to Nowhere and Eroding History Screening
2024-02-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Disruption: Highway to Nowhere and Eroding History Screening
Thursday, February 22nd | 6 pm to 8 pm
Join the Museum for a screening of the documentaries Disruption: Highway to Nowhere and Eroding History and a panel discussion with the films’ producers and policy makers as they consider the equalizing factor of environmental injustice and its impacts on Black Marylanders in urban and rural settings. Produced by journalist and documentarian Sean Yoes, Disruption: Highway to Nowhere explores Baltimore’s infamous Highway 40 and the damage its construction wrought upon West Baltimore, once considered one of several of America’s most vibrant Black communities that were irreparably disrupted and damaged by 20th century federal highway projects.
Eroding History tells the story of two Black communities on Deal Island, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, that are finding themselves at the intersection of sea level rise, historic racism, and the disappearance of Black communities. It is a climate justice story, made by two Black filmmakers – Yoes and Andre Chung – and a Jewish grandchild of refugees, Rona Kobell. A deeply personal and moving story of a community striving to hold on to its culture, Eroding History is anything but dry.
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Century of Excellence Black History Student Exhibition : Passing the Torch
2024-03-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Century of Excellence Black History Student Exhibition : Passing the Torch
March 9 | 2pm – 4pm
At Centuries of Excellence, students exhibit their gifts and talents, polish their stage presence, and share Heroes and topics in Maryland African American History. The occasion is part talent show, part art show, and 100% inspirational. Join Us!
This event is sponsored by Greater Purpose Christian Homeschoolers, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Chesapeake Educational Alliance, along with the generous support of our donors and volunteers.
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Black Girl Saturday School: Jam Session
2024-03-16 13:00 - 15:30 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Black Girl Saturday School: Jam Session
Saturday, March 16 | 1 pm to 3 pm | Museum Admission
Black girls are deep wellsprings of knowledge, curiosities, and musings. Often these qualities are stifled by social narratives that say “you don’t know nothing! You’re too young!” By exploring the theme of Art as Memory & Narrative, Dr. LaShay Harvey will lead participants of all ages through an immersive experience where we will study the language, history and culture of Black Girlhood through contemporary fiber works presented in BLACK WOMAN GENIUS: Elizabeth Talford Scott—Tapestries of Generation. Aliyah Bonnette, a Black Woman Genius featured artist, will join in a discussion of her work during this session. The session culminates in a storytelling “jam session” performance inspired by the courageous journey back to our girlhood with the expressed intention of reconnecting to the inherent brilliance of Black Girls. All ages and stages are welcome to participate. Recommended for ages 18+ and older. Black Girl Saturday School® is the place where the study of Black girls’ and women’s lives is valued, appreciated, cultivated, immersive, healing, restorative, grounding, available, continual, fun, and more.
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Helena Hicks Speaker Series | Women’s History Month - Dr. Raynetta Wiggins Jackson
2024-03-21 17:45 - 20:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Helena Hicks Speaker Series | Women’s History Month – Dr. Raynetta Wiggins Jackson
Thursday, March 21 | 5:45 pm to 8 pm | FREE EVENT
Celebrate Women’s History Month with the Billie Holiday Center for Liberations Arts (JHU) for their annual Helena Hicks Speaker Series featuring Dr. Raynetta Wiggins-Jackson, the Africana Archives Curatorial Fellow of Inheritance Baltimore & Billie Holiday Center for Liberation Arts. Dr. Wiggins-Jackson’s lecture will focus on “Ethel’s Place: Celebrating Ethel Ennis Baltimore’s First Lady of Jazz.” Her lecture grows out of her curatorial and exhibition work on the legendary jazz singer Ethel Ennis.
Raynetta Wiggins Jackson, PhD, is the Curatorial Fellow for Africana Collections, an interdisciplinary postdoctoral position situated between the Sheridan Libraries and the Billie Holiday Center for Liberation Arts in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. In addition to serving as the lead curator for Ethel’s Place, she has contributed to two other ground-breaking exhibitions this year, The Colors of Pontella Mason at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, and The Birth of Jazz: Billie Holiday’s Baltimore, a portable exhibition co-curated with Bloomberg Distinguished Professor Lawrence P. Jackson. Prior to assuming her current role, Dr. Wiggins Jackson was a manager of gospel programs at Washington Performing Arts and served as a graduate assistant at the Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC) at Indiana University, where in addition to archival and curatorial work, she also organized the conference Why We Sing: Indianapolis Gospel Music in Church, Community and Industry.
This event begins with a wine reception and the Peabody Graduate Jazz Ensemble at 5:45 pm and Dr. Raynetta Wigins-Jackson’s lecture will begin at 6:30 pm. The Helena Hicks Speaker Series honors Helena Hicks, the foremother of the student-led movement for Civil Rights in Baltimore City.
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Women’s History Program with Joan S. Tilghman, Ph.D. RN | Provident Helene Fuld School of Nursing
2024-03-30 13:00 - 14:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Women’s History Program with Joan S. Tilghman, Ph.D. RN Provident Helene Fuld School of Nursing
Saturday, March 30 | 1 pm to 2 pm | Museum Admission
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum honoring the Black Nurses labor force with a live oral history presentation from Black women healthcare professionals who trained at Provident Helene Fuld School of Nursing from the 1920s – 1970s. Hear their personal accounts about the challenges and academic rigors they faced while training at this healthcare institution. Archival footage and nurses memorabilia from their personal collections will be available for viewing. This presentation will be moderated by Joan S. Tilghman, Ph.D. RN, CRNP, WHNP-BC, CNE. Ms. Tilgman is Interim Dean of the College of Health Professions at Coppin State University.
In conjunction with Blacks in White: African American Healthcare Professionals.
NOTE: Purchasing a ticket to Provident Hospital School of Nursing grants visitors access to all current Museum exhibitions.
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Healing Unrest: Civil Rights Justice
2024-04-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Healing Unrest: Civil Rights Justice
Saturday, April 6 | 1 pm to 3 pm | Museum Admission
Spend the afternoon hearing stories and personal experiences by Maryland Civil Rights activists of their encounters fighting for social justice and equality for Black people. Through storytelling, storytellers David Fakunle and “Dr. Mama” Deborah Pierce – Fakunle will have visitors reflect on the deaths of fallen Black leaders and victims from the civil rights era to Black Lives Matter Movement to impart healing lessons for today.
Then Maryland Civil Rights activists from the 1950s -1960s reflect on Dr. King’s assassination (April 4, 1968) and pivotal moments of their activism locally in relation to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (July 2, 1964). Participants include: Rev. Dr. Ruby Reese Moone, Charles Mason, Leo Burroughs Jr., Lisa Mitchell Sennaar and moderated Simone R. Barrett.
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Live Performance Threads - In Honor of Elizabeth Talford Scott
2024-04-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Live Performance | Threads – In Honor of Elizabeth Talford Scott
Saturday, April 13 | 1 pm to 2 pm | Museum Admission
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum pays tribute to the life and legacy of Black fiber artist Elizabeth Talford Scott whose creative genius transformed the art of quilting. Enjoy an interdisciplinary experience produced by jazz trumpeter Brandon Woody and band, Troy Long – Main Keys ,Vittorio Stropoli- Aux Synth, Michael Saunders- Bass, Quincy Phillips- Drums, Wendel Patrick- Turntables, Leon June- Engineer, dancer artist Asya Shaw and poet Nia June in observance of Jazz and Poetry Appreciation Month.
In conjunction with BLACK WOMAN GENIUS: Elizabeth Talford Scott—Tapestries of Generations. The exhibition focuses on Elizabeth Talford Scott as a key figure for Black women in the fiber arts. Through her exceptional artistry, she brilliantly reflects her life experiences as a Black Woman.
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70th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision
2024-04-25 17:30 - 20:30 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
70th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision
Thursday, April 25 | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE EVENT
Please join Thurgood Marshall Center Trust Inc.T in partnership with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum ,Baltimore, MD and the International African American Museum in Charleston SC as we commemorate the legacy of Justice Marshall, and the 70th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision, the progress we have made and the challenges we face toward a more inclusive society.
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African American Children’s Book Fair Festival Presented by BGE, An Exelon Company
2024-04-27 11:00 - 15:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
African American Children’s Book Fair Festival Presented by BGE, An Exelon Company
Saturday, April 27th | 11 am – 3 pm | FREE EVENT
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for the return of our family friendly African American Children’s Book Fair Festival Presented by BGE, An Exelon Company. 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 author readings, illustration workshops, craft activities, an Urban Beekeeping Workshop with John Newman Honeybee Company and dance performances with TikTok dancers, Shag and Flash. Museum visitors can receive a free book with a book purchase in the Book Village. Free books are on a limited supply basis.
The African American Children’s Book Festival strives to connect families to high quality books about and for African American children as well as other multicultural populations. 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 Entertainers, Authors and Illustrators

Terry Catasus Jennings
Desiree Cooper
Kim Holt

Benjamin Hicks
Jerdine Nolen
LaToya D. Council
Wendy LaRoche

Stephen McGill
Juanita Banks-Whittington
Leah Henderson

Charly Palmer
Talia Skyles
Keisha Morris
Lesley Younge

Cheryl & Wade Hudson
Kelly Starling Lyons
Ashley Palmer
Mariah Torries

David Miller
Kerwyn Phillip
Markette Sheppard

Dr. Melissa Boyd
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Sanaa Chege

Kim C. Lee

Ayo Shag and TSU Flash
James Tate
Donnita Fowler

Shadra Strickland
Vanessa Brantley Newton
Zetta Elliott

Participating Community Partners

Baltimore Family Alliance
Chesapeake Educational Alliance
Enoch Pratt Free Library
Lupus Foundation of America, Inc
Maryland Department of Transportation
Reading Partners of Baltimore
The Peaces Collective
NPS Chesapeake Gateways Listening Session

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An Evening With Sam Pollard Free Screening of Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power
2024-05-03 18:30 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
An Evening With Sam Pollard Free Screening of Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power
Friday, May 3 | 6:30 pm to 8 pm | FREE EVENT
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum and Black Public Media with a film screening and conversation with award winning filmmaker Sam Pollard. With a career spanning over forty years, this multiple Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning producer-director-editor, Pollard is known for his work on a plethora of important works including:

The League and Bill Russell: Legend (2023)
Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power (2022)
MLK/FBI (2020)
Maynard (2017)
Eyes On The Prize (1987)
Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), Clockers (1995);Girl 6 (1996), Four Little Girls (1997) and Bamboozled (2000) – Served as Editor

Filmgoers will enjoy a screening of LOWNDES COUNTY AND THE ROAD TO BLACK POWER which through first-person accounts and searing archival footage, tells the story of the local movement and young Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organizers who fought not just for voting rights, but for Black Power in Lowndes County, Alabama.
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A Royal Affair | Return to Pennsylvania Avenue | The 2024 Reginald F. Lewis Museum Gala
2024-05-09 18:30 - 23:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
A Royal Affair | Return to Pennsylvania Avenue | The 2024 Reginald F. Lewis Museum Gala
Thursday, May 9th | 6:30 pm – 11 pm
Where | M&T Bank Exchange : 401 W Fayette St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Time | Cocktail Hour : 6:30 PM & Dinner & Awards : 7 PM
Attire | 1950s Fabulous, 1960s Chic or Cocktail Attire
The museum’s namesake Reginald F. Lewis – the first African American to execute a leveraged buyout valued at nearly $1 billion –was respected as a titan of industry, a maverick, and a trailblazer. Each year, The Lewis Museum hosts its premier fundraising event and celebrates individuals. Pennsylvania Avenue was the epicenter for Black arts and entertainment businesses in the early-to-mid-20th century, including venues such as The Royal Theater, clubs, restaurants, and hotels. However, redlining, blockbusting, and racially restrictive covenants led to decades of disinvestment in the area. This year, A Royal Affair will recall the glory and the heyday of Black arts and culture as celebrated along with vibrant West Baltimore corridor in the 1950s and 1960s.
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Mother’s Day Program | In Our Mothers Garden Film Screening and Discussion
2024-05-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Mother’s Day Program | In Our Mothers Garden Film Screening and Discussion
Saturday, May 11 | 1 pm to 3 pm | Museum Admission
Celebrate Mothers Day Weekend with your mammas, grannies, aunties or sister girls with a film screening of In Our Mothers Garden followed by a post film conversation with filmmaker Shantrelle Lewis and author Marita Golden. Light refreshments will be served.
IN OUR MOTHERS’ GARDENS celebrates the strength and resiliency of Black women and Black families through the complex, and oftentimes humorous, relationship between mothers and daughters. The film pays homage to Black maternal ancestors while examining the immediate and critical importance of self-care, and the healing tools necessary for Black communities to thrive. Featured interviews include: #MeToo founder Tarana Burke; The Roots and Chris Rock tour manager Tina Farris; cultural critic Dr. Brittney Cooper of Rutgers University; Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames of Princeton University; holistic lifestyle maven Latham Thomas; photographer Adama Delphine Fawundu and NPR’s Senior Director for Programming Yolanda Sangweni.
“Shantrelle P. Lewis’s doc will have you laughing, crying and educated about the historical lineage of Black mothers and daughters. It is a must see! “– THE CURVY FILM CRITIC
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Felt Memories | 2D Needle Felting Workshop
2024-05-18 11:00 - 13:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Felt Memories | 2D Needle Felting Workshop
Saturday, May 18 | 11 am to 1 pm | Museum Admission
When was the last time you looked through that box of old family and childhood photos? In this workshop, we will source imagery from some of our most fondest memories to recreate a two-dimensional felted portrait with wool. Using a piece of felt fabric to size, we will apply transfer methods to allow for an exact fiber replica of the original photo. Then, with a specific set of needles, we will add all the details needed to bring these moments to life. Once completed, you’ll leave this workshop with a hand crafted retelling of a story you once lived. This fiber art workshop is facilitated by Black Women Genius artist, Nastassja Swift. This workshop is open to all ages. This workshop has limited space.
NOTE: All materials are provided, though you will need a physical copy of your image.
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Black Women Genius Conversations Art & Healing
2024-05-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Black Women Genius Conversations Art & Healing
Saturday, May 18 | 2 pm – 3 pm
Enjoy a roundtable conversation exploring Black women identity through the contemporary works of Black Women Genius fiber artists Aliana Grace Bailey, Murjoni Merriweather and Nastassja Swift. These artists will discuss how their soft sculptural and woven installations become transformative narratives embracing healing and love for Black women and Black culture.
Aliana Grace Bailey’s art is a powerful journey of self-discovery, celebrating Black womanhood, and honoring the sacred aspects of life. Through her creative expressions, she weaves intricate narratives using vibrant colors and environments, inviting viewers to join her on a path of self-awareness.Through her work, she weaves layers of interconnection, comfort, and storytelling. Her art beautifully juxtaposes notions of beauty, optimism, and, at times, the harsh realities of life. Aliana Grace Bailey’s creations are a testament to the power of art as a transformative and healing force.
Murjoni Merriweather’s art is a response to and a rejection of these negative stereotypes about Blackness, both within and outside the Black community. It involves dismantling European beauty standards imposed on Black people while promoting and normalizing Black culture. Embracing their hair, skin, and features without shame, her artwork celebrates various facets of Black culture, from hair and grills to nail art.
Nastassja Swift is an artist who specializes in making sculptures using wool. She creates soft sculptures that tell stories about history, women, spirituality, and community connected to the human body.She gets inspiration from West African masks and Yoruba rituals, using techniques like needle felting and working with fibers to bring her ideas to life.Her portraits challenge traditional ideas of who we celebrate, question historical accounts, and share Black people’s rich experiences and memories.
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Indigo Village Dye Doll Workshops and Artist Talk with Kibibi Ajanku | Part 1
2024-06-01 12:00 - 16:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Indigo Village Dye Doll Workshops and Artist Talk | Part 1
Saturday, June 1 | 12pm – 4 pm | Fee: $40 Includes sessions (2), talk, doll and Museum Admission | Workshops are FREE FOR MEMBERS
Experience the world of indigo dyeing with esteemed Black Woman Genius fiber artist, Kibibi Ajanku. Ajanku, renowned for her skill in indigo dyes and West African textile practices will guide workshop participants through an exploration of tradition and identity in the realm of indigo dyeing with a dyeing workshop session followed by a talk on this topic (June 1st). Participants will return for Session II (June 8) to adorn their indigo cloth dolls with beading. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your textile and fiber arts skills. Space is limited.
Important Note: When purchasing tickets for June 1st and 8th, it is 1 payment for 2 workshop sessions and museum admission. Attendance to both sessions is required. When registering for the Artist Talk on June 1st, it does not include the 2 workshops. Registering grants admission into the museum.
Purchase Tickets for June 1st & 8th
Register for June 1st Artist Talk Only

Indigo Village Dye Doll Workshops and Artist Talk with Kibibi Ajanku | Part 2
2024-06-08 12:00 - 14:30 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Indigo Village Dye Doll Workshops and Artist Talk | Part 2
Saturday, June 8 | 12 pm – 2:00 pm | Fee: $40 Includes 2 sessions (June 1st & 8th), Artist talk, doll and Museum admission | Workshops are FREE FOR MEMBERS
Experience the world of indigo dyeing with esteemed Black Woman Genius fiber artist, Kibibi Ajanku. Ajanku, renowned for her skill in indigo dyes and West African textile practices will guide workshop participants through an exploration of tradition and identity in the realm of indigo dyeing with a dyeing workshop session followed by a talk on this topic (June 1st). Participants will return for Session II (June 8) to adorn their indigo cloth dolls with beading. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your textile and fiber arts skills. Space is limited.
Important Note: When purchasing tickets for June 1st and 8th, it is 1 payment for 2 workshop sessions and museum admission. Attendance to both sessions is required. When registering for the Artist Talk on June 1st, it does not include the 2 workshops. Registering grants admission into the museum.
Purchase Tickets for June 1st & 8th

Juneteenth Celebration 2024 | Freedom’s Voices from Jubilee to Reparations
2024-06-19 11:00 - 17:30 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Juneteenth Celebration 2024 | Freedom’s Voices from Jubilee to Reparations
Wednesday, June 19 | 11 am – 5:30 pm | FREE EVENT
Spend the day celebrating Juneteenth with Reginald F. Lewis Museum through intergenerational and artistic voices expressing freedom, “jubilee”, and reparations. Enjoy a Freedom Quilt Artist Talk on emancipation and create your own Juneteenth quilt block square with story quilter, Dr. Joan M. E. Gaither. Music lovers can experience a musical concert of “jubilee” with the Carter Legacy Singers while theatergoers can hear today’s youth honor Black Woman Genius fiber artists with their monologues co-written by artistic producer Wordsmith. Museum visitors can end the day discussing what reparations look like in Baltimore and beyond with the film screening and panel discussion of Pay Up..Get Out of the Way with filmmaker John Comer. Juneteenth refreshments will be available while supplies last.
Register Here
Juneteenth Schedule
NOTE: Photography & Video
By registering for and attending Juneteenth Celebration 2024 | Freedom’s Voices from Jubilee to Reparations, you grant the Reginald F. Lewis Museum (“RFLM”) and its authorized representatives permission to film, photograph, or otherwise record your participation in the event. You further agree that such images, photographs, and recordings may be used by RFLM without your prior approval in any form and for any lawful purpose including, without limitation, promoting RFLM. Such use will not entitle you to any credit or compensation. You release RFLM, its officers, and employees from any liability connected with the use of any image, photograph, or recording taken during the Juneteenth Celebration 2024.

The Short Kuts Show Nothin’ But A “G” Thang: Stories of Black Woman Genius
2024-06-29 14:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
The Short Kuts Show Nothin’ But A “G” Thang: Stories of Black Woman Genius
Saturday, June 29 | 2 pm | Museum Admission
Vibe with live short storytelling from the Short Kuts Show told by six ingenious and compelling Black women storytellers expressing their own personal Black Woman genius moments in today’s culture. Representative of the West African griot, the Short Kuts Show celebrates stories for and by the Black- American community typically expressed in the safe sanctuary of the African American barbershop and beauty salon. This program is in conjunction with Black Woman Genius: Elizabeth Talford Scott – Tapestries of Generations.
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Anatomy of the Face Clay Workshop with Artist Murjoni Merriweather
2024-07-13 12:00 - 15:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Anatomy of the Face Clay Workshop with Artist Murjoni Merriweather
Saturday, July 13 | Noon – 3pm | Free with Museum Admission
Sculpting facial features is a fascinating and rewarding art form that allows you to be present and observant. This one day workshop with Black Woman Genius artist Murjoni Merriweather is specially crafted for anyone who wants to build a relaxing relationship with clay around some good company. Participants will learn the fundamentals of sculpting and develop the skills necessary to create three-dimensional representations of various facial features of their choice, such as eyes, noses, mouths, and ears from a block of clay.This workshop is designed for all levels of clayworking (even if you have never touched clay before). Murjoni Merriweather has over 10 years experience of sculpture and has so much patience in teaching others about clay. Murjoni wants to create a space for claymakers and clay admirers who want to learn more about sculpture. She is interested in making sculpture a peaceful place for people who are curious about it. She will provide step-by-step guidance, individualized feedback, and demonstrations to help participants achieve the best results in their sculpting journey. Space is limited.
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Little Satchmo Film Screening & Discussion
2024-07-25 18:30
Little Satchmo Film Screening & Discussion
Thursday, July 25, 6:30 pm | General Admission $10 / MEMBERS FREE
To the world, Louis Armstrong is iconic — a symbol of musical genius, unparalleled success, and unassailable character. To Sharon, he was simply Dad. Armstrong’s wholesome, non-threatening image preserved his singular career as a black performer with unfettered access to a white man’s world. Yet he was more than a caricature. In private, he held tightly to the things he loved. Perhaps closest to his heart was a child whom he hid from the world: a daughter sworn to a life of secrecy until now.
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for a screening of the Emmy-winning documentary (2023) exploring the life and legacy of Louis Armstrong through his relationship with the daughter that the public never knew existed. Based on a revealing memoir written by Armstrong’s silent daughter, the film seeks to correct a historical narrative relying on caricature for too long. A discussion with his daughter, Sharon Preston-Folta will follow. Sharon Preston – Folta is the Executive Producer and Writer to Little Satcmo. Sharon became a published author with her memoir “Living in The Shadow of my Father, Louis Daniel Armstrong” in 2012, which made public the private family life of Louis Armstrong.
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African American Quilters of Baltimore (AAQB) Trunk Show and Fiber Artist Talk with Glenda Richardson
2024-07-27 12:00 - 16:00
African American Quilters of Baltimore (AAQB) Trunk Show and Fiber Artist Talk with Glenda Richardson
Saturday, July 27th, Noon – 4 pm | Museum Admission
Are you a secret crafter at heart and love viewing the sewing handwork and artistic craftsmanship from quilting? Spend the afternoon at a fiber arts trunk show viewing quilts showcased from the African American Quilters of Baltimore as they present their favorite textile creations in conversation with museum visitors. Black Woman Genius Exhibit Artist Glenda Richardson will present a talk on her current quilts on display in the Black Woman Genius: Elizabeth Talford Scott – Tapestries of Generations.
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African American History Teacher Institute: Reginald F. Lewis Museum Maryland Civil Rights Summer Teacher Institute 2024
2024-07-29 09:00 - 2024-08-02 17:00 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
African American History Teacher Institute: Reginald F. Lewis Museum Maryland Civil Rights Summer Teacher Institute 2024
Monday, July 29 – Friday, August 2 | 9 am – 5 pm (Daily)
Did you know that 2024 has been proclaimed The Year of Civil Rights in Maryland by Maryland Governor Wes Moore? Educators can join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum this summer to celebrate this proclamation of the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with a week-long Teacher Institute focusing on Maryland Civil Rights history.
This Institute will provide an overview and understanding of the Movement and its central leaders from this region to enhance the scholarship of Maryland educators. During the Institute scholars will learn about Baltimore’s CORE chairman, Walter Percival Carter, known as the “Martin Luther King of Maryland” and for his skills in organizing demonstrations against discrimination throughout Maryland from Route 40 to Ocean City. National speakers Dr. Lisa Delpit (Other People’s Children) and Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries (Understanding and Teaching the Civil Rights Movement) will present during the Teachers Institute.
Participating scholars will receive up to 2 – 3 MSDE Credit Hours (pending), an $800 stipend and a resource backpack of educational tools for this immersive learning experience. Housing accommodations for long distance travel (25+ miles) are available for eligible participants. This Institute is open to Maryland educators working with grades K-12. Participants to the program are selected through an application review process. Applications are due Friday, May 17, 2024.
Throughout the Institute, participants will:

Learn from content experts the contributions and strategies utilized by Maryland Civil Rights activists and organizations during the Jim Crow era
Gain a better understanding of why this history must continue to be taught
Discuss best practices and pedagogy for teaching Civil Rights curricular resources with Institute Lead Teacher, Guest Practitioners and National Expert Speakers
Explore regional museums and historical sites related to our local history
Connect with a community of educators to create learning resource activities for classroom use

Apply Here

Participants are selected through an application review process. Applications are due Friday, May 17, 2024. Applicants must submit a statement of purpose including:

A 250 to 300-word statement explaining why you would like to attend the Institute and how the topic relates to your education practice.
A 150 to 200- word plan for sharing what you learn from your Institute experience with students and/or colleagues upon completion of the program.

Selection will be based on an individual’s statement of purpose. To encourage diverse geographical representation, efforts will be made to enroll candidates from each of the Maryland Regions:

Capital Region (Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties)
Central Maryland (Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard Counties)
Eastern Shore (Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties)
Southern Maryland (Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s Counties)
Western Maryland (Allegheny, Garrett and Washington Counties)

Applicants will be notified of acceptance by Friday, May 30, 2024.
Contact: Please direct questions about this program to terry.taylor@lewismuseum.org. In your email, provide a telephone number and the times of day when you can be reached.
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum Maryland Civil Rights Summer Teacher Institute 2024 is supported by generous gifts from the Truist Charitable Fund (“TCF”). The Truist Charitable Fund (“TCF”) is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives. TCF was established as a donor-advised fund.
