Podcasts

Ever imagine that our own home movies could be collected and preserved for future generations to explore? Siobhan Hagan, president and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Moving Image Archive, tells us about the value of audiovisual preservation.

A new Maryland Humanities-supported exhibition from the Jewish Museum of Maryland reflects on the history and impact of Auschwitz—the town, the concentration camps, and the Memorial Museum— as well as its significance to us today. Deborah Cardin, Deputy Director of Programs and Development at the Jewish Museum of Maryland, tells us more.

What do Malcolm X and Julius Caesar have in common? A Maryland Humanities-grant funded project from the Towson University Department of Theatre Art explores the connections between the two in classes, workshops, staged readings, and other public events that relate to the themes of Julius Caesar and X, the newly commissioned play about Malcolm X. Ian Belknap, artistic director from the Acting Company, tells us more.

What can found oyster shells tell us about an area’s past inhabitants? Dr. Julia King, professor of anthropology at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, shares how she and her students are delving into the history of Secowocomoco, a farmland in St. Mary’s County in Southern Maryland.

On February 11, in commemoration of Black History Month, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum will host the Black Memorabilia Fine Art and Craft Show. Lindsey Johnson, producer of this annual event, tells us about the importance of sharing and preserving black memorabilia.

How has the labor force changed in Maryland throughout the years? We’re bringing a new Smithsonian traveling exhibition, The Way We Worked, to five communities in Maryland this year and companion exhibitions will uncover the unique history of work in our state. Allegany Museum Board member Dr. Nayano Taylor-Neumann tells us about the history of work in Allegany County, the first stop on the tour.

Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and State Humanities Councils nationwide, brings high-quality traveling exhibits to small communities across the country. Over the next year, the Maryland Humanities will bring the labor-focused Smithsonian traveling exhibit The Way We Worked to five small communities across Maryland, beginning February 4 in Allegany County. Carol Harsh, Director of Museum on Main Street, tells us more about how this program impacts the small communities it serves.

From local history to living history, the arts to architecture, Maryland is host to hundreds of museums statewide, many of which are small and led by teams of dedicated volunteers. Every Maryland County has a historical society, complimented by dozens of local historical groups. Much like libraries, small museums connect to their communities in unique ways. Lindsey Baker, the Executive Director of the Laurel Historical Society provides her thoughts on the role of small museums and those who dedicate their time to exploring our local heritage.

Renowned contemporary artist William Christenberry passed away in November, leaving behind a lasting legacy of work capturing the indomitable human spirit. Kimberly Gladfelter Graham, curator of a Maryland Humanities-supported exhibition on Christenberry’s work, “Laying-by Time,” at the Maryland Institute College of Art, tells us more about Christenberry and his work.

How did the B&O Railroad affect the entire course of Baltimore’s economic growth? Matt Crenson, professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins University and author of an upcoming book on the political history of Baltimore, tells us more.