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Five Minutes of Baltimore History
Hosted by Johns Hopkins

Five Minutes of Baltimore History hosted by Johns Hopkins is a storytelling series that reveals the lives and legacies behind Baltimore’s neighborhoods, landmarks, and leaders. Episodes run as short, compelling vignettes that invite listeners to discover how Baltimore’s heritage and historic places have shaped our city and our nation.
Episodes can be heard on WYPR at 4:44 p.m on Tuesdays.
Visit Baltimore Heritage online

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Latest Episodes
  • Johns Hopkins stands outside Kimmy's Carry-out, undoubtedly waiting for his tasty Lake Trout
    Lake Trout
    The history of Lake Trout, a quintessential Baltimore food that's deep fried, delicious, and definitely not trout!
  • two views of St Frances Academy, the oldest predominately African-American Catholic school in the country.
    St Frances Academy
    Started in 1828, St. Frances Academy is the oldest predominantly African American Catholic high school in the country.
  • Henry Box Brown shipped himself to freedom
    The Underground Railroad and the B&O Railroad
    History shows that enslaved people used the B&O Railroad as part of the Underground Railroad.
  • Left: A contemporary quilt made by students and staff at St Francis Neighborhood Center using tradional methods and motifs of West Baltimore life; Right: Details of the Stansbury quilt
    Baltimore Album Quilts
    Baltimore album quilts were created to be showcased on walls and often featured iconic Baltimore scenes like the Battle Monument or Clipper ships, as well as symbols from everyday life.
  • An example of a painted screen in Baltimore featuring iconic images like the Baltimore Oriole bird and the Patterson Park Pagoda
    Painted Screens
    Painted window screens are a unique folk art tradition in Baltimore, started in 1913 by a grocer to display produce without putting it outdoors.
  • A copy of the Green Book 1963-64 edition, similar to the one in which travelers could find Mrs Watson's West Baltimore Tourist Home.
    Mrs. Watson's Tourist Home
    During Jim Crow segregation, the Green Books helped African American motorists find hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other safe places to patronize, including Mrs. Watson's Tourist Home.
  • A dashing bronze figure stands guard at the Mitchell Courthouse in downtown Baltimore.
    Cecil Calvert Statue
    Who is that handsome man outside the Mitchell Courthouse?
  • The Entrance to the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, which opened in 1957.
    The Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
    The Harbor Tunnel is a 1.4 mile, four-lane tunnel opened in November 1957. At the time, the tunnel was considered an engineering marvel.
  • Johns Hopkins of Baltimore Heritage stands in front of the Shake N Bake Family Fun Center on Pennsylvania
    Shake N Bake Family Fun Center
    Shake & Bake Family Fun Center is a fabulous neighborhood recreation center and gathering place in Upton.
  • An original flier for a show at The Marble Bar from the 1980s from the Morgan/Goldsmith archives
    The Marble Bar
    The Marble Bar in Baltimore, once a hotspot for punk rock and new wave bands, has been vacant for years. But what a history!