May's Revolution@250 episode is here, focusing on the free press – and how ideas around free expression and freedom of speech impacted generations of Marylanders. We’ll explore how this core value of the revolutionary generation was embraced by Black Marylanders and the legacy of the Baltimore Afro-American, the longest-running African-American family-owned newspaper in the United States, established in 1892.

Joining us today is Savannah Wood, an artist with deep roots in Baltimore and Los Angeles. As the Executive Director of Afro Charities, Wood is leading the charge to increase access to the 130+-year-old AFRO American Newspapers’ extensive archives. In this role, she has shepherded the organization through a period of historic growth, initiated new programming, and attracted support from national funders including the Mellon Foundation, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and The Ruth Foundation.

In this conversation, we’ll explore how the landscape of a free press in Maryland evolved, the challenges faced by the founders of the Baltimore Afro-American, and how the revolutionary concept of free speech was utilized by Black Americans to advocate, develop community, and document their experience in newspapers in Baltimore and beyond.

Jennifer Sieck (she/her) has been sharing stories of metropolitan Washington, D.C., through the Anacostia Community Museum’s collection and archives since 2018. In addition to curating We Make History, her recent projects include DC Women Speak and spotlights on D.C. artists and
musicians. She holds an interdisciplinary PhD from George Washington University, specializing in African American literature and history.

We Make History opens on May 30, 2026, the 185th anniversary of the day Adam Francis Plummer began his diary, one of the centerpieces of the show. It closes in January 2028. More info at https://anacostia.si.edu/wemakehistory

Join us as we explore the history of women's roles in America's early air defense system during World War II with public historian and museum professional Anne Dobberteen. Today's episode focuses on the hidden figures behind the aircraft warning service in Washington, D.C.