Maryland at 250: The Values That Shape Us presents “Unfiltered: Free Speech, Creativity and Democracy”

In partnership with the Maryland’s Four Centuries Project and the Maryland Center for History and Culture, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture presents a powerful conversation on freedom of speech, one of the nation’s most essential and contested ideals.

On Thursday, September 10, 2026 at 7pm, join acclaimed author and cultural commentator  D. Watkins  and Maryland State Delegate Marlon Amprey at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for a dynamic, unscripted conversation exploring the history, meaning, and contemporary impact of free expression. Moving from the foundational principles of the First Amendment to modern legal debates surrounding creative expression including the Protecting Admissibility of Creative Expression (PACE) Act, introduced as HB 1346 by Maryland State Delegate Marlon Amprey, this dialogue will challenge audiences to consider: What does freedom of speech really mean, and who does it protect?

Serving as a key component of the Lewis Museum’s latest exhibition, The Lines We Cross: 250 Years of Maryland Forging America, this program investigates how Maryland’s African American community has historically challenged boundaries surrounding power, race, citizenship, and belonging. Combined, this exhibition and lecture series push us to contemplate: What lines have Marylanders crossed in pursuit of freedom and what lines remain before us?

At 250 years, Maryland’s story is not complete. It is still being written by those willing to question, to act, and to carry forward the work of freedom. Join us for an evening of history, insight, and purpose and take part in shaping what comes next.