BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2011
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Jewel-encrusted pen cases are among the artifacts now on display at the Walters. More on page 33.
Museum brings Civil War history to life cuses on the reunification of the country, which some say is not still complete.
Maryland and the war Maryland sent 60,000 men to serve in the Union Army. More than 20,000 more served in the Confederacy. The human stories of these men and women are told by bringing letters to life with contemporary technology, such as 3D videos and interactive exhibits. In addition, hundreds of rare objects are displayed, many of them for the first time since the 19th century. These include Robert E. Lee’s camp chair, John Brown’s carbine, Abraham Lincoln memorabilia, and compelling photographs of the period. But it is the Maryland Historical Society Players who add a new dimension to the exhibit. Museum Director Burt Kummerow was the impetus behind the establishment of the Players. “In my experience in museum work, I’ve found that live interpretation brings artifacts and objects to life and enhances the museum experience for visitors,” he said. To implement his vision, Kummerow contacted Dale Jones, a resident of Glenwood, Md., who is well-versed in museum theater, having previously developed interpretive programs for Baltimore’s former City Life Museums. Jones currently has his own company, Making History Connections, through which he consults with museums and historic sites across the country in their ef-
Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliances Everything and anything is sold on
Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 6:30-8 a.m. on 680 WCBM
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
By Carol Sorgen Unless you’re an expert on Maryland’s Civil War history, you might not know anything about Christopher Fleetwood. But you should. This free black man of Baltimore led other black soldiers into battle and earned the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1864 for his bravery. Other Marylanders, such as Clara Barton and Harriet Tubman, also played significant roles in the Civil War. Now, you can meet them all at the Maryland Historical Society, where these heroes and heroines (and more infamous notables, such as John Wilkes Booth) have come to life through the newly formed Maryland Historical Society Players. This six-actor troupe, under the co-direction of Harriet Lynn and Dale Jones, perform every weekend at the Historical Society Museum, in conjunction with the museum’s exhibit, “Divided Voices: Maryland in the Civil War.” The exhibit is Maryland’s largest and most comprehensive about the Civil War, occupying more than 5,000 square feet. It effectively relates the impact of the war on the people of Maryland in personal terms. The exhibit tells the story of the war in three “acts” — the romantic war, the real war, and the long reunion. The romantic war covers the first year or so of the conflict, when both sides saw the war as an adventure and patriotic duty. The real war, over the next three years of bloodshed, left hundreds of thousands of young men dead. And the long reunion fo-
In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the Maryland Historical Society Players portray notable Civil War figures from Maryland, including Christopher Fleetwood, a freed slave who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor.
forts to create personal connections that are meaningful and engaging. “Museum theater allows audiences to connect emotionally and intellectually to the objects they are seeing,” said Jones. “It’s a way to bring the human element to history.” Co-director Harriet Lynn agrees. Lynn has been involved in museum theater for
more than 15 years, working with organizations such as the Jewish Museum of Maryland. After a recent performance at the Historical Society, a member of the audience wrote that she had been moved to tears. “If you See CIVIL WAR, page 32