The story of Chesapeake pirates and patriots begins with a land dispute and ends with the untimely death of an oyster dredger at the hands of the Maryland Oyster Navy. From the golden age of piracy to Confederate privateers and oyster pirates, the maritime communities of the Chesapeake Bay are intimately tied to a fascinating history of intrigue, plunder and illicit commerce raiding. Author Jamie L.H. Goodall introduces those whose tales of piracy are legendary from the harbor of Baltimore to the shores of Cape Charles. Her talk will focus...

Our Nation’s newest National Marine Sanctuary, which encompasses more than 100 vessels constructed by the civilian U.S. Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corp. during WWI. Discuss the importance of the area to the First Nation’s peoples, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, WWI and WWII, and the Great Depression. Review history of Mallows Bay commercial fishing through the centuries. Uncover the many reasons to visit this peaceful enclave just 30 miles south of the nation’s capital, including excellent fishing and birdwatching. Presenter: Dr. Susan Langley | Maryland State Underwater Archaeologist  Susan Langley...

Join MFA and art historian Wil Scott as the Maryland Federation of Art sits down with Allen Hirsh. Hirsh uses his own software to generate mathematically altered images of the physically world, creating surreal art with startling structures. This event is free to attend.

It’s time to speak of chocolate, a treasure and a love! Learn about the history of chocolate from its ancient beginnings in Meso-America through the centuries to the modern day. This interactive presentation by Joyce White will focus on how chocolate has changed through time both in terms of its cultural value and how mechanization has altered its production process over time. A timeline of how chocolate evolved as an ingredient in recipes will also be explored. Celebrate Valentine’s Day with this fascinating lecture about the holiday's favored delectable delicacy. Registration required. Cost: $15 per...

Join a discussion and analysis of Bodine’s Pictorialist style by photographers Robert W. Madden and Wilford Scott and Art Educator Lucinda Edinberg. This event is free and open to the public. Link will be posted prior to event.

Hosts: Presented by The Maryland State Archives in collaboration with The Enoch Pratt Free Library and The Maryland Four Centuries Project Speaker: Elaine Rice Bachmann, Deputy State Archivist and Maya Davis, Research Archivist, Legacy of Slavery in Maryland Location: Online Event, View Stream Information Registration: Encouraged, but not required. Register Here Description: In February 2020, statues of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were dedicated in the Maryland State House. The story of how these two individuals--the most historically important Marylanders in American history--came to be included among the works of...

Review the battle between the British and French navies at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in September 1781. Explore the event that would spell the end of the American Revolution and independence for the American colonies. Examine how the battle reflected global politics rather than solely regional ones. Presenter: Dr. Bill Cogar | Executive Director of Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA), Author With a doctorate from Oxford University, Dr. Cogar was a Professor of Naval History at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1983 to 1998, the last four years...

Online Lecture by Joyce M. White, food historian. Learn about the history of cane sugar in its many forms from Muscovado to Lisbon to Loaf.  An interactive presentation will review how sugar has evolved over time from its introduction to Medieval England up until the Victorian days.  Learn the many ways sugar has been incorporated into meals for medicinal, culinary, and decorative purposes. Registration is required

A continuation of our popular Brock Environmental Center Learning Series in a webinar format, adapting to address a critical issue in these challenging times. The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, enacted more than 30 years ago, was designed to curb nutrient and sediment pollution to the Chesapeake Bay through sound land-use practices that minimize the disturbance and development of environmentally-sensitive coastal areas. Proposed new regulations under the Bay Act are being fleshed out right now to encourage and promote the preservation and planting of trees, as well as adaptation to sea-level...

Dr. Richard Bell returns to Historic Annapolis to present another engaging and enlightening lecture. Frederick Douglass was a visionary—a prophet who could see a better future that lay just beyond reach. His talents were nothing short of extraordinary and he put his exceptional gifts to use in the service of freedom, driving American slavery into the grave. After the carnage of the Civil War, he played a central role in the re-founding of American Republic as well, and spent decades afterwards defending and perfecting it. Douglass, though, is so much...

Presentation by Barbara Goyette, Hammond-Harwood House Executive Director Through 19th and early 20th century testimonies, memoirs, and interviews with those formerly enslaved, we can begin to learn about life under slavery. Each source of slave narratives has a history of its own to consider in interpreting these stories. Registration is required.

Join the Banneker-Douglass Museum as we present a discussion on the evolution of the identity of the Black Family. In alignment with the Association for African American Life and History’s (ASALH) annual theme, The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity, this dialogue between Director Chanel Compton and Mr. Matt Prestbury, founder of The Black Father Foundation, will explore the uniqueness of the Black family structure; past, present and future.

Explore the prospects of the 2021 America’s Cup set for March and the 2021 Olympic Games postponed by the pandemic. Sail ahead to the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games to get a glimpse of what those games have in store. Hear stories of inspiration through overcoming adversity, life lessons, and the joy of sailing. Presenter: Gary Jobson | World-renowned Sailor, Author, Columnist, and Commentator Gary Jobson is a sailor, television commentator and author based in Annapolis, Maryland. He is a past Vice President of the International Sailing Federation and past...

The Hammond-Harwood House Museum and Chase Home invite guests to an hour long tour that explores the two architectural treasures in downtown Annapolis. The tour will cover architectural details and the longstanding social history that connects these two great houses on Maryland Avenue. Tour will be held outside, socially distanced with masks. Registration is required. Price: $20.

Are you looking for ways to celebrate Black authors and their books during Black History Month and year-round? This session will explore why Black representation in books matters, share tips for having courageous conversations about race with young children, and offer recommendations of board books, picture books, and early chapter books. Register here. This program is presented in partnership with the Anne Arundel County Public Libraries

Christopher Haley will present “The Legacy of Slavery in Maryland,” including references to records and statistics the research program has unearthed since its study began at the Maryland State Archives in 2001. From the day that Mathias de Sousa and Francisco landed in St. Mary’s county aboard the Ark and the Dove in 1634, Black Marylanders have made significant contributions to both the state and nation in the political, economic, agricultural, legal, and domestic arenas. Despite what often seemed like insurmountable odds, Marylanders of Color have adapted, evolved, and prevailed....

Join historian Willa Banks for a thought-provoking afternoon talk, Revealing the Enslaved Presence at Hammond-Harwood House in the 1800s. Newly discovered evidence has shown that three to five enslaved persons resided at Hammond-Harwood House for a period of time. A discussion of these findings combined with the known experiences of domestic servants in America provides not only an identity to each enslaved individual, but also it offers a glimpse into the demands on their daily lives while serving the owners of this colonial style home. Willa Banks has centered her...

Striped bass populations have fallen, and as conservation measures intended to rebuild their population seem to be falling short, there’s been a rather amazing increase in the number and diversity of warm-weather species visiting the Bay’s waters each summer. Learn which types of warm-water fish are now being found in our local waters on a regular basis. For Chesapeake anglers, “times they are a changing”! Presenter: Lenny Rudow | Angler in Chief at Rudow’s FishTalk Magazine, Author, and Editor Lenny Rudow has been a writer and editor in the marine...

A virtual tea party can be as simple as two friends sharing a cup of tea while chatting on the phone. You can cook along with Alba or just watch on your computer. Chef Alba will be creating an assortment of bite-sized fancy tea sandwiches and a sweet dessert. Pair it up with your favorite tea and teacup!

This interview, followed by a Q&A period, will provide the backstory on the work and creativity of A. Aubrey Bodine’s photography exhibited in salons and the “Brown Pages” of the Baltimore Sun. Free and open to the public. Link information will be posted prior to event.