Why did it take until November of 1864 for Maryland to end slavery, nearly two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation? The Reginald F. Lewis Museum presents historian C.R. Gibbs in his talk "A Hard Road to Freedom: The Civil War, African Americans, and Emancipation" on Saturday, October 29, 2016, in honor of Maryland Emancipation Day. Gibbs will examine the key factors in this prolonged political struggle involving divisions among the state’s political parties, the plight of African American Marylanders prior to emancipation and the heroic role black soldiers played in the Civil War.

“The museum has organized aMaryland Emancipation Anniversary lecturesince 2006, making this the 10th annual talk. We are honored to have Mr. Gibbs commemorate the occasion with us. The museum's Maryland Emancipation lecture honors the contributions of the first generation of free African American Marylanders after emancipation. They founded early black institutions such as schools, churches, and communities that formed the bedrock for African Americans for generations that followed. On a larger scale, we hope the anniversary inspires individuals to learn about their own family trees and discover that first generation in their personal histories that achieved freedom,” said Lisa Crawley, resource center manager of the museum.

Gibbs is an award-winning historian, humanities scholar and exhibitor of artifacts. He is noted for writing researching, and narrating Sketches in Color, a 13-part companion series to the acclaimed PBS series, The Civil War. He has received an Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation in Public Education by the Mayor of the District of Columbia, honored by the Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust, and named one of the “50 most influential people in Washington, D.C.” by the Washington Informer.

This event is included with museum admission. Guests can RSVP at http://bit.ly/2cEDWKk. For more information please 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 series, and family programming. For more information on the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, visit www.lewismuseum.org or call 443-263-1800.