Preserving Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Join Baltimore Heritage & the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture on the evening of February 9 for “Preserving Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage,” a panel discussion and public forum from 7:00 to 8:30 PM moderated & hosted by Dr. David Terry, executive director of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. Our panelists include Dr. Gabriel Tenabe (Morgan State University) on restoring the home of long-time Baltimore NAACP President Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson, Ms. Tanya Bowers (National Trust for Historic Preservation) on the proposed National Civil Rights Heritage Trail, and Mr. Bill Pencek on the adaptive reuse of PS 103. Finally, we’ll hear the story of the Read’s Drug Store sit-in from Dr. Helena Hicks who, as a freshman at Morgan State in 1955, participated in Baltimore’s first successful sit-in protest at Read’s— a building that is currently threatened with demolition by the development of the “Superblock.”

Preserving Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Wednesday, February 9, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Free, RSVP today!

Parking for museum visitors is located across the street at the Dodge PMI Garage at 815 E. Pratt St. $6 validated parking is available. Transit options include MTA Bus 10 via President Street, Charm City Circulator Orange Route Stop 201, & the Shot Tower/Market Place Subway Station.

Join us for a second West Side Walking Tour on January 20!

Read's Drug Store in 1934, courtesy Baltimore Sun

We’re returning to the Superblock this week for a second lunchtime walking tour on why historic buildings matter to the future of a revitalized West Side and how the proposal for the Superblock threatens to demolish that future. The tour takes place on the 50th Anniversary of the 1955 sit-in at the Read’s Drug Store at Howard & Lexington Streets, so we’ll be sharing a few stories about how black and white civil rights advocates fought to provide African Americans with equal rights to shop, work, and eat on Downtown’s West Side. From the Afro American’s Orchid & Onion 1945 campaign against downtown stores that discriminated against African American customers (“Onions” discriminated against black shoppers and “Orchids” did not) to the 1955 sit-in by the Baltimore Committee on Racial Equality and the students and faculty of Morgan State, Baltimore’s Civil Rights heritage can be found throughout the historic buildings of Downtown’s West Side.

West Side Lunchtime Walking Tour | East Entrance to Lexington Market (Lexington & Eutaw Streets)

Please also join us on February 9 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for a public forum on Preserving Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage. We’ll begin the forum with short presentations by Dr. Helena Hicks, a participant in the 1955 Reads Drug Store sit-in, Dr. Gabriel Tenabe on restoring the home of long-time Baltimore NAACP President Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson, Ms. Tanya Bowers from the National Trust for Historic Preservation on the proposed National Civil Rights Heritage Trail, and more. We’ll follow the presentations with an opportunity for attendees to share their own questions and comments on how we can preserve the stories, buildings and neighborhoods tied to Baltimore’s long civil rights fight.  Stay tuned for further details on our February 9 program!

Behind the Scenes Tour of Baltimore City College

We all know the “Castle on the Hill.”  Many of us spent a good part of our young lives there. Now please join us in walking through and learning the quintessential Baltimore history of this much beloved city landmark. And, yes, Poly grads are welcome too!

Baltimore City College | 3220 The Alameda, Baltimore, MD 21218

  • Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  • Park in the school lot that is accessed from The Alameda
  • Register online today! $10 for members; $20 for non-members (please join!)

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