2026 Museum Lecture Series
- Megan Searing Young
- Jan 7
- 2 min read
Greenbelt Before Greenbelt: Histories and Mysteries
The archeological and historical record documents thousands of years of human presence on the land we now call Greenbelt, most intensely in the past 400 years. This slide talk by historian, Alan Virta, will present a broad overview of the black, white, and Native American people who lived here before the New Deal green town was built and how they made a living off the land, with stories about representative individuals and families, including colonial tobacco planters, the enslaved, and those who came after them. The talk will answer some basic questions and raise others on the pre-Greenbelt history of Greenbelt.
About the Speaker: A former resident of Greenbelt, Alan Virta was one of the original board members of the Friends of the Greenbelt Museum. He also served on the Greenbelt 50th Anniversary Committee. Long active with the Prince George's County Historical Society, he is the author of the book Prince George's County: A Pictorial History and served as the first chairman of the county's Historic Preservation Commission. Alan Virta grew up in Prince George's County, attended DuVal Senior High School, and has degrees in history and library science from the University of Maryland. Now retired and living in Boise, Idaho, he worked as an archivist at the Library of Congress, University of Southern Mississippi, and Boise State University.
This is a virtual event. Please register in advance via Eventbrite. An email with a Zoom link will be sent prior to the date of talk. This event is free! Sponsored by the Friends of the Greenbelt Museum and the City of Greenbelt.
Greenbelt, Maryland, a National Historic Landmark planned community, was built in 1937 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. The town was designed as a garden city that would be a model of modern town planning and cooperative living in America. Though segregated when it opened, today Greenbelt is a thriving, diverse community. To learn more, please visit GreenbeltMuseum.org. To make a tax deductible donation to the 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports the Museum click here.
What a brilliant lecture series! The Greenbelt Museum does an incredible job of bringing local history to life, focusing on the Great Depression, WWII era, and the innovative planned community of Greenbelt. The speakers are knowledgeable, the topics are fascinating, and it’s a great way to connect with the area’s rich heritage. Highly recommended for history buffs and locals alike! --lines
The 2026 Museum Lecture Series announcement is inspiring, as it highlights how institutions like the Greenbelt Museum continue to foster dialogue around history, culture, and community engagement. What makes this series compelling is its focus on connecting past narratives with present‑day issues, offering audiences both education and reflection. Such initiatives remind us that museums are not static repositories but living spaces for conversation and growth. After reading about programs that spark curiosity and collective learning, I often reset my mind with Slope game, whose fast pace and unpredictability provide a refreshing mental break.
The line about answering some basic questions and raising others gives this such a grounded tone. You are not packaging the past as neat local lore; you are keeping its gaps I also ended up opening Kroger weekly ad preview afterward because it carries the same thread a little further.
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This lecture series sounds fascinating! I love learning about the rich history of places like Greenbelt. Speaking of history, have you ever tried translate image ai It's amazing how it can turn old photos into fun cartoons, making history come alive in a whole new way!