African American Women and Style: Constructing Femininity, Embracing Agency

From the founding of Georgetown in 1751 to the visual culture of the twenty-first century, African Americans in the District of Columbia have used style as a form of agency. African American women in Washington, D.C., expressed their culture through fashion and adornment—wearing their finest clothing, embracing distinct cultural aesthetics, and projecting competence to those outside their community. By establishing new canons of style, they also communicated capability, intelligence, and status within their own communities. This panel will discuss how agency and style were more than keys to success; they were essential for the cultural survival of African American women across three centuries.

On Wednesday, May 13th from 6-7pm join Heurich Humanities Scholar in Residence fellow, Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, for a talk and Q&A on her research. 

Details: 

• Free, RSVP required 

• Doors open at 5:45 pm

• Museum biergarten opens at 4pm and will remain open until 8pm. Guests are welcome to bring beverages to discussion. 

About Elizabeth Clark-Lewis:

Dr. Elizabeth Clark-Lewis is Emerita Director of Public History at Howard University and a distinguished scholar of African American history and public history. A former Director of Graduate Studies in Howard’s History Department, she has led major historical organizations and co-founded the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Association. Her award-winning books and PBS documentary work explore Black migration, emancipation, women’s history, and cultural memory. Clark-Lewis received a PhD Honoris Causa from Howard University and holds degrees from Howard and the University of Maryland.

About the Panel:

Dr. Abena Lewis-Mhoon is a Professor of History at Coppin State University whose research explores African American women, media, sociology, and cultural aesthetics. In Foraging Fashion: African American Influences on Cultural Aesthetics, she examines how African American design shaped American culture despite systemic exclusion from recognition within the fashion industry.

Ms. Beverly Lindsay-Johnson is an Emmy Award-winning television producer, curator, and entertainment consultant dedicated to preserving African American history through documentary storytelling. A former Howard University and WHUT-TV producer, she has earned numerous industry honors for documentaries celebrating Black music, dance, and cultural history in Washington, DC.

Dr. Darnella McGuire-Nelson, an Alexandria, Virginia resident, is a leadership coach and conflict-resolution expert focused on equity, safe communities, and authentic dialogue. An Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation, she advocates for minority inclusion, youth engagement, and global community empowerment while advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

About the Humanities Scholar in Residence Fellowship: 

The Heurich Humanities Scholar in Residence Fellowship program is open to DC residents working on books that expand our understanding of Washington, DC history, and whose projects will benefit directly from the additional resources provided by the Heurich House Museum. The Museum appoints two Residence Fellowships per year, during which Fellows are each given use of a private furnished studio space in the Museum. The Residence Fellows also share their work at two public programs a year at the museum. This opportunity is not limited to people with a Ph.D. or other terminal degree.