Baltimore Heritage

In mentally gearing up for this year’s holiday season, have you ever wondered which Baltimore holiday traditions have changed over the years and which have stayed the same? Join Baltimore historian and educator Wayne R. Schaumburg for a talk on "Christmas In Old Baltimore" to get a little insight. Mr. Schaumburg will focus on some of Baltimore’s great holiday customs from the 1940s to the 1960s, including downtown shopping, visiting Santa, the Toytown Parade, firehouse train gardens, and even our favorite holiday topic to quibble over: aluminum trees. We hope you can join us!

Nashville, August 1920: Thirty-five states have ratified the Nineteenth Amendment, twelve have rejected or refused to vote, and one last state is needed. It all comes down to Tennessee, the moment of truth for the suffragists, after a seven-decade crusade. Join us as author Elaine Weiss discusses her new book “The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote” where she tells the story of activists winning their own freedom in one of the last campaigns forged in the shadow of the Civil War, and the beginning of the great twentieth-century battles for civil rights.

Join Baltimore historian and educator Wayne R. Schaumburg as we look at Baltimore's role in the American Revolution. Discover our town's unique response to the Stamp Act crisis. Learn about a group of soldiers called the Maryland 400, many of whom were from Baltimore, that saved Washington's army at the Battle of Long Island. Did you know that Baltimore was the capital of the United States for three months? Finally we answer the burning question: did George Washington sleep here?

For more than two centuries and for almost two million people, Baltimore was the destination that promised hope and opportunity--a new life. For this talk, historian Jack Burkert will discuss the realities of immigrating to America. Beginning in the 18th century, and accelerating through the 19th century, immigrants provided the labor force necessary for Baltimore to become an industrial powerhouse. Throughout the 20th century, new arrivals from other parts of America continued to fuel Baltimore’s growth. Who were these people? Where were they from? Why did they leave home? We hope you’ll join us to explore these questions and more at this lecture!