STATEMENT ON RECENT COVERAGE OF THE REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM
April 6, 2026
The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) stands firmly in support of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture (The Lewis) and urges the public and policymakers to consider the full context of recent media coverage.
The Lewis Museum is one of only four institutions in Maryland classified as quasi-governmental agencies, a structure that reflects the State’s deliberate, foundational commitment to Black history as a public necessity rather than a discretionary one. Like many museums across the nation, The Lewis has faced declining attendance in the wake of the pandemic, a challenge shared by the cultural sector nationwide. Yet, Maryland museums collectively generate $1.3 billion in economic activity, support 18,000 jobs, and contribute nearly $320 million in local and state tax revenue annually[1]. Yet, it is The Lewis Museum, Maryland’s only institution dedicated to the preservation of Black history and culture at this scale, that faces singular public scrutiny.
We note that numerous fellow state-supported cultural institutions across Maryland, including zoos, aquariums, and historic sites, receive capital and operational funding through the State, often totaling millions of dollars annually. But none of these institutions has been subjected to a comparable per-visitor cost analysis. We ask: why is the standard applied differently here?
The Lewis Museum’s funding structure is more transparent and subject to more rigorous scrutiny precisely because it is a quasi-governmental agency with a mandated state partnership. That level of accountability is a direct result of the State’s own structural requirements, and it should be treated as evidence of responsible governance rather than weaponized.
The MCAAHC takes the responsibility of sound fiscal stewardship seriously for every publicly funded organization, and we support the museum’s ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional practices. Following its state audit, The Lewis’ leadership has reported that nearly all identified deficiencies have been addressed [2], steps that warrant acknowledgment, not dismissal.
Cultural institutions, such as The Lewis Museum, are a civic imperative. The Lewis Museum documents, interprets, and preserves the complex experiences, contributions, and culture of Black people in Maryland, housing more than 14,000 objects spanning 400 years of history. Institutions like this exist because the mainstream historical record has too often excluded Black voices. Allowing them to be undermined by selective scrutiny would be a disservice to all Marylanders.
We urge lawmakers, journalists, and the public to hold all publicly funded cultural institutions to the same standard, and to stand behind Black history not as a political talking point, but as a genuine and irreplaceable part of Maryland’s identity.
About the MCAAHC
In 1969, the Maryland General Assembly created the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) to advance awareness of African American history and culture across the State.
SOURCES