The African American heroes of the Battle of Baltimore; Bmore Historic's 'unconference' approach

By Sheilah Kast,

Published September 13, 2023 at 10:20 AM EDT

Soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard) and the United States Army Field Band perform during Defenders’ Day, Baltimore’s oldest holiday, at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Md., Sept. 10, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Josue Patricio) — Soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard) and the United States Army Field Band perform during Defenders’ Day, Baltimore’s oldest holiday, at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Md., Sept. 10, 2022.

Two hundred-nine years ago, Fort McHenry withstood 25 hours of bombing by the British. We speak with Robert Stewart, assistant superintendent for Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, about the African American heroes of Defenders' Day.

Join National Park Service rangers and the fifes and drums of the Fort McHenry Guard for a parade on Friday, September 15th at 7 pm through Locust Point. Check out the full schedule of events. Learn more about the Battle of Baltimore.

Then, Bmore Historic does away with the trappings of stuffy conventions; instead, those who attend suggest topics and vote on them! We speak with Nicole King, director of UMBC’s Orser Center for the Study of Place, Community, and Culture, and Kate Drabinski, director of UMBC’s Women Involved in Learning and Leadership program.