There has been a lot of thoughtful planning to ensure that the memorial, designed by retired Art Department Chair Oletha DeVane, is a place for members of the McDonogh community—now and in the future—to remember and reflect, learn and question, and gain a deeper understanding of this complex period of history.

The Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed was dedicated during a special ceremony attended by faculty, staff, and students on April 19, 2022.

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Baltimore Sun article chronicling Oletha DeVane's Robert & Rosetta sculpture installed at the newly reopened Lexington Market.

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The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture houses a broad collection of photographs, hand-woven patchwork quilts, military artifacts, paintings, and local children’s artwork. On the third floor is an installation with a video component honoring the more than thirty documented cases of lynchings that occurred in Maryland between 1870 and 1933. This installation is contained in a small circular room that invites the viewers to immerse themselves in an experience of hostility, brutality, and senseless violence. Created in 2005 by Oletha DeVane, Witness is an installation that stands apart from the rest of the museum.

CADVC is pleased to announce a free program featuring the celebrated artist Oletha DeVane and the brilliant curator and art historian Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims at the Baltimore Book Festival!

McDonogh School on Tuesday held a ceremony to unveil a memorial to honor the men, women, and children enslaved by the school’s founder, John McDonogh.

The Owings Mills school began planning for the memorial nearly two decades ago, when a group of teachers pushed the school to acknowledge its ties to the slave trade.

The “Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed,” designed by artist Oletha DeVane, is an outdoor garden space with a 14-foot, multilayered sculpture titled “Ascend” in the center.

The sculpture features three symbolic elements: a plinth, a pedestal similar to platforms used in slave auctions; sugar cane stalks, because John McDonogh owned sugar and cotton plantations; and a Sweetgum tree, which held an important meaning in enslaved communities.

As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to permeate every aspect of our lives, we recognize the need to take preventative measures in order to ensure the safety of our staff, our artists, and our patrons.

To honor the work of these extraordinary women, we will present a virtual tour of the show. And images and information on the artwork will be posted on the gallery website. Please follow us on social media to stay abreast of our rescheduling efforts.

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