With the recent murder of a promising Bowie State University African American male student over the weekend potentially being classified as a hate crime; the climate of harsh race relations and harmful stereotypes of African American males is being placed front and center right here in Maryland.

In the face of so much negative news about African American males, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum seeks to continue it’s mission of shining light on the full story of the African American experience here in Maryland. The Lewis exhibit, Sons, focuses on the often false negative perceptions of African American males and their true stories of success. Each participant is offered up as what you may perceive them to be and then the next image reveals what they really are: thugs are revealed to be college students and dangerous individuals are shown to be doctors and most importantly dads to a new generation of African American males staring down these same stereotypes and blowing them up with success, hard work, integrity and spirituality.

With so much of the narrative on African American males focusing on the negative The Reginald F. Lewis seeks through its, Sons, exhibit and through its many programs and events like its upcoming Story Time and Arts Hour: Celebrating Black Dads and the book release of Baltimore’s own Devin Allen A Beautiful Ghetto to change the story.

Our Executive Director, Wanda Draper, is available to speak to you about the museum’s important work trying to change the perception of African American males. She can take you on a guided tour of the exhibit Sons for your audience and also talk about what we are doing on a daily basis to promote and educate the community on the tremendous value African American males bring to the culture of Maryland. You can preview the exhibit here - https://vimeo.com/185503096. For more information on Sons visit www.lewismuseum.org .

About the Reginald F. Lewis Museum

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture highlights the history and accomplishments of African Americans, with a special focus on Maryland. A Smithsonian affiliate, the museum engages visitors through its permanent and special exhibitions, resource center, as well as programs such as its film series, live music performances, and family programming. For more information on the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, call 443-263-1800 or visit www.lewismuseum.org.