Announcing Summer Locations for Revolutionary Maryland: Freedom of the Press Then and Now Traveling Exhibition

Statewide Tour Continues for Exhibition Celebrating Importance of a Free Press to American Democracy

(Baltimore, MD) – Maryland Humanities is excited to announce the next locations for our statewide traveling exhibition, Revolutionary Maryland: Freedom of the Press Then and Now. This summer, the exhibition will be available for viewing in Frederick, Garrett, and Calvert Counties.

Protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, freedom of the press is crucial for the functioning of a healthy American democracy by ensuring an informed and engaged citizenry. The press provides diverse perspectives on important issues, empowering the public to make informed decisions. Yet, the current rise in hate speech, disinformation, and deadly attacks against journalists threatens freedom of the press on a global level. Examination of the history and role of a free press today is more important than ever before as our nation commemorates 250 years of American democracy in 2026.

Revolutionary Maryland: Freedom of the Press Then and Now first opened at the Arundel Center on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. The opening of the exhibit in Annapolis is significant as the capital city was the site of the violent Capital Gazette mass shooting in 2018. Over the course of 2026, the exhibition has continued to tour locations across the state and feature complementary humanities programs and educational initiatives about this essential American freedom.

The exhibition explores the evolution of one of our most important American freedoms from its earliest incarnation in the Maryland Colony to its role in contemporary society. The multi-panel exhibit highlights archaeological investigations undertaken at the 18th century Jonas and Anne Catherine Green printshop, the importance of inclusive journalism outlets like Afro Charities, and the persistence of local new sources like those supported by the Tiny News Collective.

As part of the Revolutionary Maryland traveling exhibition, the Frederick Book Arts Center has developed companion programming to highlight freedom of speech and print-culture history. On Saturday, July 11, they invited Seth Gottlieb, historian, museum curator, and educator, to give a public lecture on the Revolutionary’s printing press. Printers played pivotal roles in promoting and documenting the American Revolution. This talk explored the rapid technological developments that helped to advance the aims of America’s political revolution through the evolution of printing. On Saturday, August 8 at 6:00 p.m., they will host a conversation with Frank Smyth, investigative journalist, who will speak to freedom of the press in contemporary times. Frederick Book Arts Center is also hosting a summer exhibition, “America Punctuated: Contemporary Responses to 250 Years of America,” which features a critical engagement with the contradictions of what America means in 2026, 250 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “America Punctuated” will run until Sunday, August 23.

At the Garrett County Historical Society Transportation Museum in Oakland, MD, the exhibition will be accompanied by a companion exhibit in July titled, “Here Ye, Here Ye, Read All About It!” Numerous local newspapers and their history will be showcased as part of this display. In August and September, the museum will feature displays addressing local topics, including social media, online news sources, and a final display on fiction and non-fiction publications. The Garrett County Historical Society is collaborating with the Garrett County Library, and the exhibition will travel to additional selected locations throughout Garrett County. 

Concurrent with the traveling exhibit will be the rehousing and conservation of 170 boxes of artifacts associated with Archaeology in Annapolis (AIA) excavations at the Jonas Green House in the mid-1980s. This work will be overseen by the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab (MAC Lab) at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum, where the collection will ultimately be stored. The MAC Lab is conserving and curating more than 200,000 artifacts from the Green family printshop site, including the largest archaeological collection of lead printer’s type ever recovered in the United States. Artifacts associated with the Jonas and Anne Catherine printshop will be on display, demonstrating how these two were crucial colonial figures who used their printing press to champion free speech and fuel the spirit of the American Revolution. As the official printers of Maryland, they published the Maryland Gazette, providing a vital platform for revolutionary ideas and famously protesting the British Stamp Act.

The project’s culminating event will be a “Community Conversation” taking place on Wednesday, November 18 at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis, Maryland. This free public event will feature a keynote speaker followed by a moderated discussion about how citizens can reclaim the media arena as a place for the open exchange of opinion, discussion, and deliberation.

Learn more on Maryland Humanities’ website. For more information, contact Robert Forloney, Program Officer, Partnerships, at Maryland Humanities at rforloney@mdhumanities.org or (410) 463-2293.

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Revolutionary Maryland: Freedom of the Press Then and Now is a partnership between Maryland Humanities; the Maryland Historical Trust; Historic Annapolis; Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum; Afro Charities; the Tiny News Collective; and local partners, Frederick Book Arts Center and Garrett County Historical Society. Major funding for the project was provided by the Maryland Two-Fifty Commission.

About Maryland Humanities
Maryland Humanities creates and supports bold experiences that explore and elevate our shared stories to connect people, enhance lives, and enrich communities. Maryland Humanities is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities; the State of Maryland; the Citizens of Baltimore County; private foundations; corporations; small businesses; and individual donors. Connect with Maryland Humanities on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, and YouTube.