Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Colloquium - Fiberations: The Evolution and Tradition of African American Fiber Aesthetics
2024-09-21 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Colloquium – Fiberations: The Evolution and Tradition of African American Fiber Aesthetics
Saturday, September 21 | 10 am – 5 pm | FREE
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum is excited to present Fiberations: The Evolution and Tradition of African American Fiber Aesthetics. Cutting edge fiber artists, scholars and curators are invited to discuss the evolution of Black women fiber artistry from the past to the present through artist conversations, a roundtable discussion and loom weaving demonstrations. Guest artists include: Bisa Butler, Joyce Scott, Sanford Biggers, Karen Baker, Murjoni Merriweather, Nastassja Swift and Vera Hall and Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither. A curator’s highlight tour of Black Woman Genius: Elizabeth Talford Scott- Tapestries of Generations with curator Imani Haynes will conclude the day. Moderators include Dr. Leslie King-Hammonds. Lunch will be provided.
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iWitness Media Youth Photography Club with Kyle Pompey
2024-10-12 11:30 - 12:30
iWitness Media Youth Photography Club with Kyle Pompey
Saturday, Oct 12 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | Museum Admission
Learn how to tell stories through the lens of a camera with photojournalist Kyle Pompey while sharpening your photography skills. Youth will learn how to shoot with a 35mm camera, capture captivating photos and be introduced to the works of several African American photographers whose works were published in the press. Participants will capture photos with Kyle Pompey touring the Museum’s local neighborhood of Little Italy.
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Film Screening & Discussion: The Picture Taker
2024-10-12 14:00
Film Screening & Discussion: The Picture Taker
Saturday, Oct 12 | 2 pm | Museum Admission
With Ernest Withers, iconic African American civil rights photographer—and paid FBI informant—there was a lot more than meets the eye. From his Memphis studio, Withers’ nearly 2 million images were a treasured record of Black history but his legacy was complicated by decades of secret FBI service revealed only after his death. Was he a friend of the civil rights community, or enemy—or both? Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for a film screening of this intriguing documentary. A post film discussion with filmmaker Lise Yasui and Rosalind Withers, Founder of the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery will follow with a Q&A moderated by RFLM President Terri Lee Freeman.
Rosalind Withers is the daughter of Civil Rights Movement photographer Ernest C. Withers. She founded the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery which opened to the public in February 2011 with a mission to educate from this pictorial legacy of over 1.8 million images and to preserve the works of her father Dr. Ernest C. Withers, Sr.
Dr. Withers left behind one of the largest and most significant collection of photography ever amassed by an individual. With focus on the museum’s mission Rosalind curated the 7,000 square feet space, located on the world-famous Beale Street to give 30,000 plus worldwide visitors a stunning photographic experience in American and Civil Rights history.
Lise Yasui is the film producer for The Picture Taker. She produced and directed the Oscar-nominated Family Gathering, about her Japanese American family’s WWII internment experience. It aired on American Experience, the BBC, and Star TV. She co-produced Frontline’s Peabody-winning The Gate of Heavenly Peace, about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, which was broadcast internationally.
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Maryland Emancipation Author Talk: Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War with Dr. Edda L. Fields - Black
2024-11-01 18:30
Maryland Emancipation Author Talk: Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War with Dr. Edda L. Fields – Black
November 1 | 6:30 pm | Teachers/Members (Free); Non-Member: $10
Celebrate Maryland Emancipation Day, an additional Freedom Day besides Juneteenth, with a book talk and book signing on Maryland freedom shero Harriet Tubman with Dr. Edda L. Fields – Black with her latest book. Guests can also mingle with light refreshments at our wine and cheese bar during this epic evening book talk.
Educators are encouraged to attend.Most Americans know of Harriet Tubman’s legendary life: escaping enslavement in 1849, she led more than 60 others out of bondage via the Underground Railroad, gave instructions on getting to freedom to scores more, and went on to live a lifetime fighting for change. Yet the many biographies, children’s books, and films about Tubman omit a crucial chapter: during the Civil War, hired by the Union Army, she ventured into the heart of slave territory–Beaufort, South Carolina–to live, work, and gather intelligence for a daring raid up the Combahee River to attack the major plantations of Rice Country, the breadbasket of the Confederacy.
Edda L. Fields-Black–herself a descendent of one of the participants in the raid–shows how Tubman commanded a ring of spies, scouts, and pilots and participated in military expeditions behind Confederate lines. Fields-Black has worked as a consultant at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the International African American Museum, and the Senator John Heinz History Center. She teaches history at Carnegie Mellon University and serves as Director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center.
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Election Night Viewing Party
2024-11-05 19:00 - 22:00
Election Night Viewing Party
November 5, 2024 | 7 pm to 10 pm | FREE
Join us for an Election Night Viewing Party on November 5th at 7 PM! ?️? Grab your friends and watch the results roll in with us—live coverage, great company, and an evening of civic engagement. Don’t miss it!
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iWitness Media DJ Youth Workshop: B.E. M.O.R.E. S.T.E.M. with Kendrick “DJ5Starr” Tilghman
2024-11-16 10:30 - 11:30
iWitness Media DJ Youth Workshop: B.E. M.O.R.E. S.T.E.M. with Kendrick “DJ5Starr” Tilghman
November 16, 2024 | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | Museum Admission
Do you want to learn more about the science and technology used by DJs to spin records? Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum with Kendrick “DJ 5Starr” Tilghman as he engages youth with S.T.E.M. through popular music and hands-on experience with the latest DJ equipment. “DJ 5Starr” will also discuss how often S.T.E.M. is used in the DJ industry.
Kendrick “DJ 5Starr” Tilghman is an Entrepreneur, a DJ, Educator, Outreach Specialist, and top Science Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.) Advocate. His company’s primary initiative, B.E. M.O.R.E. S.T.E.M. (Bringing Everyone More Opportunities and Relevant Experiences in S.T.E.M.), is a national initiative that engages and excites communities about S.T.E.M. careers. He has had the honor of being invited to the White House Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) initiative for his unique efforts in S.T.E.M. education.
This program is in conjunction with iWitness: Media and the Movement Exhibition and Maryland STEM Festival 2024. This year’s STEM theme is Engineering: Ideas to Reality.
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Fabric, Paint & Sip with Aliana Grace Bailey
2024-11-16 14:00
Fabric, Paint & Sip with Aliana Grace Bailey
November 16, 2024 | 2 pm | Museum Admission
Spend the afternoon expressing your inner creative self by dabbling with paint, fabric and patterns. Inspired by the exhibition artworks from Danny Simmons: The Journey to Everything you’ll create a Neo – African abstract mixed media painting. Participants can enjoy a glass of wine and other refreshing drinks while designing their own painted fabric artwork with interdisciplinary artist Aliana Grace Bailey. Art Class size is limited.
Note: This program is included with museum admission.
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Kid Zone Public Scoping Engagement Meeting
2024-11-21 18:00
Kid Zone Public Scoping Engagement Meeting
Thursday, November 21, 2024 | 6pm | FREE
This new children’s exhibit space will welcome young visitors (toddler through pre-teen) and enhance their knowledge of and appreciation for the artistic and cultural contributions of Maryland’s African Americans.
The 672 square foot space will be designed to support engagement opportunities for children of all backgrounds and abilities through tactile learning tools, exhibition texts and displays for all learning levels, as well as art-making activities. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the space will be accessible with child-safe vitrines, furnishings, and flooring, as well as on-site strollers and wheelchairs.
This new exhibition experience will provide tactile objects and art activities that complement the museum’s permanent collection, which tells the story of African American Marylanders from 1784 to the present. The dedicated space will also feature objects, texts, and activities that will highlight the museum’s temporary and rotating exhibitions.
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Artist Conversation: Frederick Douglass | Liberty
2024-11-23 12:00
Artist Conversation: Frederick Douglass | Liberty
Saturday, November 23 | 12pm
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for an artist conversation on their latest art installation, Frederick Douglass| Liberty with artist, Adam Himoff and historian, Dr. Noelle Trent. Frederick Douglass | Liberty is a modernized reimagining of the American abolitionist, writer, orator, and statesman Frederick Douglass (1817-1895). In the portrait, he is confident, determined, and courageous as we know him, but he is also remarkably hip and stylish in modern fashion and posed before a graffiti-scrawled space. Adam Himoff will discuss his inspiration behind the piece which has sparked both admiration and controversy from viewers.
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The Journey to Everything: A Spoken Word Poetry Event with Lady Brion and Friends
2024-12-06 19:00 - 21:00
The Journey to Everything: A Spoken Word Poetry Event with Lady Brion and Friends
Friday, December 6th | Doors Open at 6:30pm | 7 pm – 9 pm
Experience a night of poetry with a host of community poets using their craft as wordsmiths to express their personal and ongoing experiences living life to the fullest as people of color in today’s America. Featured artists include Lady Brion, Nia June, Tony Keith, Jr., DaTruthDaPoet, Ephraim Nehemiah and music by Brandon Woody. Lady Brion and DJ Cuff will host this curated spoken word event. Desert refreshments will be served.
This program is in conjunction with the art exhibition, Danny Simmons: The Journey to Everything.
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Art Workshop: Cookies and Canvas for Kids
2024-12-07 12:00
Art Workshop: Cookies and Canvas for Kids
Saturday, December 7th | 12pm
Nibble on cookies and candy while painting your own Candy Land canvas masterpiece inspired by the exhibition artworks from Danny Simmons: The Journey to Everything. Participants will have a fun time experimenting with paint on canvas with visual artist Reginald Lewis.
Workshop Class size is limited. Included with Museum Admission.
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Holidays at The Lewis
2024-12-21 11:00 - 15:00
Holidays at The Lewis
Saturday, December 21 | 11 am – 3 pm
Celebrate the upcoming holidays this month to include Christmas and Kwanzaa activities at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. Festivities will include a Kwanzaa candle lighting ceremony with African dancing and drumming with Sankofa Dance Theater, choral singing by the Singing Sensations Youth Choir, a presentation on Center Stage’s Black Nativity and an author’s reading of Hair Like Obama’s, Hands Like Lebron’s by children’s author Carole Boston Weatherford.
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KING DAY 2025 | An Era of Creative Maladjustment
2025-01-20 11:00 - 16:00
KING DAY 2025 | An Era of Creative Maladjustment
January 20 | 11 am – 4pm | FREE
“There are some things in our society, some things in our world, to which we should never be adjusted.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Celebrate KING DAY 2025 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum as we reflect upon moving forward with purpose tackling new challenges and injustices within our community while making creative adjustments. The Lewis museum will host a mainstage panel discussion that responds to a 1967 quote from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “There are some things in our society, some things in our world, to which we should never be adjusted.” He calls for “creative maladjustment,” he further states, “we may be able to emerge from the bleak and desolate midnight of man’s inhumanity to man, into the bright and glittering daybreak of freedom and justice.”
This panel seeks understanding, healing and active solutions in the dawn of a new political era and will be moderated by Dr. Ida Jones, historian and archivist at Morgan State University. We have invited thought leaders in the areas of history, activism, mental health, politics and religion to discuss pertinent African American community and sociopolitical topics. Panelists include Tykia Warden, President & CEO, Greater Baltimore Urban League, Rev. Donte Hickman, Southern Baptist Church, Dayvon Love, Director of Public Policy for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, Dr. A’tasha M. Christian, LPC and Awanya Anglin, President of the Baltimore Chapter of National Council of Negro Women.
Visitors will also learn about Civil Rights activist Walter P. Carter, often dubbed the “Martin Luther King, Jr. of Maryland” and connect with his daughter, former Maryland Senator Jill P. Carter, Esq. as she reflects upon her father’s legacy as a key foot soldier of the Maryland Movement. There will be dance performances by Full Circle Dance Company “Season of Power” with choreographer Hope Byers. Holistic workshops will be offered which includes yoga, drumming and an opportunity to express oneself in a workshop to create “protest affirmations” with artist, Sallah Jenkins. More importantly, outreach materials and resources that positively impact the community such as voter registration information and mental health support will also be available. This program is part of a series of ongoing events associated with our exhibits: iWitness: Media & The Movement and Lynching in Maryland.
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Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Water’s Edge - Black Watermen of the Chesapeake
2025-02-01 14:30
Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Water’s Edge – Black Watermen of the Chesapeake
Saturday, February 1 | 2:30 pm
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum and The Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) to celebrate ASALH 2025 Black History Theme (African Americans and Labor) with a film screening and panel discussion on Maryland’s Black watermen. This program is in commemoration of Vincent Leggett, founder of the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation. Water’s Edge: Black Watermen of the Chesapeake reveals the unique relationship and untold stories between African Americans and the Chesapeake Bay. Water’s Edge: Black Watermen of the Chesapeake chronicles unsung Marylanders that revolutionized an industry, dreamed beyond their circumstance and are still keeping this tradition alive today. Meet George H. Brown, an ambitious steamboat captain that revolutionized recreation for Black Marylanders in the early twentieth century, innovators like the Turner Family of Bellevue and present-day captains who have survived by shifting their businesses from commercial fishing to chartering fishing parties.
Panel Participants Include:

Dee Dee Strum, Interim CEO and President for Blacks of The Chesapeake

Captain Tyrone Meredith of Captain Tyrone Charters

Imani Black, Founder and President of Minorities in Aquaculture

Noelle Gibson

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Free Community Day | Titan: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis
2025-02-08 10:00 - 17:00
Free Community Day | TITAN: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis | Hosted by the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
Saturday, February 8th | 10 am- 5 pm
At TITAN | Free Community Day we will proudly unveil TITAN: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis, a powerful new exhibition honoring our namesake, and the first African American to lead a billion-dollar company.
TITAN unveils the lesser-known facets of Lewis’ life, chronicling his rise from a hardworking student to a global business leader whose impact extended far beyond boardrooms. Through personal artifacts, rare photographs, and intimate narratives, visitors will gain insight into the values that shaped his character, the obstacles he overcame with resilience and strategy, and the revolutionary spirit that guided his remarkable journey.
Hosted by the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., this electrifying event gives you exclusive access to the grand unveiling of TITAN: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis! Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration of Black excellence, leadership, and culture.
Join us for:
•A panel conversation with Tarrus Richardson and Jeff Johnson
•A step presentation from members of Kappa Alpha Psi
•For the kids: Restaurant Challenge with Paula Goddard
•Music by DJ Davy J
•Food sponsored by Johns Hopkins University
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TITAN | The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis
2025-02-08 10:00 - 2026-04-30 17:00
TITAN | The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis
February 8, 2025 – April 2026
TITAN: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis offers an in-depth journey into the extraordinary life and lasting legacy of Maryland native, Reginald Francis Lewis. Widely celebrated as the first African American to establish and lead a billion-dollar company, Lewis transcended the realm of business as a multifaceted figure—a devoted family man, skilled lawyer, and pioneering trailblazer. This exhibition unveils the many elements that define the remarkable life of a maverick.
TITAN unveils the lesser-known facets of Lewis’ life, chronicling his rise from a hardworking student to a global business leader whose impact extended far beyond boardrooms. Through personal artifacts, rare photographs, and intimate narratives, visitors will gain insight into the values that shaped his character, the obstacles he overcame with resilience and strategy, and the revolutionary spirit that guided his remarkable journey.
As the Reginald F. Lewis Museum commemorates its 20th anniversary of amplifying African American narratives in Maryland, TITAN stands as a powerful tribute to his enduring legacy. The museum, named in his honor, was funded by a public/private partnership between the State of Maryland, a $5 million lead gift from the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation as well as other private funding partners ensured that his mission of empowerment and opportunity continues to inspire future generations. His story remains a beacon of hope, emphasizing the importance of breaking barriers and striving for excellence.
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Short Kuts Show | Unbreakable Love: The Power of Black Love in Healing and Resistance
2025-02-13 18:30
Short Kuts Show | Unbreakable Love: The Power of Black Love in Healing and Resistance
Thursday, February 13 | 6:30 pm | Museum Admission
Did you know that abolitionist Frederick Douglass chose Valentine Day’s as the day to celebrate his birthday, as his birthdate was unknown to him as an enslaved person? Celebrate the strength of Black love with storytellers of The Short Kuts Show, tracing its roots through the hardships of slavery, segregation, and systemic racism. This show highlights how love—whether from a partner, family, or community—has been a source of resilience, strength, and healing, playing a crucial role in overcoming trauma and oppression.
Meet the Lancasters: stand-up comedian Larry Lancaster and his wife, singer Kimberly Holloway, will host an unforgettable Black Love Storyteller event. Kimberly Holloway, formerly known as K. Holloway, is an American singer and actress from Baltimore, MD. American Idol fans may remember her from Season 4, where she made history as the youngest contestant to reach the Top 20. Headlining the evening is Larry Lancaster, a dynamic comedian and entertainer. He is the host of Throwback Saturdays (Saturdays, 10 AM–12 PM) and Good Morning Baltimore (weekdays, 7 AM–10 AM) on WEAA 88.9 FM Radio. His impressive career includes appearances on The Apollo and BET’s Comic View, as well as national television commercials, comedy clubs, theaters, and colleges across the country. Larry has shared the stage with legendary entertainers such as Mike Epps, Paul Mooney, Bruce Bruce, Rodney Perry, Cedric The Entertainer, Eddie Griffin, Tony Rock, Sommore, Michael Blackson, Tracy Morgan, and musical icons Musiq Soulchild and Chrisette Michele.
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Tom Miller Art Workshop
2025-02-15 12:00 - 14:00
Tom Miller Art Workshop
Saturday, February 15 | 12 pm to 2 pm
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum during the 5th annual Tom Miller Week in celebrating the life and legacy of one of Baltimore’s most treasured artists with an art workshop with community artist Sallah Jenkins decorating a trinket box to furnish your favorite room or table. Founded by Blackives, LLC, the Tom Miller Week is a community event supported by local museums dedicated to convey his bold, whimsical art and capture Miller’s contributions that inspire art lovers throughout Baltimore. This program is suitable for all ages.
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HBCU Film Screening and Discussion | Hampton University: One of the Wonders of the World | EVENT POSTPONED
2025-02-22 13:00 - 15:00
HBCU Film Screening and Discussion | Hampton University: One of the Wonders of the World
Saturday, February 22 | POSTPONED
Spend the afternoon in conversation with HBCU education Titans Dr. William Harvey (Hampton University) and Dr. David Kwabena Wilson (Morgan State University) following a film screening of Hampton University: One of the Wonders of the World with Emmy award winning filmmaker Phil Branch. Through this short film visitors will come to understand Dr. Harvey’s incredible 44 year legacy as President of Hampton University, who was an iconic leader in HBCU education and leadership. For more than a decade, Dr. Wilson has not only been a transformative president at Morgan but has emerged as a leader among university presidents nationwide as well as an effective advocate for HBCUs and the role they play in developing leaders and serving the needs of their community, state, and nation. In this enlightening conversation both leaders would discuss their leadership and vision building both of these educational institutions. This program is moderated by Edwin T. Johnson, PhD, Special Assistant to the Provost and University Historian at Morgan State University who is also the chair for The Maryland Commission of African American History and Culture (MCAAHC).
This program is in conjunction with TITAN | The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis.

Theater Reading Presentation: Mrs. Richardson presented by Morgan State Theater
2025-03-08 13:00 - 15:00
Performance Reading: Mrs. Richardson presented by Theatre Morgan
Saturday, March 8 | 1 pm
When freedom riders arrived in Cambridge, Maryland in the early winter of 1962, Gloria Richardson, a forty-year-old single mother, was busy working in her family store and raising her two teenaged girls. Upset by the brutal arrest of activists, as well as her daughters’ growing disillusionment, Richardson accepted an offer to co-chair the Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee, which had organized staged sit-ins to protest racial discrimination.
Celebrate Women’s History Month through a performance reading of Mrs. Richardson written by playwright historian Dr. Peter Levy and presented by Theatre Morgan students of Morgan State University. In less than three years, she helped build one of the most vibrant local movements in the nation, compelled the Kennedy administration to negotiate an unprecedented treaty agreement, which provided jobs, housing, and desegregated public accommodations, and established a collaborative project with Malcolm X. Richardson was also one of seven “Negro Women Fighters for Freedom” officially recognized and seated on the stage of the 1963 March on Washington.
This program is in conjunction with iWitness: Media and the Movement
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From Newsroom to Media Innovators: The AFRO’s Journey
2025-03-22 14:00
From Newsroom to Media Innovators: The AFRO’s Journey
Saturday, March 22 | 2 pm | Museum Admission
Join us for a compelling discussion on the AFRO Newspaper’s transformation from a weekly periodical into a dynamic media company. Hear from AFRO CEO Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, Managing Editor Alexis Taylor, and Executive Director of Afro Charities, Savannah Wood, as they discuss their collaborative efforts to amplify community voices, innovate in media production, and safeguard the AFRO’s archives for future generations. Moderated by Deyane Moses, Director of Programs and Partnerships at Afro Charities.
This program is in conjunction with Titan: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis.
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HBCU Day: Cultivating Activism – Their Impact Then and Now
2025-03-29 11:00 - 19:00
HBCU Day: Cultivating Activism – Their Impact Then and Now
MARCH 29, 2025 | 11 am to 7 pm | FREE
Spend the day on the yard at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum with roundtable panel discussions on HBCU activism, Greek Step Show performances and HBCU fun activities for kids. An educational session on how to pay for college and HBCU Resource Tables with local representatives will be included. Visitors will be able to mix and mingle later in the afternoon with an HBCU happy hour to include a wine tasting and live music from DJ No ID.
Dr. Ida Jones from Morgan State University will moderate panel conversation with HBCU alums to explore how local HBCUs foster their civic consciousness to become impactful change agents during the civil rights movements and beyond. Conversations will include Omega Psi Phi’s Pi Chapter’s involvement to bring Malcolm X to Morgan State’s campus for a debate as well as civic protests taking place on Morgan’s campus during the 70s and 90s. HBCU alums who have used their platform for legislative activism will also be explored. Museum visitors are encouraged to wear their school colors and Greek paraphernalia. This event is inspired by the iWitness: Media and the Movement exhibition and in conjunction with the Malcolm Bernard HBCU College Fair.
Presenters Include:

Dr. Ida Jones, University Archivist – Morgan State University

Paula Dofat, Founder of HBCU Money Guide

Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter – Morgan State University, Master of Public Health

Maryland Senator Michael Bowen Mitchell – Lincoln University, BA, Class of 1967

Travis Mitchell, Senior VP & Chief Content Officer, MPT – Morgan State University Alum, Class of 1992

Dr. Charles D Fletcher Jr., Class of 1970

Eddie Smith – Morgan State University Alum

Rashad Staton – Catalyst for Change – Morgan State Alum, Class of 2014

Fraternal Members and Historians of Omega Psi Phi Pi Chapter – Morgan State University Alums | Brothers Kino Glover, James Watt and Walid Gill

Greek Organizations from Bowie State University and Morgan State University

In conjunction with iWitness: Media and the Movement Exhibition
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Kid Zone Community Public Scoping Engagement Meeting II
2025-04-08 18:00 - 20:00
Tuesday, April 8 | 6pm-8pm | FREE
We Want Your Feedback!
We will introduce the schematic design concept for the Kids Zone interactive exhibit space presented by Proun Design.
This new children’s exhibit space will engage young visitors and enhance their knowledge of and appreciation for the artistic and cultural contributions of Maryland’s African Americans. The 672 square foot space will be designed to support engagement opportunities for children of all backgrounds and abilities through tactile learning tools, exhibition texts and displays for all learning levels, as well as art-making activities. This new exhibition experience will provide tactile objects and art activities that complement the museum’s permanent collection, which tells the story of African American Marylanders from 1784 to the present.
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Freddie Gray & The Baltimore Uprising:10 Years Later Reflecting, Reckoning, and Rebuilding
2025-04-10 - 2025-04-11
April 10 | Reginald F. Lewis Museum | 3 pm – 8 pm | FREE
Ten years later, we reflect, we remember, and we push for reform. Join us for Freddie: The Murder, The Uprising, The Reform, a two-day symposium examining the impact of Freddie Gray’s death and the movement that reshaped Baltimore policing.
Featuring powerful voices like Fredricka Gray, Mayor Brandon Scott, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Civil Rights Legend Billy Murphy, Dayvon Love, Donte Hickman, Dr. Kaye, Jan Bledsoe, Sen. Antonio Hayes and more—this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.
April 11 | 10 am – 4 pm | Reginald F. Lewis Museum
Presented by Murphy, Falcon & Murphy & The Reginald F. Lewis Museum.

Register Here | Day 1
Register Here | Day 2

High School Juried Art Show: Labor, Leadership, and Legacy 2025 Exhibition
2025-04-27 - 2025-09-29
On View | Saturday, April 27, 2025 – Monday, September 29, 2025 | Museum Admission
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum proudly presents the annual High School Juried Art Show (HSJAS) —an opportunity to celebrate and honor the remarkable artistic talent of Maryland youth from all 25 school districts across the state.
The annual High School Juried Art Show (HSJAS) celebrates and honors the remarkable artistic talent of Maryland youth from all 25 school districts across the state. In celebration of the museum’s 20th anniversary, students were encouraged to create artwork that honors the legacies of iconic Maryland leaders, trailblazers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries whose contributions have shaped the state’s history.
With the generous support of the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA), this exhibition provides a platform for students in grades 10–12 to showcase their creativity, voice, and vision.
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2025 Reginald F. Lewis Museum 20th Anniversary Gala
2025-05-08 18:30 - 23:00
2025 Reginald F. Lewis Museum 20th Anniversary Gala
May 8, 2025 | 6:30 pm – 11 pm
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum as we celebrate 20 years of Maryland’s Black art, history, and culture at our 20th Anniversary Gala on Thursday, May 8th at the M&T Bank Exchange in Baltimore, Maryland. Enjoy an unforgettable evening featuring a special musical performance by “The Voice” finalist, and Maryland native, Davon Fleming. This is a celebration you won’t want to miss!
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A Lewis Table Talk with Tamara Tunie | Discussing Her Life, Career, & New Endeavor, "Beyond The Gates" Moderated by LaDawn Black
2025-05-10 14:00 - 16:00
A Lewis Table Talk with Tamara Tunie | Discussing Her Life, Career, & New Endeavor, “Beyond The Gates” Moderated by LaDawn Black
Saturday, May 10th | 2 pm – 4 pm | Museum Admission
Clear your calendar for the Lewis Museum’s post gala celebration!
On Saturday, May 10 at 2pm, we’re bringing the elegance, wisdom, and brilliance of Tamara Tunie to The Lewis!
From her powerful performances throughout her career, to her bold new project “Beyond the Gates,” this is your chance to hear it all—up close and personal.
Hosted by the always fabulous media personality LaDawn Black, this conversation will be real, inspiring, and unforgettable. Kick off your Mother’s Day weekend and come on down to The Lewis. Come ready to be moved, motivated, and in great company!
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Jubilee: A Celebration of 20 Years of The Lewis, Black Cultural Expression, Freedom, and Music
2025-06-19 11:00 - 18:00
Jubilee: A Celebration of 20 Years of The Lewis, Black Cultural Expression, Freedom, and Music
This Juneteenth, we’re honoring Black brilliance, resilience, and creativity with a celebration like no other.

Thursday, June 19, 2025 | 11 AM to 6 PM
Reginald F. Lewis Museum | FREE for the community!

Join us for a full day of powerful performances, inspiring conversations, interactive art, delicious food, and joyful experiences rooted in the richness of African American culture.
Celebrate 20 years of The Lewis museum as a beacon of Black excellence, unity, and empowerment. Bring the whole family! This day is for all generations to celebrate our freedom and Blackness together!
Juneteenth, first celebrated in 1866, marks the day enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Help us protect and preserve Black history for future generations!
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Press Release
Juneteenth Pictures
Juneteenth Recap Video

Media Coverage:

US News: The 16 Best Places to Celebrate Juneteenth in 2025
WBAL TV -If you’re visiting Baltimore, try these fun summer activities
AFRO-Lewis museum marks 20 years with joyful Juneteenth celebration
The Baltimore Sun- 6 things to do in Baltimore, June 13-19
Baltimore Orioles- Celebrate Juneteenth at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum!
WBAL-TV- Celebrating Juneteenth with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum
WBAL Radio From Baltimore to Wall Street: Book tour spotlights Reginald F. Lewis’ billion dollar journey
CBS News- Baltimore’s Reginald F. Lewis Museum celebrates Black History on Juneteenth
WBAL-TV Lewis Museum event underscores history behind Juneteenth
WBALTV Youtube- Lewis Museum underscores history behind Juneteenth
WJZ- Baltimore’s Reginald F. Lewis Museum celebrates Black freedom on Juneteenth
WMAR Juneteenth “Day of Jubilee” celebration takes over Lewis Museum today – WMAR
WMAR YouTube- Juneteenth “Day of Jubilee” celebration takes over Lewis Museum today
CBS News- Around Town: Baltimore’s Reginald F. Lewis Museum celebrates Juneteenth – CBS News
Baltimore Magazine- The Best Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth Around Baltimore This Week
Yahoo- Juneteenth “Day of Jubilee” celebration takes over Lewis Museum today – Yahoo
Baltimore Banner- What to do in Baltimore this weekend, including AFRAM and Juneteenth events
WEAA Celebrating Culture and Community: Reginald F. Lewis Museum Marks 20 Years

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

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

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

Film Trailer Here
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