Event Information

4-6 pm: activities, demonstrations, dinner reception

Experience the lives of Black artisans enslaved at Montpelier through modern representations. Learn how archaeologists incorporate the past and present to tell the stories of underrepresented people.

6:30 pm: descendent discussion panel

Listen to descendants of those enslaved at Montpelier share their journeys and the lasting impacts of enslavement on today’s society.

7:45 pm: fireside community conversation

Join us fireside for continuing conversations on experiences and perspectives of the day.

We are honored to welcome genealogists and historians Irving Gather, Sandra Johnson, and Natalie Thomas for the discussion panel.

Sandra Johnson, historian and long-time parishioner of Saint Mark’s United Methodist Church, brings deep knowledge of the church’s history—founded in 1890 by formerly enslaved people and their descendants. Her work helps preserve and uplift the voices of Laurel’s Black community, illuminating the resilience, faith, and cultural continuity that have shaped generations.

Irving Gather and Natalie Thomas are descendants of individuals who were enslaved at Montpelier in Laurel, Northern Prince George’s County, Maryland. Their presence brings a powerful and personal connection to the history being explored—offering lived perspectives that deepen our understanding of the legacy of enslavement and its enduring impact on families and communities today.

We are proud to welcome a group of talented guest artisans whose work is inspired by ancestral traditions and cultural heritage. They will lead hands-on mini-workshops and demonstrations that invite reflection, creativity, and connection.

Michael Iheakanwa and friends will share elements of Nigerian Igbo heritage through language lessons and traditional face painting—offering an immersive experience in cultural preservation and innovation.

Sonya McKenney, museum collections manager and fashion enthusiast, will lead a vibrant silk scarf dyeing and embellishment activity that celebrates self-expression and style.

Imani Russell, textile artist, will guide participants in creating quilt squares using reclaimed fabric—honoring the legacy of storytelling through cloth and community quilting.

Fred Tutman: Frederick Tutman is a native Marylander who has been involved in “m e t a l health” for about 15 years. What began as a practical hobby while repairing legacy agricultural equipment on his family’s centennial farm, then morphed into a deeper fascination with metallurgy, and its many connections to both ancient and modern civilization. Blacksmithing pursuits eventually lead him into welding, plasma cutting, braising and other ways to turn everyday scrap metal into art…or useful things. In his day job, Fred is the founder of Patuxent Riverkeeper, an organization advocating for conservation of the State’s longest and deepest inside-the-state waterway. He has been a resident Blacksmith at Patuxent River Park (Rural Life Museum), and the Howard Conservancy. He is a member of the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland.