If it’s true that every person has a story, is it also true that every city has one too? What is Baltimore’s Story? What narratives have emerged since the traumatic events following the death of Freddie Gray, and what do those narratives tell us about Baltimore’s identity? Such questions are at the core of a new series of public events beginning Wednesday called Baltimore Stories: Narratives and the Life of an American City.
Joining Tom in the studio with a preview of this innovative, community-driven series are two of its guiding lights: Dr. Sheri Parks, Associate Dean at the University of Maryland's College of Arts and Humanities in College Park, and Phoebe Stein, Executive Director of the MD Humanities Council.
The public forum at Baltimore's Westminster Hall (519 Fayette Street) will bring together a diverse audience of citizens to discuss narrative, race and power. Confirmed morning speakers include David Simon (creator, writer and producer of the celebrated TV series, "The Wire") and Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, historian and executive director of the Schomburg Library. After lunch, University of Maryland historian Christopher Bonner will lead a panel of local humanists, public intellectuals, activists and the audience in a response to the morning’s ideas. Registration is free. For more information and links to sign up, click here.
