Baltimore Heritage

The philanthropist Johns Hopkins has shaped Baltimore perhaps like no other individual, from founding the university and hospital that bear his name to his role in shaping the B&O Railroad and making Baltimore an economic boom town in the 19th century. In a new book, The Ghosts of Johns Hopkins: The Life and Legacy that Shaped an American City, Baltimore author Antero Pietila explores how Hopkins and his legacy also impacted the racial patterns and climate of our city. This legacy includes Hopkins personally championing neighborhood clearance efforts in the 1800s to make way for new mercantile buildings to the myriad ways that the Hopkins institutions have impacted city-shaping efforts like urban renewal in the 1950s and revitalization programs today. Join Mr. Pietila as he shares his newest work exploring race and community in Baltimore.