Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture

Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Established	2005
Location	803 East Pratt Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 United States
Director	Wanda Draper
Website	http://www.lewismuseum.org

Coordinates: 39°17′15″N 76°36′14″W / 39.28750°N 76.60389°W / 39.28750; -76.60389

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture is Maryland's largest museum focused on the state's African-American history and culture, as well as nationally, and on the African diaspora. A Smithsonian affiliate, the museum offers a permanent collection, rotating special exhibitions, a resource center, as well as programs such as a film series, a recurring open mic night, live music series, and family programming. The 82,000 square-foot facility also houses a museum cafe' serving soul food, a classroom, meeting spaces, and a theater.

Living history performer gives school children a peek into history as Harriett Tubman.

Collections & Exhibitions

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum tells stories of perseverance, triumph and celebration through its permanent collection. The rich contributions of African American Marylanders and is divided into three galleries:

Building Maryland, Building America: Labor and the Black Experience Gallery

The gallery explores the extraordinary economic accomplishments of African Americans, from tobacco and ironworking to education and law, often achieved against incredible odds. The exhibits explains how ancient African skills influenced laborers in Maryland. Visitors are invited to learn about the first black trade union and to try their hand at some of the most difficult occupations, including operating oyster tongs. ij0j09jk09

Things Hold, Lines Connect: African American Families and Communities in Maryland Gallery

This gallery explores the role of family and community in giving African Americans strength and connection. Visitors can learn about several Maryland families and follow their lives from slavery to freedom and equality. There are exhibits on Maryland icons such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

The Strength of the Mind: Black Art and Intellect Gallery

This gallery showcases how African American traditions of music, art, sculpture, storytelling and invention have influenced American culture. Maryland figures such as Benjamin Banneker, Eubie Blake, and Joyce Scott are highlighted.

Programs

Audiences are invited to participate in programs that relate to the museum's permanent and special exhibitions.

Third Thursdays

On the third Thursday of the month, the galleries remain open late and audiences can enjoy a live jazz show in the theater. Food from the museum cafe for purchase and a cash bar are available.

Saturday's Child

The interactive programs in this monthly series are geared towards families. Storytelling, music, movement, and hands-on crafts come together to teach children about topics ranging from African American art history, self-identity, to jazz appreciation.

Sundays @2 Films

The museum screens films every month on topics ranging from the history of soul food, to civil rights. Post-screening panel discussions often follow.

Education

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum offers programs that encourage students, educators and families to celebrate and think critically about African American history and culture in Maryland. The museum’s collection explores the African American experience and tells the universal story of the struggle for liberty, equality and self-determination.

Resource Center

The Resource Center offers genealogy research services for free to the public. The public may also peruse the reference collection with a focus on African American history and culture. Titles cover such topics as the Maryland African American experience and art history of the African Diaspora. The collection includes children’s books and the Mary Carter Smith Folklore Collection.^[1]

History

Originally designated as the Maryland Museum of African American History and Culture, the Museum's beginning was the result of a statewide analysis of existing and potential state resources related to African American heritage tourism. The analysis concluded that there was a substantial need and significant potential for a statewide museum to protect and interpret Maryland's African American history and culture. In 1998, the Maryland African American Museum Corporation was formalized as a 501 (c)(3) organization and as an independent unit of the executive branch of the State of Maryland. The 32 member Board of Directors brought an Executive Director on board to help guide the Museum to fruition.

While the State of Maryland committed $30 million toward the design and capital construction costs of the institution, the City of Baltimore donated the land on which the Museum is located. In June 2002, the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation awarded the Museum a $5 million endowment to be used in conjunction with all educational programs.^[2]

About Reginald F. Lewis

The museum is named after Baltimore, Maryland native Reginald F. Lewis. He was the first African American to build and head a billion-dollar business and the first African American to found a law firm on Wall Street. Before his death at age 50 from a brief illness, he made known his desire to support a museum of African American culture. His foundation made a $5 million gift towards the launch of the museum, which opened its doors in June 2005.^[3]

References

↑ "Resource Center | Reginald F. Lewis Museum". lewismuseum.org. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
↑ "The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture" (PDF). Spring 2012 – via black museums.org.
↑ "Reginald F. Lewis - RFL". www.reginaldflewis.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.

External links

Official Site
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture ; A Slave Ship Speaks: The Wreck of the Henrietta Marie (JSTOR registration required)
Black History, Powerfully Displayed, an article from the Washington Post
Lewis museum to open with `Slave Ship', an article from the Baltimore Sun

Ethnic history of Baltimore

Groups	African Americans Czechs French Germans Greeks Hispanics and Latinos Irish Italians Jews Koreans Lithuanians Native Americans Poles Russians Ukrainians

Ethnic enclaves	Chinatown Corned Beef Row French Town Greektown Koreatown Little Bohemia Little Italy Little Lithuania Little Poland Little Ukrainian Village Otterbein Spanish Town

Institutions	Baltimore American Indian Center Baltimore Hebrew University Bohemian National Cemetery Christ United Church of Christ Concordia Hall Grand Lodge Č.S.P.S. of Baltimore Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation Hebrew Orphan Asylum Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church Holy Rosary Church Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church Jewish Museum of Maryland Lithuanian Hall National Great Blacks In Wax Museum National Slavic Museum Oblate Sisters of Providence Otterbein Church Our Lady of Pompeii Church Polish Home Hall Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture Royal Theatre St. Alphonsus Church St. Casimir Church St. Elizabeth of Hungary St. Francis Xavier Church St. Leo's Church St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church St. Peter the Apostle Church Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church St. Vincent de Paul Church St. Wenceslaus in Baltimore Transfiguration of our Lord Russian Orthodox Church Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association Building Zion Lutheran Church

Events	Baltimore riot of 1968 2015 Baltimore protests

Media	Ethnic press in Baltimore (Baltimore Afro-American Baltimore Jewish Times Baltimore Wecker Latin Opinion Telegraf Where What When)

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