Reginald F. Lewis Museum

The BlkRobot Project presents SOULBOT SATURDAY DESIGN SQUAD
2023-07-22 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
The BlkRobot Project presents SOULBOT SATURDAY DESIGN SQUAD
Saturday, July 22 | Session at 11:30am & 12:30pm
Ideal for patrons ages 7-12 | Included with Museum admission
Become a computer coder for a day and learn how to write the basic code used on application screens and devices we use every day. Participants will learn how to code on two platforms with STEM educator Jason Harris and become familiar with coding language to design a device. Space is limited.
Workshop participants should bring a laptop with them. A limited amount of laptops will be available for this event. Please contact Terry Taylor at terry.taylor@lewismuseum.org if you have any questions.

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First Friday: B-Fly
2023-07-07 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
First Fridays Featuring B-Fly
Friday, July 7 | 6 pm – 8:30 pm
Exhibits open at 6 pm. Performance begins at 7 pm.
Admission:
Members – $20
Non-Members – $25
Food available for purchase

Relax and unwind from your week and mingle at The Reginald F. Lewis Museum with local musical performances. Explore our latest one-of-a-kind exhibitions with food and drinks.  During our  Black Futures, Black Imaginings Music Edition, experience a wide range of music connected with Black futurism and involving the imagination, time, and liberation. Come early to view Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined.  Womanist. Formidable. Multi-disciplined… This sultry summer month will be a groove with the vocals of B-FLY. Hailing from the west coast, B-FLY is a non-fiction film producer and music creator who uses multiple mediums to express her “I” statements. As an advocate for the liberation of Black women and Black people, her lyrics resonate like a sonic bullhorn. Through her moniker, BlackShesus, B utilizes her original Afro-futurist style of filmmaking to produce unscripted short films and documentaries. As co-founder of BlakWater Production House in Baltimore, she continues paving the way for women in the technical arts.
“I produce films that convey our collective story, but I make music to tell my own.” – B, 2023
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PRIDE Children Story Hour: We Are Family
2023-06-24 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
PRIDE Children Story Hour: We Are Family
Saturday, June 24 | 11 am – 12 pm | Included with Museum Admission

The Lewis Museum celebrates Baltimore Pride Week with a children’s story reading and art activity rooted in the diverse ways families show up. Hear a story reading of A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager and Papa, Daddy & Riley by Seamus Kirst read by our partners from the Pride Center of Maryland. An art project celebrating the families will follow.
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PRIDE Film and Poetry Mixer: How the Boogeyman Became a Poet featuring Tony Keith Jr., Candice Iloh, and the Baltimore International Black Film Festival
2023-06-22 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
PRIDE Film and Poetry Mixer: How the Boogeyman Became a Poet featuring Tony Keith Jr., Candice Iloh, and the Baltimore International Black Film Festival
Thursday, June 22 | 6 pm – 9 pm
Mix and mingle at The Reginald F. Lewis Museum with afro futuristic exhibits, poetry, short films, music, and refreshments during Baltimore Pride Week. The evening kicks off with a series of short films exploring themes on same gender love, coming of age, parental acceptance, and bullying screened by the Baltimore International Black Film Festival. A talk back about coming of age and growing into their own personhood will follow.

Tony Keith, Jr., Ph.D. and Candice Iloh will then present poetry and literary readings from their works, On How the Boogeyman Became a Poet and Everybody Looking. Dr. Keith shares original stories and poems and performs spoken word about his journey towards being an openly gay Black man in America. He discusses key moments as a teenager when poetry protected him from racism, poverty, homophobia, and white supremacy. In Candice Iloh’s debut novel in verse, Every Body Looking, college and the newfound independence it brings launches 18-year-old Ada from her conservative upbringing into a discovery of what she wants.
ABOUT OUR GUESTS
Anthony R. Keith, Jr, Ph.D. is a Black, gay, spoken word artist, poet, Hip-Hop educational leader, and writer who produces academic and community-based scholarship about the politics of Black language, and the possibilities for Black intellectualism to disrupt White supremacy in American education. Tony is a multi-year fellow and grant recipient of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities from his hometown of Washington, D.C., where he lives with his husband, Harry Christian, III.
Candice Iloh is a first generation Nigerian-American writer, dancer, and author of the 2020 National Book Award finalist and 2021 Printz Honoree, Every Body Looking. They have performed their work around the country, most notably at Nuyorican Poets Café in New York City; the Women in Poetry & Hip Hop celebration at The Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore; and as part of the Africa In Motion performing arts series at the National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C.
The Baltimore International Black Film Festival (BIBFF) promotes and celebrates culturally significant films directed, produced, and starring African Americans and members of the African Diaspora. They also prominently feature and celebrate films with content of interest to the Same Gender Loving – Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (SGL-LGBT) community. Their mission is to couple the film festival with education, health, and exhibition programs that enrich life in Baltimore City and the greater Washington, D.C.; Maryland; and Virginia communities.
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Juneteenth Celebration: Envisioning A New Future
2023-06-19 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Juneteenth Celebration: Envisioning A New Future
Monday, June 19 | 11 am to 4 pm
FREE ADMISSION

Celebrate Juneteenth this year at The Reginald F. Lewis Museum by looking towards the future. Visitors can learn about the origins of Juneteenth while enjoying musical performances by the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Benny Russell Big Band and actor and vocalist Keith Snipes. Commemorate the holiday by creating a time capsule with Culture Queen and sharing your memories in our Time Capsule Video Booth. Join us as we salute Maryland high school student artists and their works in the Black Futures, Black Imagining High School Juried Art Show with an artist talk by Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined exhibition artist Monica Ikegwu. Then, examined how 19th-century Black freedom fighters reimagined a free Black society with scholars Dr. Daniel J. Broyld of University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Angela T. Tate of National Museum of African American History & Culture. Enjoy Juneteenth-inspired refreshments in Slemmers Alley. Highlight Tours of our exhibition galleries will be provided.
This program is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
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Event Schedule:

First Friday: The Jonathan Gilmore Project - Funktopia Nation
2023-06-02 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
First Fridays Featuring The Jonathan Gilmore Project – Funktopia Nation
Friday, June 2 | 6 pm – 8:30 pm
Exhibits open at 6 pm. Performance begins at 7 pm.
Admission:
Members – $20
Non-Members – $25
Food available for purchase
Relax and unwind from your week mingling at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum with local musical performances. Explore our latest one-of-a-kind exhibitions with food and drinks by local chefs from Lexington Market. During our Black Futures, Black Imaginings Music Edition, experience a wide range of music connected with Black futurism and involving the imagination, time, and liberation. Come early to view Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined.
Celebrate Black Music Month at the Lewis getting your P-Funk on with The Jonathan Gilmore Project as they present “Funktopia Nation.” Funktopia is part-theater, part-concert, and full of original funk, soul, and R&B music taking music-lovers on an intergalactic trip. Enjoy a theatrical concert performance featuring a series of selections from the hip hop, blues, funk, and disco genres and bringing Jonathan Gilmore together with a collective of Baltimore-based artists.
Jonathan Gilmore is an award-winning Baltimore native, a multidisciplinary artist that has over 10 years of experience in performance, programming, teaching, and directing. Deemed “Mr. Soul,” he has cut his teeth in musical theater (The Wiz, and Purlie), countless workshops and as a support vocalist for national artists Navasha Daya, Donnie Hathaway, and Musiq Soulchild to name a few. Jonathan is also the leader of two bands. The Experience with longtime collaborator Lawrence “Mann” Robinson and the Jonathan Gilmore Project whose debut album Yes Love Music was released in 2022. Known for his vocal range and dynamic performances, it has been said his shows are “the crossroad of church and a juke joint.”
Food and Beverages will be provided by Next Phaze Cafe and Lounge and Just Elbows, Tossed Together, and Deedles Donuts of Lexington Market.
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Into Utopia 2023 Gala
2023-05-11 18:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | The North Club at M&T Bank Stadium, 1101 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD, 21202, United States
Into Utopia: The Reginald F. Lewis 2023 Gala
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Cocktail at 6 pm | Dinner & Awards at 7pm
The North Club at M&T Bank Stadium | 1101 Russell Street | Baltimore, MD
Tickets: $350 | VIP Table Experience including Chair’s Reception access and table of eight: $4,000 | Sponsorship opportunities available
Escape to a world where fantasy and futurism reign supreme as The Reginald F. Lewis Museum transports you to a place filled with limitless possibilities … Into Utopia properly starts the Spring Gala season and recognizes luminaries who boldly imagined the seemingly impossible and made it reality. Join us as we recognize leaders who embody our namesake’s distinction as a titanic of industry, a trailblazer, and a maverick.
Into Utopia is presented by Kaiser Permanente with the support of Orion level sponsor Whiting-Turner and Andromeda level sponsor CareFirst BlueCross Blue Shield.
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Black Futures/Black Imaginings: 18th Annual High School Juried Art Show
2023-05-09 - 2023-07-16
Black Futures/Black Imaginings: 18th Annual High School Juried Art Show
Art Exhibition Opens: May 9, 2023 to July 16, 2023
This year, 2023, marks 18 years since the Reginald F. Lewis Museum launched its High School Juried Art Show. Our 2023 theme, “Black Futures, Black Imaginings” coincides with two exciting exhibitions that explore Afro-Futurism. For its 18th year, the High School Juried Art Exhibition at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum provides an opportunity to honor the artistic talent of Maryland youth from all 25 school districts in the state. Partnering with the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA), the exhibition and programming will explore what young people imagine and conceive of for the future of the cities, state, region, the nation, and the world.
For 18 years, the High School Juried Art Show has provided students opportunities to voice, create, and showcase their own artistic vision and expression. This year, a cohort of selected students will now have the opportunity to work behind the scenes with museum staff and community art professionals to learn the art of curation and design.

Book Talk with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein featuring The Disordered Cosmo: A Journey Into Dark Matter, Spacetime & Dreams Deferred
2023-05-06 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Saturday, May 6th | 1 pm | Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum

A book signing will follow the book talk conversation. This program is included with Museum Admission.

Join The Lewis Museum as Dr. Izetta Autumn Mobley, Director of Interpretation, Collections & Education, talks with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein about race, gender, and space and her book, In The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey Into Dark Matter, Spacetime & Dreams Deferred. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein will share her love for physics; from the Standard Model of Particle Physics and what lies beyond it to the physics of melanin in skin, to the latest theories of dark matter—along with a perspective informed by history, politics, and the wisdom of Star Trek. She urges us to recognize how science, like most fields, is rife with racism, misogyny, and other forms of oppression. She lays out a bold new approach to science and society, beginning with the belief that we all have a fundamental right to know and love the night sky. Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is an Assistant Professor of physics and astronomy and core faculty in women’s and gender studies at the University of New Hampshire. She is also a columnist for New Scientist and Physics World. Her research in theoretical physics focuses on cosmology, neutron stars, and dark matter. She also does research in Black feminist science, technology, and society studies. Nature recognized her as one of 10 people who shaped science in 2020, and Essence magazine has recognized her as one of “15 Black Women Who Are Paving the Way in STEM and Breaking Barriers.” A co-founder of Particles for Justice, she received the 2017 LGBT+ Physicists Acknowledgement of Excellence Award for her contributions to improving conditions for marginalized people in physics and the 2021 American Physical Society Edward A. Bouchet Award for her contributions to particle cosmology.

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First Friday: Afro-House - KOJO ASTRONAUT
2023-05-05 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Black Futures/Black Imaginings Music Edition: Featuring Afro House – Kojo Astronaut
Friday, May 5th | 6 pm – 8:30 pm.
Exhibits Open at 6 pm. Performance begins at 7 pm.

Relax and unwind from your week mingling at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum with local musical performances. Explore our latest one of a kind exhibitions with food and drinks by local chefs. During our Black Futures, Black Imaginings Music Edition, experience a wide range of music connected with Black futurism involving the imagination, time and liberation. Come at 6 pm to view Afro-futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined. For the month of May, reimagine space and the cosmos with an evening of Afrofuturistic music selections from the Afro House Concert Series. In the great beyond of space resides Kojo Astronaut and his ensemble. Their offering consists of protest music written through an Afrofuturistic lens. Led by pianist and composer Scott Patterson, the music featured includes songs from Patterson’s extensive catalogue of cosmic grooves. His music, expressed through voice, sound design and instrumentation, is a blend of classical, soul and rock music that is futuristic, emotive and luxuriant. This performance is about love, liberation and the ways in which we navigate our relationship to our planet, our solar system and beyond. Afro House, is a Baltimore-based art house focused on creating transformative, disruptive, and emotive music.

Special Admission: Members: $20 and Future – Members $25; Food Prices are Separate Cost.
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Bmore Imaginarium Social Experience Panel Talk
2023-04-08 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Saturday, April 8, 2023 | 1 pm | Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum
This program is included with Museum Admission.
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum as we discover how local Afro-futurists are using their creative, technological and entrepreneurial skills at the community grassroots level to envision practical futuristic solutions for a better tomorrow in Bmore and beyond. This panel conversation will include the following Afrofuturists.

Jason Harris is a Baltimore based futurist, educator and cultural activist. He is the founder and facilitator of the BlkRobot Project. Jason published the speculative fiction anthology, REDLINES: Baltimore 2028.
Nneka Nnamdi is the founder of Fight Blight Bmore, a community-led economic, environmental and social justice initiative informed by data compiled by her Fight Blight Bmore app. Nneka is a Baltimore based entrepreneur engaged in social mission driven entrepreneurship and community wellness work.
Safiyah Cheatam is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and researcher passionate about Afrofuturism. Satifyah is a co-creator, producer and writer of OBSIDIAN Podcast,a speculative fiction anthology podcast based in Afrofuturism.
Olu Butterfly Woods is a social entrepreneur and a distinctive performance poet. Olu has produced a popular artist-development series Organic Soul Tuesdays, a major afrofuture Artscape anchor project (The Mothership Connection), and the B-stage at AFRAM. She will soon release Jupiter Memoirs: a collection of afro fantasy poems.
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First Friday: Navasha Daya & Lafayette Gilchrist
2023-04-07 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Friday, April 7, 2023 | 6 pm – 8:30 pm | Location : Reginald F. Lewis Museum
The Museum is thrilled to celebrate the return of our First Friday Music Series this Spring. Kick off your weekend mingling at The Reginald F. Lewis Museum with local musical performances. Explore our latest on-of-kind exhibitions along with food and drinks by local chefs. During our Black Futures, Black Imaginings Music Edition, experience a wide range of music connected to Black futurism and celebrating the imagination, time, and liberation.

Black Futures, Black Imaginings Music Edition: Featuring Navasha Daya & Lafayette Gilchrist
Friday, April 7, 2023 | 6 pm – 8:30 pm | Performance begins at 7 pm, Exhibits Open at 6 pm.
For Jazz Appreciation Month jam with “astral soul goddess” Navasha Daya and jazz pianist/composer Lafayette Gilchrist as they perform music that will liberate the soul and spirit. Navasha Daya, Baltimore-based singer, songwriter and producer, has performed all over the globe for over 25 years as an indie – soul and jazz artist. Grammy- Award winning artist India.Arie described Navasha’s voice as “the true definition of soulful”. As a composer, Navasha has written numerous songs focused on culture, spiritual evolution and liberation pinning songs that encourage the utilization of indigenous technology as a solution to society’s injustices. As a solo artist she has received international acclaim from her solo releases. Prior to her solo releases, Navasha served as lead vocalist, songwriter and co-founder of the highly acclaimed Baltimore based soul/jazz band, Fertile Ground. Navasha’s composition “Peace & Love” was remixed in Europe and opened the door to Fertile Ground’s international acclaim. Continuing the musical legacy of her cousin the late great Gil Scott Heron, and embodying the influences of the likes of Phyllis Hyman, Patti Austin, Lyn Collins, Mahalia Jackson, Miriam Makeba, Mavis Staples… her live show fuses her eclectic mix of Soul-Jazz – Funk and World Rhythms while pulling from her Mississippi Blues lineage.
Drawing on the span of jazz history from stride to free improvisation, along with inspiration from hip-hop, funk, and Washington D.C.’s unique go-go sound, Lafayette Gilchrist’s music thrives on making surprising connections between styles and influences, boldly veering from pile-driver funk to piquant stride, vigorous swing to hip-hop swagger, contemplative abstraction to deep-bottom grooves. Gilchrist has performed with Cassandra Wilson, Macy Gray, Oliver Lake, Andrew Cyrille, Orrin Evans, Paul Dunmall, Hamid Drake, William Parker, and many more. He has also recorded and toured regularly with Grammy-Award winning legendary saxophonist David Murray. Lafayette’s previous album Dark Matter (2019), Gilchrist’s second solo recording, muses on the elusive and mysterious matter that ties the universe together and landed on numerous critics’ best of 2019 lists. His composition “Assume the Position” was used in the score for the HBO drama television series The Wire. His compositions have also been used in the HBO series Treme and The Deuce.
Special Admission: Members: $20 and Future – Members $25; Food Prices are Separate Cost.
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Film Screenings and Post Discussion Afrofuturism: The Origin Story & Amethyst LoveGodz
2023-04-01 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Saturday, April 1, 2023 | 1 pm – 3 pm | Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum
This program is included with Museum Admission.
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for a double film feature examining the origins of Afrofuturism and discovering what it takes to keep Black love in the future. A post discussion with filmmakers Alexis Aggrey, Jamal Gray and Denai “B Fly” Nixon will follow.

Smithsonian Channel /Afrofuturism: The Origin Story (58 minutes) – From enslaved Phillis Wheatley’s poetry and Martin R. Delany’s alt-history novel “Blake” to Sun Ra’s avant-garde music and Marvel’s sci-fi blockbuster “Black Panther,” the African- American experience has been explored and reimagined for centuries through many artistic mediums. This special brings together some of today’s most influential Black musicians, writers, dancers, and theorists, who celebrate and examine the historical and cultural impact of Afrofuturism through deep discussion and electrifying, fantastical performances.
Amethyst LoveGodz (28 minutes) – While on a romantic date in their native land, Kariz Marcel & BlackShesus are captured and sold into the transatlantic slave trade. Four hundred years after their abduction and murder, they resurrect, blind, and in search of their other half. Guided separately by ancestral forces they journey through lifetimes and a foreign land to finally unite in holy matrimony and end the colonizers reign. In the tradition of family, we pray their village leads them safely to the other’s love. Will they? Executive produced by BlackShesus and musically scored by Kariz Marcel this breakout silent film will challenge your perception of dialogue, love, and Blackness.

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Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined Women’s History Artist Panel Talk - In Person
2023-03-23 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined Women’s History Artist Panel Talk – In Person
Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 6 pm ; Panel Talk Begins at 6:30 pm | Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum celebrating Black women, their imagery and experiences through the visionary artistic lens of the women exhibition artists from Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined (March 2, 2023 – September 5, 2023). During this art panel discussion, artists will explore the future of Black women, how they envision Black women bodies, mothering and confronting stereotype imagery of Black young women. This panel conversation features artists Tawny Chatmon, Monica Ikegwu and Delita Martin. This panel is moderated by Myrtis Bedolla of Gallerie Myrtis who curated “Afro-Futurist Manifesto” for the 2022 Venice Biennale. “Afro-Futurist Manifesto” brings together a stellar assemblage of African-American Artists who construct a future forged in transatlantic links and Afrofuturism’s ideology to expand the notion of Blackness at the intersection of technology and liberation.
** Come early at 6 pm to view the Afro-Futurist Manifesto exhibition with special guests.
Free Admission
Image Details (left to right):

Delita Martin, The Seeker, Acrylic, Charcoal, Hand-stitching, Decorative Paper, Reduction relief print,30w x 46h, 2019
Tawny Chatmon
Monica Ikegwu
Delita Martin
Myrtis Bedolla, Moderator

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Ladies First: An Evening Celebrating Maryland’s Pioneering Black Women of Achievement
2023-03-22 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Ladies First: An Evening Celebrating Maryland’s Pioneering Black Women of Achievement
Wednesday, March 22 , 2023 | 6 pm – 9 pm | Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Black women have made landmark contributions to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the State of Maryland as “The first …” in their fields and have often gone unrecognized. Join us as we honor pioneers from a broad cross-section of disciplines and industries, offering the opportunity to hear from them about their respective journeys.

The Honorable Adrienne A. Jones | Speaker of the House of Delegates
Janet Currie | President, Bank of America Greater Maryland
Natasha Dartigue, Esq. | Public Defender, Maryland Office of the Public Defender
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie | Interim President & General Secretary, National Council of Churches of Christ USA
Daria J. Willis, Ph.D. | President, Howard Community College

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Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined Free Saturday Celebration
2023-03-18 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Celebrate the opening of the groundbreaking exhibition “Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined” with FREE ADMISSION this Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 10 am to 5pm. The Lewis Museum is excited to partner with Galerie Myrtis and the James E. Lewis Museum of Art at Morgan State University to present this exciting exhibition curated by Myrtis Bedolla for the 2022 Venice Biennale. Check out this one-of-a-kind exhibition along with IMAGINARIUM, an experimental and interactive exhibition of social imagination, as part of our BLACK futures/BLACK imaginings season.
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Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined
2023-03-02 - 2023-09-05 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
March 2nd through September 5th | DeSousa Gallery, 2nd Floor
Member preview March 1, 2023
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum is excited to partner with Galerie Myrtis and the James E. Lewis Museum of Art at Morgan State University to present the groundbreaking exhibition “Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined” for the first time in the United States. Curated by Myrtis Bedolla for the 2022 Venice Biennale, “Afro-Futurist Manifesto” brings together a stellar assemblage of African-American Artists who construct a future forged in transatlantic links and Afrofuturism’s ideology to expand the notion of Blackness at the intersection of technology and liberation. This existence has been conceived, as asserted by author Kevin Young, in “Elsewhere … the remapping of what’s here,” forming an alternative reality where one’s freedom and humanity is found.
Featuring the works of Tawny Chatmon, Larry Cook, Morel Doucet, Monica Ikegwu, M. Scott Johnson, Delita Martin, Arvie Smith & Felandus Thames.
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Imaginarium: Social Imagination Experience
2023-02-22 - 2023-04-09 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
February 22, 2023 through April 9, 2023 | The Lewis Now Gallery
In 1900, W.E.B. Du Bois, historian Daniel Murray, and librarian Thomas J. Calloway exhibited at the World’s Fair in Paris, celebrating global achievements that looked back over the past 100 years while incubating ideas that would mold the future. The Exhibit of American Negroes was a display that showcased the humanity, diversity, and experience of African Americans at the turn of the century. Over the past three years, we have seen our world shift in ways we never thought; the IMAGINARIUM is a way that Black people can curate their vision, hopes, and ideas to be displayed for the world to see.
The IMAGINARIUM is an experimental and interactive exhibition of social imagination. It provides a space for visitors to share their vision for the feature of Black Baltimore, Black Region D.C., Maryland, Virginia (DMV), Black America, and the Diaspora. In conjunction with our theme Black futures/Black imaginings, the exhibit will ask a series of prompts and scenarios of visitors through engaging design activities that will encourage creative brainstorming for the future.
The investigative prompts that the IMAGINARIUM asks will discuss topics that impact the visitor as an individual and a member of the Black Community. The IMAGINARIUM will discuss socio-economic issues: mental health, nationalism, education, public safety, the workforce, community spaces, and the arts.
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Frederick Douglass Birthday & Valentine’s Day Celebration,“Love & Liberation”
2023-02-11 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Frederick Douglass Birthday & Valentine’s Day Celebration,“Love & Liberation”
Saturday, February 11, 2023 | 1 pm – 5 pm | Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Did you know that statesman Frederick Douglass chose Valentine’s Day (Feb 14th) to commemorate his unknown birth date in February because he liked the traditions surrounding this date? Join the Lewis Museum celebrating Douglass’s upcoming birthday with several love and liberation activities including

1 pm – A Film Screening and Post discussion of Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches with Curator Imani Haynes | The HBO documentary Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches brings to life the words of our country’s most famous anti-slavery activist. Actors Nicole Beharie (Scenes from a Marriage), Colman Domingo (Euphoria), Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country), Denzel Whitaker, and Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) draw from five of Douglass’ legendary speeches, to represent a different moment in the tumultuous history of 19th century America as well as a different stage of Douglass’ long and celebrated life. Inspired by David Blight’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom and executive produced by scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Black Art: In the Absence of Light), the film features the narration of Douglass’ autobiographies by André Holland and context provided by Blight and Gates to remind us how Frederick Douglass’ words about racial injustice still resonate deeply today.

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Patrons can also RSVP for the curator’s tour with our free discount code which will be sent in your acknowledgment email after you have registered.
Note: Curator’s Tour has limited group capacity.
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2:30 pm – A Curator Led Tour of archival images to learn more about the most photographed man in America in the 19th century and his love for learning with Curator Imani Haynes and Dr. Izetta Autumn Mobley

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Note: Curator’s Tour has limited group capacity.
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3:30 pm – A Food Demonstration and Tasting discussing the origins of Maryland crab soup with a regional chef in connection to a winter soup recipe located in the Reading Douglass exhibition. Valentine’s treats will be included to enjoy. Hoodfellas Bistro & Catering is a local African American-owned restaurant in Baltimore, MD that sells American cuisine. HoodFellas was established in 2019 by Ben and Ira who have been best friends for over 30 years and native Baltimoreans. We provide our customers with quality food at a reasonable price. Our specialty is food that feeds your soul. We love serving our customers and community. Hoodfellas was started from a love of cooking food for family and friends. It has grown into providing American and soul food for the Baltimore city metropolitan area. Our goal is to grow into more communities nationwide.

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Patrons can also RSVP for the film and curator’s tour with our free discount code which will be sent in your acknowledgment email after you have registered.
Note: Curator’s Tour has limited group capacity.
Plus find out about restaurant deal packages for the upcoming love holiday with some of Baltimore’s finest restaurants. Patrons who attend the Douglass Love and Liberation activities can receive discounted meal packages with proof of museum receipt. For more information, contact joy.hall@lewismuseum.org.

Elijah E. Cummings Democracy and Freedom Festival
2023-02-08 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Elijah E. Cummings Democracy and Freedom Festival
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 | 1:30pm – 8:45 pm | Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Join the SNF Agora Institute for a free event bringing together scholars, practitioners, and the local community to grapple with democratic challenges and celebrate democratic resilience. Ideas and exchange with mayors, civic leaders, scholars, art by Globe At MICA, music by DJ Mebaa, dinner with Peoples Supper, a debate on voting rights with Symone DSanders and KarlRove, moderated by Hallie Jackson of NBC News.

Schedule of Activities:

Welcome & Introductions | 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Panel Discussion: Activating Local Democracy | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Breakout Sessions | 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM

Breakout Sessions | 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM

People’s Supper | 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Debate | 7:30 PM – 8:45 PM
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Reading Douglass Author Talk : In Spite Of… with Treopia Green Washington
2023-01-28 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Reading Douglass Author Talk : In Spite Of… with Treopia Green Washington
Saturday, January 28, 2023 | 2 pm | Hybrid
Free with museum admission, but registration is requested

Join us for a liberating author talk that celebrates Reading Douglass, an exhibition exploring reading as an act of resistance and restoration that can profoundly impact our lives. This book discussion will feature The Lewis Museum’s Executive Director Terri Lee Freeman in conversation with guest author Treopia Green Washington about memoir book, In Spite Of…. in which the author shares her experience living during the Jim Crow era. Green Washington grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, in a community determined to protect its children, as much as possible, from the cruelty of segregation laws designed to make people feel “less than.”
In spite of, Treopia’s family and community created an environment where she and her brothers, Ernest and Scott, grew up believing in themselves. In 1957, a pivotal year in the course of their life stories, Ernest chose to be one of the nine high school students who integrated Central High School in the face of shocking violence. Treopia describes their parents’ guidance that helped them develop the inner strength and conviction they needed to succeed in their lives, each in their own way. For Treopia, it was through following her path as an educator. She chronicles her many teaching adventures and the enriching experiences she’s had since leaving the classroom. Through it all, Treopia finds her mother’s wisdom, inscribed in her heart and mind, never leads her astray.
A book signing will follow. Museum visitors can also view the Reading Douglass exhibit during this author talk event.

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MLK Day : Where Do We Go From Here?
2023-01-16 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Martin Luther King Day: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community
Monday, January 16, 2023 | 11am – 6 pm
Commemorate the King Day Holiday at The Lewis Museum as the museum reflects on prophetic themes from Dr. King’s last book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community, in which King analyzes the future state of America’s race relations in regard to jobs, poverty, education, housing, wages, and voting. Presentation activities include:
Opening Remarks from Director Terri Lee Freeman | 11am | Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum Theater
Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope | 12pm – 1 pm
Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum Theater
Dance & Bmore presents Bmore Broadway Live featuring performances by their youth group AMP Up! and the cast of “Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope,” a groundbreaking Broadway show centered around the African American experience in relations to tenements, slumlords, ghetto life, student protests, black power, and feminism. Learn about the show’s creators, Micki Grant and Vinnette Carroll, the first Black women to write and direct on Broadway in 1972. See excerpts of Gospel, Jazz, Soul Calypso, and spoken word through vibrant song and dance directed and choreographed by CJay Philip. A community talkback on this work with the cast and audience members will follow the presentation.
Keith Snipes and Company: Let Freedom Sing | 2 pm – 3 pm
Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum Theater
Join us as we welcome Keith Snipes and Company for an inspirational tribute to democracy and freedom. This show pays homage to the ideals of the civil rights movement and its most ardent leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is comprised of a rich collection of songs and poetry reminiscent of the movement, including King on Jazz, What’s Going On (The All American Reality Show), A Stone of Hope (Original Spoken Word), Brother Where Are You (Oscar Brown, Jr.) and Someday We’ll All Be Free (Donny Hathaway).
This masterful quintet features American jazz bassist and band leader Obasi Akoto, trumpeter DonVonte McCoy, pianist Allyn Johnson, drummer Eric Kennedy, and vocalist Keith Snipes. Let Freedom Sing will leave you feeling rejuvenated, fortified, and prepared to meet the moment.
Included with Museum Admission | Donate non-perishable food items and get 50% off admission!
RSVP Here

Criminal Justice Reform Symposium in Partnership with the Greater Baltimore Urban League, the Baltimore Branch of the NAACP & the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore
4 pm – 6pm
Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum Upper Lobby
Free and open to the public
The Greater Baltimore Urban League – in partnership with NAACP, Reginald F. Lewis Museum & Downtown Partnership of Baltimore – will host Criminal Justice Reform: The Role of Legal Systems in Civil Rights Symposium & Honoring Ceremony, on MLK Day from 4pm to 6pm. The Lewis Museum’s executive director Terri Lee Freeman will provide welcome remarks and context for why criminal justice reform is important to discussions on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We will then hear from those impacted by challenges in the criminal justice system including Erania Pretty and Marlow Bates, Sr. The afternoon will conclude with a panel discussion with and recognition of modern-day civil rights advocates who have worked to move us to a more equitable Maryland. Panelists will include:
Hon. Wanda K. Heard, Chief Judge, 8th Judicial Circuit of Maryland (RET)
Hon. Marilyn Mosby, Former State’s Attorney, Baltimore City
Attorney Warren A. Brown
Attorney William H. “Billy” Murphy, Jr.
Major Milton L. Corbett (RET)

Feelin: Creative Practice, Pleasure, and Black Feminist Thought
2022-12-16 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Feelin: Creative Practice, Pleasure, and Black Feminist Thought
Friday, December 16th | 6:30 PM
Free Admission | RSVP Required
Join scholar and interdisciplinary artist, Bettina Judd in celebrating her newest book, Feelin, with a conversation and interactive film screening at The Reginald F. Lewis Museum Maryland African American History and Culture (The Lewis Museum). Dr. Judd will be joined in conversation by Dr. Izetta Autumn Mobley, Dr. Tiffany Lethabo King and Dr. Jessica Marie Johnson.
Feelin: Creative Practice, Pleasure, and Black Feminist Thought (Northwestern University Press, December 15, 2022), is a timely work that contextualizes Black women’s interiors and demonstrates how Black women’s creativity and “feelins” are critical landscapes for revolutionary thought and theory. This urgent work intends to “name the ways that racism and sexism is felt, and thus creative responses to those experiences must also be felt.” Judd expertly interrupts the impassive academic research tradition by opening lines of communication on each page between Black women artists. Lucille Clifton’s, Aretha Franklin’s and Alexis Pauline Gumbs’ voices speak through the page alongside the voices of Renee Cox and Avery*Sunshine. Their genius and joy are woven expertly together with Judd’s own poetry, art, and academic thought.
Bettina Judd is an interdisciplinary artist, performer, and writer whose creative research centers Black feminist thought. She is the author of patient., winner of the Hudson Prize from Black Lawrence Press, and an associate professor in the Department of Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Washington and is from Baltimore.
Praise for Feelin
“Bettina Judd brings to academic theory and criticism what Stephen Henderson suggests Black poets bring to poetry in their ‘attempt to speak directly to black people about themselves.’ I am certain that Judd’s Feelin: Creative Practice, Pleasure, and Black Feminist Thought is a book with which scholars and poets and all other kinds of writers and artists will have to contend long after Judd herself has written her last word. What I love most about this book is how Professor Judd proves her theories with her own art, be it poetry or video production or song.” —Jericho Brown, author of The Tradition
“Bettina Judd’s attention is to black feminist thought, creative process, the feel of things, our needs, and all of the ways that bodies know. In Feelin Judd takes us deeply into grief, joy!, anger, and ecstasy as the matter of Black study. This is an embodied black feminist poetics, an imaginative labor of knowledge, pleasure, vulnerability, and care.” —Christina Sharpe, author of In the Wake: On Blackness and Being
“Bettina Judd works with every mode of writing and artistry at her disposal, offering an alternative, Black feminist genealogy of affect theory that centers Lorde’s emphasis on embodied knowledge and reads Black women’s art practices for counternarratives to death-dealing Enlightenment intellectual traditions. Feelin lovingly amplifies what Black women’s ecstatic vocal traditions, (a)theological re-visionings of the Bible, and over-seen yet under-heard articulations of rage have to teach us about the life-saving uses of the erotic and the epistemological power of grief, anger, and joy.” —Evie Shockley, author of Renegade Poetics: Black Aesthetics and Formal Innovation in African American Poetry
“Feelin touches Black women’s arts from the inside parts and excavates its ways and means. Its exquisite craft and searing intelligence documents Black womanist aesthetics. Perhaps the critical text in contemporary womanist studies, Feelin is archive and practice, gallery and form . . . a documentary of how we do arts, endure and expose sciences, and still compose and create from the graceful space of extraordinarily generous and gifted spirits. This is a sacred gallery. Be still and take your time with Judd’s incandescent Feelin.” —Karla FC Holloway, author of Passed On: African American Mourning Stories and Gone Missing in Harlem: A Novel (TriQuarterly)
RSVP

Reading Douglass Opening Reception
2022-12-15 16:30 - 17:30 (America/New_York)
Join us as we celebrate the opening of this highly anticipated exhibition. In Reading Douglass, we explore Frederick Douglass’ passion for reading as a form of resistance. Designed as an interactive installation that invokes the power of reading by recreating a library, the installation invites us to in the words of Douglass “open ourselves up to the ideas of other people.” Douglass knew how deeply political, powerful, and liberating knowledge could be. He always held that through reading “we can begin to see the world in new ways.” This installation provides space for us to explore our own curiosities while learning about how books and reading shaped the life of Frederick Douglass.
Click Here to RSVP

Reading the Culture Read-a-Thon
2022-11-18 18:00 - 2022-11-20 18:00 UTC
Reading the Culture Read-a-Thon – Virtual
Friday, November 18 – Sunday, November 20, 2022
Virtual
Admission: Free
Cozy up on a fall weekend with a stack of good books and join us for a 72-hour Read-a-thon. Get updates, reading tips, and hear from special guests starting at 6 pm on Friday, November 18th and continuing until 6 pm on Sunday, November 20th. Can you keep up? We hope so. Share your thoughts and progress by tagging us on Instagram and Facebook at @lewismuseum using the hashtag #ReggieReads.

Friday, November 18th | 6 pm
Greetings and Favorite Books with RFLM Executive Director Terri L. Freeman
As you prepare for reading your favorite book(s) this weekend, let Terri Lee Freeman, the Executive Director of The Lewis Museum share her must reads. RSVP link in below. Click on “Other Dates” to RSVP for the other two sessions.

Register Here

Saturday, Nov 19th | Noon

In Conversation with memoir author Michelle Petties @iambrandnewnow (Live Event)
Check in with The Lewis team and other readers to share what you’re reading this weekend. Then join author Michelle Petties in conversation about her inspirational memoir, Leaving Large: The Stories of a Food Addict as she shares a collection of personal essays that chronicle her journey and evolving relationship with food. RSVP link below. Click on “Other Dates” to RSVP for the other two sessions.
Register Here

Sunday, November 20th | 2 pm

In Conversation with Food Historian Author Michael Twitty @thecookinggene (Live Event)
Check in with The Lewis Museum staff and engage with other readers to share what you’re reading this weekend. This event is in partnership with the Jewish Museum of Maryland.Then join food historian and chef Michael Twitty in conversation with Dr. Izetta Autumn Mobley about his book, Koshersoul: Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew. Koshersoul explores the marriage of two distinctive culinary cultures in the world today: the foods and traditions of the African Atlantic and the global Jewish diaspora. RSVP link in bio. Click on “Other Dates” to RSVP for the other two sessions.

Register Here

Join us for Reading The Culture: Read-a-thon!
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Page By Page: Collections Visit
2022-11-17 17:30 - 18:30 UTC
Page by Page: Collections Visit
November 17, 2022
Time will be provided upon registration
Members Only. Registration Required (limited to 12 people)
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum Collections Manager & Registrar for a behind-the-scenes look at the books and archival items from the Black authors in The Lewis Museum Collections. Learn how we preserve items and how our collections reflect the unique lives and histories of Black authors, publishers, and Black reading culture.
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Harriet Tubman: Visions Of Freedom
2022-11-13 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Harriet Tubman: Visions Of Freedom Film and Discussion
Sunday, November 13, 2022
2 pm – 4 pm ET
In-person
Free with Museum admission
Join us for a screening of Harriet Tubman: Visions Of Freedom commemorating the 200th anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s birth and the observation of Maryland Emancipation Day. Educators are encouraged to attend. Produced by Maryland Public Television in association with Firelight Films executive producers Academy Award-nominated Stanley Nelson (Attica, Freedom Riders, The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution) and Lynne Robinson, Harriet Tubman: Visions Of Freedom is a nuanced portrait of the woman known as the Conductor of the Underground Railroad, who risked her own freedom and life to liberate others from slavery. Born in Dorchester County, Maryland, 200 years ago — 2022 marks her bicentennial —Tubman escaped north to Philadelphia in 1849, covering more than 100 miles alone. Once there, Tubman became involved in the abolitionist movement, and through the Underground Railroad, guided an estimated 70 enslaved people to freedom. The film goes beyond the legend of Tubman to explore what motivated her — including divine inspiration — to become one of the greatest freedom fighters of all time.
The film was produced and directed by Stanley Nelson and Nicole London. Keith M. Brown and Michael English are the executives in charge of production. Harriet Tubman: Visions Of Freedom was written by Paul Taylor, Nicole London and Marcia Smith. Oscar®-nominated and Emmy® award-winning actor Alfre Woodard is the narrator of Harriet Tubman: Visions Of Freedom and acclaimed actor Wendell Pierce is the voice of Frederick Douglass in the film.

The screening will be followed by a conversation with noted authorities on the life of Harriet Tubman including:

Mia Bay – Historian; Roy F. and Jeanette P. Nichols Professor of American History at the University of Pennsylvania
Angela Crenshaw – Maryland Park Ranger, Manager to Rocks, Susquehanna & Palmer State Parks, and former Assistant Park Manager for Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park
Nicole London – Co-Director and Producer of Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom

The conversation will be moderated by Travis Mitchell – MPT Senior VP, and Chief Content Officer overseeing film projects, Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom and Becoming Frederick Douglass

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Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom and Becoming Frederick Douglass are co-productions of Firelight Films and Maryland Public Television. Production support provided through an appropriation from the State of Maryland. Additional funding was provided by Bowie State University, DIRECTV and Pfizer, Inc.

Reading The Culture November Member and Staff Book Club
2022-11-06 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Reading The Culture November Members and Staff Book Club
November 6th
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Virtual
Free for members. $15 for Non-members.
What could be better than sharing a good book with some of your closest friends? Join us for the launch of our Reading The Culture Book Club Launch. Our inaugural book will be The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers. On November 6th, we’ll gather with a special guest speaker for a facilitated discussion on our book. Individuals who purchase their books at The Lewis Museum Shop will receive a 15% discount on their book. Can’t make it to the museum? Don’t worry. We are proud to partner with Mahogany Books as our official online bookseller for Reading The Culture! To purchase The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers, click purchase book
Virtual Registration
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Overview

Reading The Culture November Author Talk - Lawrence T. Brown, PhD, MPA
2022-11-03 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Reading The Culture September Author Talk with Lawrence T. Brown, Ph.D., MPA
Thursday, November 3, 2022 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm ET
Virtual
Free Admission. Registration required. Space is limited.

Noted equity scientist and urban Afrofuturist Lawrence T. Brown, Ph.D., MPA joins for a discussion on his IPPY Book Award-winning best-seller, The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America. The Black Butterfly looks at how American cities can promote racial equity, end redlining, and reverse the damaging health- and wealth-related effects of Segregation.
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Healing Through Literature: Book Conversation and Creative Writers' Workshop with Marita Golden
2022-10-29 13:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, 21202, United States
Healing Through Literature: Book Conversation and Creative Writer’s Workshop with Marita Golden
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Book Conversation and Signing | 1 pm to 2:30 pm
Creative Writers Workshop | 3 pm to 4:30 pm
In-person
Note: Registration to Creative Writer’s Workshop Registration also includes admission to the Book Talk Conversation with Marita Golden. Contact terry.taylor@lewismuseum.org if you have any questions.
More and more young Black women are re-examining the Strong Black Woman syndrome and engaging in self-care practices that change their lives.
– Marita Golden, The Strong Black Woman
The “strong Black woman” trope has often dictated not only how Black women are seen, but also how Black women are pushed to see themselves. Join The Lewis Museum and author and writing coach Marita Golden for a book discussion and workshop exploring how we move beyond the pressure to be “strong Black women,” to develop practices of reflection and care.
The afternoon will begin with a conversation between award-winning author and co-founder of the Hurston/Wright Foundation, Marita Golden and Dr. Izetta Autumn Mobley. The discussion will focus on reparative pathways of healing utilizing Golden’s two books, Saving Our Sons: Raising Black Children in a Turbulent World and The Strong Black Woman: How a Myth Endangers the Physical and Mental Health of Black Women. A book signing will follow.
Then, join Marita Golden for a creative writing workshop designed to use writing as a powerful form of healing and therapy to the soul. In this interactive session, participants will engage in discussion and writing exercises to give voice to their experiences and unspoken emotions. Participants should bring a notepad and pen. Registration is required as space is limited.
Marita Golden is an award-winning novelist and author of more than 19 works of fiction and nonfiction. Her books include The Strong Black Women, After, Migrations of the Heart, Saving Our Sons, and Don’t Play in the Sun. She is a distinguished teacher of writing and the co- founder of the Hurston/Wright Foundation, an organization that supports African American writers.
Workshop Registration
Conversation Registration
