BCHS Presents a Virtual History Evening with Mary Rizzo:
Mermaids and Promenades: William Donald Schaefer and the Cultural Redevelopment of Baltimore
based on her new book, Come and Be Shocked: Baltimore Beyond John Waters and The Wire
In the 1970s, Mayor William Donald Schaefer used arts and culture to sell a new image of Baltimore as quirky and charming to both tourists and business leaders. In this talk, Mary Rizzo will examine forgotten moments from Schaefer’s terms as mayor, from the creation of a failed local version of the Oscars, called “The Don” awards to honor Baltimore’s film business, to the Baltimore Promenade, a public art project designed to integrate city neighborhoods through the act of walking. While Schaefer is remembered for large-scale projects like Harborplace and stunts like posing with a mermaid for the opening of the Baltimore aquarium, his legacy should include his reimagining city government to include arts and culture--for good and ill.
