 |
|
Broadcasting in Baltimore
|
|
|
|
The nation's first female maritime reporter, Helen Bentley, on the job with WMAR in the 1950s.
|
|
In 1948, Baltimore TV viewers had access to only three television stations: WMAR, WBAL, and WJZ, originally known as WAAM. By 2014, that number had jumped to 189 channels.
On Saturday, January 26 the BMI will present Chesapeake Airwaves, a public program exploring the history of Baltimore's broadcasting industry. Held in the BMI's newly renovated Communications gallery, the program will be led by Siobhan Hagan, founder and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Moving Image Archive (MARMIA). Founded in 2016, MARMIA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and access of the U.S. Middle Atlantic's moving images and recorded sounds. Its archives collection includes home movies, mixtapes, and thousands of hours of WJZ-TV footage ranging from the 1950s to the 2000s. MARMIA digitizes and makes its collection available to the public for free viewing and noncommercial reuse.
|
|
|
|
Siobhan Hagan in the BMI Communications gallery.
|
|
"It's so important to remember and study the various mediums in which America communicated to large audiences. Now we have social media and the 24-hour news cycle, but not that long ago we received our news and daily moving image entertainment through three local TV channels that did not air all day," says Hagan. "Some amazing stories are told of Baltimore in the WJZ-TV Collection, but many times the work of the local broadcasting industry is invisible to the public. MARMIA and I thought this event would be a great tribute to these behind-the-scenes broadcasting industry professionals."
Guests will view rare footage of behind-the-scenes broadcasting in Baltimore, highlighting women television producers of the 1980s, Howard Stern getting his start at DC101, and Oprah before she became a household name. MARMIA will also perform a live demonstration on digitizing analog video and answer audience questions regarding audiovisual preservation.
For more details on MARMIA and how to access their collection, please visit
www.marmia.org
.
|
|
Mark Your Calendars!
Chesapeake Airwaves is scheduled for Saturday, January 26 from 11 AM - 12:30 PM. Click the link to check out other BMI upcoming events.
|
|
|
|
| Women's work attire to be included in the BMI's new garment window. |
|
|
For centuries, fashion has represented more than just style and creative expression; garments have embodied the technology, politics, and economics of the times. Later this month, the BMI will install a new garment window display showcasing women's work attire of the twentieth century. Scheduled to be open through the end of 2019, the small exhibition will consist of two different installations, with the second debut scheduled for this summer.
The "Women at Work" theme is the second installation showcasing work garments by volunteer curator Debbie Farthing, who also curated an exhibition on men's work uniforms, installed in 2017. Over 40 photographs will adorn the back wall of the installation, highlighting women from different Baltimore businesses dating from the early 1900s to the 1980s.
Museum visitors can expect to see fascinating garment pieces including a 1970s polyester jumpsuit, a nurses uniform, a pink 100% dacron waitress's dress, and a business suit prototype made by local clothing retailer Jos. A Bank.
"Most of the garments in this new display will be dresses typical of the type women might have worn at home, to work in an office, or sometimes even in a factory," says Farthing. "Each installation will feature some of the changes to clothing made of new man-made fabrics such as dacron and polyester, pants as they became more acceptable both socially and professionally, and the transition to 1980s business suits."
After spending months selecting garments and accessories, creating each garment's dress form, and researching photographs,
Debbie hopes this new garment window display will shed light on
how things have--and haven't--changed for women in the workplace.
|
|
Want More Details about the Garment Window?
The garment loft window display of women's work uniforms will be on view through 2019.
Click on the link to stay up-to-date with the BMI's temporary exhibitions.
|
|
Protecting the Bendix Legacy
|
|
|
| The Bendix Radio Foundation retirees volunteering to preserve the Bendix legacy. |
|
What do mid-twentieth century car radios, the first airborne weather radar system, and the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck in WWII have in common? They were all affected by the revolutionary devices produced by Bendix Radio--a division of the Bendix Corporation--which specialized in producing two-way radios for military aircrafts during WWII. In 1937, Bendix Radio set up shop inside a General Motors plant located at 920 E. Fort Avenue before moving to a larger plant in Towson four years later. After 1940, the majority of British Royal aircrafts and approximately 75 percent of U.S. aircrafts in the war used Bendix avionics.
After Bendix was superseded by larger corporations towards the end of the twentieth century, a group of former Bendix retirees started the Bendix Radio Foundation (BRF)--a membership organization headquartered at the BMI--aimed at preserving the history of Bendix in Baltimore. "We got started because we were all employed by Bendix Radio; we had knowledge after 30+ years of service with Bendix and felt that the story hadn't been told. So we are committed to telling the story and recording it for posterity," says Jerry Woodall, one of the original founding members of the Bendix Radio Foundation.
|
|
|
Bendix Radio Milestone Wall exhibit.
|
Since September 1999, BRF volunteers have run the daily operations of the organization by collecting Bendix Radio artifacts, documenting data, and assisting with researcher inquires. During the early years, the BRF volunteers would process 15-20 international inquiries per month.
In 2002, the BRF volunteers curated the first Bendix Radio exhibition at the BMI, showcasing Bendix-related photographs, documents, and artifacts they had tirelessly acquired from donors. Today, Bendix Radio has a permanent exhibit on the BMI's Milestone Wall highlighting the division's significant contributions to technology. The group continues to meet weekly at the BMI's warehouse to manage the Bendix Radio collection's upkeep, process inquiries, and reminisce about the important role Bendix played in the automotive, electronics, and aviation industries.
|
|
The Bendix Radio Story
Discover more about the Bendix Radio technology that revolutionized aviation communications and civilian electronics by visiting the link.
|
|
Upcoming Programs at the BMI
|
Engineering Industry: Future City Career Fair |
Meet professional and budding urban planners, preservation architects, builders, and preservationists during the Maryland Engineering Challenge "Future City" competition for middle school students.
WHEN
Sat, Jan 19 / 11am-12:30pm
COST
Free
Brush Lettering Workshop |
Learn brush pen lettering techniques including several lettering styles, composition, and creating texture with designer Jeremy Friend. Supplies provided; no experience necessary. Suitable for ages 14+.
WHEN
Sun, Jan 20 / 10:30am-1:30pm
COST
$55 members | $65 non-members | Advanced registration required | Register
Chesapeake Airwaves: Highlights From the Baltimore Broadcasting Industry |
See and hear highlights from the history of radio and television broadcasting in Baltimore. Rare audiovisual content and equipment will be on hand courtesy of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Moving Image Archive (MARMIA) WJZ-TV Collection.
WHEN
Sat, Jan 26 / 11am-12:30pm
COST
Included with admission
Wee Workers | Preschoolers will love this program just for them. Explore the museum's galleries through stories, songs, crafts, and pint-size tours with a weekly theme.
WHEN Tuesdays through 6/18/19| 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
COST
Kids: Free; Adults: $5; BMI Members: Free. Advance registration suggested,
contact
kedelmann@thebmi.org
UPCOMING THEMES
JAN
15:
Mittens & Scarves
JAN 22:
Television & Radio
| JAN 29:
Neighborhood Helpers
Weekend Workers | It's all about fun as you discover how things work. These engaging activities allow children of all ages to investigate the world around them.
WHEN Saturdays | 11 AM-2 PM unless noted
COST Free with museum admission
UPCOMING THEMES
JAN
12: Kids Stained Glass | JAN 19: Future City Career Fair | JAN 26: Create a Moving Picture
|
|
|
|
|
|
