by Kandiss Edwards
April 6, 2025
The Maryland Museum will honor the life and legacy of its namesake Reginald F. Lewis.
Baltimore’s Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture is celebrating 20 years of preserving and promoting Black history.
The centerpiece of the anniversary is the newly opened exhibit, “TITAN: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis,” which will run through April 2026.The exhibit honors the life and legacy of the museum’s namesake, Reginald F. Lewis — a pioneering businessman, entrepreneur and proud member of the Divine Nine.
As part of the celebration, the museum will showcase personal items and memorabilia belonging to Lewis, who made history in the 1980s as the first Black American to close an overseas billion-dollar leveraged buyout deal with his company TLC Beatrice International Holdings.
According to the museum, “TITAN unveils the lesser-known facets of Lewis’ life, chronicling his rise from a hardworking student to a global business leader whose impact extended far beyond boardrooms. Through personal artifacts, rare photographs, and intimate narratives, visitors will gain insight into the values that shaped his character, the obstacles he overcame with resilience and strategy, and the revolutionary spirit that guided his remarkable journey.”
The exhibit highlights Lewis’s 1987 featured cover on BLACK ENTERPRISE. The issue titled “How Reginald Lewis Cut the $985 Million Beatrice Deal” digs into the businessman’s successful and groundbreaking deal.
Image BE Archives
While “TITAN” anchors the 20th anniversary celebration, the museum continues to highlight other important facets of Black history. One of its featured exhibits, “iWITNESS: Media & the Movement,” which explores the role of media in shaping the national conversation around Black American experiences.
The exhibit highlights the 60 year anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It also honors the formats – Television, Photography, and the Press – that told the stories of Black Americans and their plight.
To mark the Reginald F. Lewis Museum’s milestone, the museum will host a gala on May 8, from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the M&T Bank Exchange in Baltimore.
RELATED CONTENT: Director Of The National Museum Of African American History And Culture Is Placed On ‘Indefinite Leave’
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings