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Themed Tours for Schools and Youth Groups
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture offers educational tours that explore the African American experience from the perspective of the state’s and nation’s past and present residents, their many communities, and historical contributions. The ongoing pursuit of justice and equal access by African Americans has influenced the fabric of American society and its culture.

Themed tours of the Museum’s exhibitions will enrich the cross-cultural learning of every young visitor and deepen the appreciation for the struggles waged and opportunities shared by Americans of every culture and background throughout our state and national history. Teachers will be pleased to know that tours of the Museum are intended to complement lessons created in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education, An African American Journey: A Resource Learning the History of African Americans in Maryland and the United States, and are linked with the Voluntary State Curriculum for social studies, language arts and fine arts.

The Museum offers free and reduced admission for educational tours. All school groups must schedule their visits at least three weeks in advance. Guided Tours are available for groups of ten or more elementary, middle, and high school students on Tuesday through Friday beginning at 10:00 am. Tours generally last 90 minutes. Audio Tours are also available with scheduled docents at hand in the galleries. Please advise museum staff of your group’s particular interests or needs when you reserve your visit.

Heritage 
Grade Levels: 3-12
Experience the rich, cultural heritage of Maryland’s African American community. Learn how African Americans established and influenced social organizations, work traditions and artistic customs.  Examine shipbuilders, watermen and sail makers who labored on the Chesapeake.  Investigate the art of African Americans in quilting, painting and crafts. Hear some of the great musicians that created jazz music on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Pioneers and Trailblazers
Grade Levels: 3-12
Discover African American pioneers and leaders who contributed to Maryland’s history through labor, the arts, education, politics and community activism.  Charter a new frontier with Benjamin Banneker and Matthew Henson in the world of science and exploration.  See how entrepreneurs Isaac Myers and Reginald F. Lewis excelled in the world of business. Examine the lives of Joshua Johnston and Eubie Blake who contributed to the arts. Meet activists Verda Freeman Welcome and Lillie Carroll Jackson who fought for equality and justice. 

Paths to Freedom
Grade Levels: 4-12
What was the institution of slavery like for the African American community in Maryland? Explore the story of slavery through the eyes of enslaved and free blacks from Maryland’s colonial past through the end of the Civil War.  Examine the contributions of Maryland freedom fighters including Harriet Tubman and Josiah Henson.  Learn about the participation of the African American community in the Underground Railroad in Maryland. Discover the role of black soldiers in the Civil War and their quest for freedom.

The Fight for Justice
Grade Levels: 4-12
Examine the contributions made by Maryland African Americans in the battle for social justice in the Civil Rights Movement. Delve into self-help methods used by the African American community to dissolve segregation. Hear about activists Lillie Carroll Jackson, Juanita Jackson Mitchell and Carl Murphy who fought for racial equality. Learn about attorney Thurgood Marshall and the legal strategies used to fight Jim Crow in Maryland prior to Brown v. Board of Education.