THE AFRAM FESTIVAL, A VIBRANT CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND HERITAGE, HAS BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF BALTIMORE'S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE FOR 48 YEARS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE FESTIVAL HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF THE LARGEST FREE AFRICAN AMERICAN FESTIVALS ON THE EAST COAST, ATTRACTING OVER TWO-HUNDRED THOUSAND ATTENDEES EACH YEAR. AFRAM, SHORT FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL, WAS FOUNDED BY NORMAN E. ROSS AND FIRST HELD IN 1976, TO HONOR AND HIGHLIGHT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN ART, MUSIC AND