NEA BIG READ
WITH SANDY SPRING MUSEUM
WITH SANDY SPRING MUSEUM
September 2024 - June 2025
Sandy Spring Museum is pleased to be a part of the 2024-2025 season of the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read. In collaboration with community partners including Montgomery County Public Libraries, MoCo Underground Writers Showcase, Olive Branch Community Church, and others, exploring where we live and how history impacts our daily lives through 10 months of public programming and two exhibits.
This project aligns with Sandy Spring Museum’s mission by inspiring meaningful conversations that celebrate local cultural heritage and elevate diverse voices and perspectives. Programming highlights regional Black history and Black and POC artists through workshops, speaker events, discussion groups, and more taking place in venues across the county.
30+
Programs
2
Museum Exhibitions
What are we reading?
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.
This critically acclaimed dual-narrative historical fiction novel explores how history impacts our daily lives and identities. Described as “a novel in short stories” (LA Times), Gyasi covers over two-centuries of intercontinental history through glimpses into the lives of two Ghanaian sisters—one trafficked into slavery in the United States, one married to an English governor in West Africa—and their descendants.
Friday September 20
at Sandy Spring Museum
A kickoff event with a giveaway of copies of Homegoing and introductory comments from representatives of SSM and key partner organizations with a keynote by historian Anthony Cohen. Followed by a social hour to mix and mingle with artists and organizations participating in the program.
NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
Sandy Spring Museum is participating in the NEA Big Read in collaboration with Montgomery County Public Libraries, Olive Branch Community Church, and MoCo Underground Writers Showcase.
To explore the events taking place and their locations, click the Places tab and the Events or Exhibit tab.
at Sandy Spring Museum
2024
WORKSHOP
Beginners Writing Workshop:
Harvest and Preservation
October 20, 2024
at Sandy Spring Museum
PERFORMANCE
Yogini
December 15, 2024
at Sandy Spring Museum
2025
WORKSHOP
Writers Workshop:
Speculating on the Past
Sunday, March 9, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
WORKSHOP
Brown Spices Elves Doll Making Workshop
Saturday, April 26, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
PERFORMANCE
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Sunday, May 4, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
PERFORMANCE
MoCo Underground Arts Showcase
Thursday, June 12, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
at Olive Branch Community Church
2024
DISCUSSION
Multicultural Sunday & International Missions
Sunday, September 22, 2024
at Olive Branch Community Church
DISCUSSION
Book Discussion:
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Saturday, November 15, 2024
at Olive Branch Community Church
2025
PERFORMANCE
Storytelling with Janice the Griot
Monday, February 17, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
DISCUSSION
Book Discussion:
Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain and Reclaiming Their Power by Courtney Vance and Robin Smith
Saturday, April 5, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
WORKSHOP
Reuniting, Remembering, and Resilience Dance Workshops
Saturdays, May 17, 2025 – June 21, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
SPEAKER
The Real Juneteenth Presentation
Thursday, June 19, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
PERFORMANCE
Reuniting, Remembering, and Resilience Performance
Saturday, June 28, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
DISCUSSION
Sandy Spring Community Sunday & Local Mission Project
Sunday, June 29, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
at MCPL Branch
2024
DISCUSSION
Homegoing Book Discussion: Quince Orchard Book Club
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
at Quince Orchard Library
DISCUSSION
Homegoing Book Discussion: Maggie Nightingale Book Club
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
at Maggie Nightingale Library
WORKSHOP
Writers Workshop: Questions and Family Stories
Saturday, November 16, 2024
at Wheaton Library
2025
WORKSHOP
Writers Workshop: Collage Poems
Saturday, January 18, 2025
at Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library (Silver Spring Library)
DISCUSSION
Homegoing Book Discussion: Chevy Chase Book Club
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
at Chevy Chase Library
SPEAKER
JOURNEY(S): A Screening and Discussion with Saaret E. Yoseph
Saturday, February 22, 2025
at Gaithersburg Library
DISCUSSION
Homegoing Book Discussion: Connie Morella Library
Saturday, March 15, 2025
at Connie Morella (Bethesda) Library
Workshops at Sandy Spring Museum
Beginners Writing Workshop:
Harvest and Preservation
October 20, 2024
at Sandy Spring Museum
Author Julia Tagliere will introduce different writing genres and forms and lead participants through different exercises inspired by items in the Sandy Spring Museum collections connecting to themes of harvest and preservation.
Writers Workshop:
Speculating on the Past
Sunday, March 9, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
Local author Tyrese Coleman will lead this workshop on how to use ancestral and archival knowledge when writing speculative fiction.
Brown Spices Elves Doll Making Workshop
Saturday, April 26, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
Artist Julia Dickerson will lead participants in creating a doll as well as lead the group in sharing personal narratives and other stories.
Discussions at Sandy Spring Museum
Will be Determined Soon.
Performances at Sandy Spring Museum
Yogini
Sunday, December 15, 2024
at Sandy Spring Museum
Members of the Sutradhar Institute for Dance and Related Arts will perform traditional Kuchipudi dances exploring the sacred feminine and stories and traditions passed down through generations, migrating from India to the United States
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Sunday, May 4, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
Official Griot for the State of Maryland, Janice Curtis Greene, appears as Harriet Tubman, sharing her story and legacy for an all-ages audience.
MoCo Underground Arts Showcase
Thursday, June 12, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
Participants and instructors of the writing and other arts workshops will present their work.
Speakers at Sandy Spring Museum
Will be Determined Soon.
Workshops at Olive Branch Community Church
Reuniting, Remembering, and Resilience Dance Workshops
Saturdays, May 17, 2025 – June 21, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
During the six-week workshop (May 17, 25, May 24, May 31, June 7, June 14, and June 21), DMV Dance Collective will teach participants to express emotion through dance and devise pieces for a public performance based on a series of monologues written by Sophonia Simms chronicling the lives of enslaved individuals who found their way to Sandy Spring, MD, and tell events of life in the community.
Discussions at Olive Branch Community Church
Multicultural Sunday & International Missions
Sunday, September 22, 2024
at Olive Branch Community Church
Afrocentric Sunday morning worship service, Sunday Brunch, and Sunday School and accompanying African missions project.
Book Discussion:
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Saturday, November 15, 2024
at Olive Branch Community Church
An informal discussion of the dual themes of "conflict" and "subculture" in Homegoing facilitated by an OBCC member.
Book Discussion:
Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain and Reclaiming Their Power by Courtney Vance and Robin Smith
Saturday, April 5, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
An informal discussion of the prominent themes in Invisible Ache. Facilitators will be Courtney Vance (via video) and a member of the Church (in person).
Sandy Spring Community Sunday & Local Mission Project
Sunday, June 29, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
Sandy Spring Community Sunday morning worship service and Sunday School including a local missions project.
Performances at Olive Branch Community Church
Storytelling with Janice the Griot
Monday, February 17, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
Official Griot for the State of Maryland, Janice Curtis Greene, presents African folktales for a family audience
Reuniting, Remembering, and Resilience Performance
Saturday, June 28, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
A culminative performance and presentation of the dance workshops with DMV Dance Collective. Performances will be devised by DMV Dance Collective and participants based on monologues by Sophonia Simms chronicling the lives of enslaved individuals who found their way to Sandy Spring, MD, and tell events of life in the community. This performance will feature intergenerational dancers.
Speakers at Olive Branch Community Church
The Real Juneteenth Presentation
Thursday, June 19, 2025
at Olive Branch Community Church
Historian and board member of the Sandy Spring Slave Museum Reynauld Smith will present on the history of Juneteenth, including his family's connection to the orginal historic events and the holiday.
Workshops at MCPL Branch
Writers Workshop: Questions and Family Stories
Saturday, November 16, 2024
at Wheaton Library
Local author Vonetta Young will lead a workshop on collecting and writing our families' stories.
Writers Workshop: Collage Poems
Saturday, January 18, 2025
at Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library (Silver Spring Library)
Local author and artist Saaret Yoseph will lead a workshop on using text based materials as well as photos and other materials to make collages/assemblages.
Discussions at MCPL Branch
Homegoing Book Discussion: Quince Orchard Book Club
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
at Quince Orchard Library
The Quince Orchard Library Book Club will host a discussion of Homegoing
Homegoing Book Discussion: Maggie Nightingale Book Club
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
at Maggie Nightingale Library
The Maggie Nightingale Library Book Club will host a discussion of Homegoing
Homegoing Book Discussion: Chevy Chase Book Club
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
at Chevy Chase Library
The Chevy Chase Library Book Club will host a discussion of Homegoing
Homegoing Book Discussion:Connie Morella Library
Saturday, March 15, 2025
at Connie Morella (Bethesda) Library
The Connie Morella Library will host a discussion of Homegoing
No Performances at MCPL Branch
Speakers at MCPL Branch
JOURNEY(S): A Screening and Discussion with Saaret E. Yoseph
Saturday, February 22, 2025
at Gaithersburg Library
Artist Saaret Yoseph will present her docu-poem project JOURNEY(S) about Black transnational women in DC and the immigrant experience. This will be followed by a panel discussion.
Exhibitions, only at Sandy Spring Museum
Testimony
Wednesday, January 15 - March 30, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
The exhibit "Testimony" at Sandy Spring Museum will feature the multidisciplinary work of member artists of Black Artists of DC, a 501c3 dedicated to promoting the cultural heritage and contemporary practices of artists of African descent. The works on exhibit will explore personal history and lived experiences of Blackness, and in some cases historical events and highlight the artists' research. “Testimony” is an opportunity to experience the knowledge and spirituality given voice and vision by these artists.
Opening Reception: February 2, 2025
As Long as I Have Breath in My Body
Sunday, April 6 - July 20, 2025
at Sandy Spring Museum
The Village of African American Doll Artists and In Process… join forces for an exhibition examining the relationship between traditional African American arts and the social justice movement from 20th century to the present.
Opening Reception: April 6, 2025, 1:00–4:00 PM