Location: West Baltimore

Join us for a celebration of Baltimore’s Black history and its burgeoning future. Enjoy delicious soul food that celebrates Maryland’s culinary significance on the lawn of the historic Upton Mansion. Afro Charities Executive Director and 5th generation descendant of the founders of the AFRO American Newspapers, Savannah Wood, will showcase archival materials from the paper, Maryland’s oldest Black-owned business. The collection includes more than 3 million photographs, thousands of letters, and rare ephemera from the company’s 131 years in business. Marvel at the Greek Revival architecture of the Upton Mansion in a private tour of the archives’ future home, currently under renovation.

This event will also feature archival materials and plans for renovations from Public School (PS) 103, formally a segregated elementary school for African-American children notably attended Thurgood Marshall, and the future home of the community center named for the first African American Supreme Court Justice.

Come honor the history of these two buildings, their significance in the Upton neighborhood, and their future as vibrant centers for the celebration of Black history and culture. Get a sneak peek of these incredible projects before they are complete and the archives that will be housed within them.