Powerful Performance Kicks Of f Lewis Celebration 


The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture will hold a festive celebration weekend Dec. 6-9. The festivities begin with events in honor of the Museum’s namesake, Reginald F. Lewis (1942-1993), and climax with a gala honoring our former board chairman, and long-time advocate, George L. Russell Jr. We are honored to offer a powerful, moving theatrical performance, Miracle in Rwanda, to kick off the weekend. Actress Leslie Lewis Sword portrays Immaculee Ilibagiza, a woman who suffers unspeakable losses amid the turmoil and drama of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, and yet somehow manages to hold on to her humanity. This internationally renowned play is based upon actual accounts. We will offer three performances of Miracle in Rwanda over the course of the weekend.

Other highlights from the celebration weekend include a VIP Birthday Bash at the Museum on Dec. 7, which would have been Reginald Lewis’ 65th birthday. His family and friends will come together to celebrate his life and honor his memory. The keynote address will be delivered by entrepreneur Robert L. Johnson. Continuing that theme of remembrance, Mr. Lewis’ former colleagues and friends will lead a discussion forum on his life and legacy on Dec. 8. This event is free to the public with museum admission.

We will cap the weekend with a grand affair, the Museum’s 2007 Gala, Dec. 9. As a theme for this year’s gala, we will honor George L. Russell Jr. George served as our founding board chairman (1998-2006). He raised millions of dollars in support of the museum. He has advocated tirelessly on our behalf for more than a decade. We owe him a great debt of thanks; we intend to show him how much we appreciate all he’s done. David Taft Terry, Ph.D. is executive director of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. Leslie Lewis Sword portrays Immaculée Ilibagiza, a woman who suffers unspeakable losses amid the turmoil and drama of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Reprinted from The Afro-American Newspaper