Exhibitions

Lorton Reformatory: Beyond Time

October 11, 1970 – November 1, 1970

Charcoal Drawing of Elderly Woman, Clive Gilmore, 1970. Collection of the Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Anacostia Community Museum
1901 Fort Place, SE
Washington, DC

Lorton Reformatory is a corrections facility near Washington, DC. As of September 1970, Lorton houses 1,600 residents, most of whom are from the District. In collaboration with inmates, the museum hosts community discussions, or "rap sessions," and presents art works, concerts, and original plays to promote understanding of the men’s lives. The residents’ creative spirit comes through in paintings, ceramics, and other visual arts, as well as musical ensembles and theatrical groups.