Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither is a Baltimore native, artist, educator, and advocate whose career spans more than 40 years in education and community arts. During the Civil Rights Movement, she helped integrate local schools and businesses, experiences that continue to inform her lifelong commitment to equity and social justice.

A pioneer in documenting personal and collective histories through fiber art, Gaither is best known for her narrative story quilts, which weave together oral histories, cultural memory, and themes of identity and survival. Her acclaimed My American Series Quilts highlight the contributions and legacies of African Americans, including philanthropists Ed and Sylvia Brown, Maryland’s Black watermen, and the life of President Barack Obama.

Gaither began teaching at MICA in 1996 and quickly became known for her high energy, community collaborations, and intergenerational approach to art education. In addition to her teaching and artistic practice, she led fundraising efforts to establish the Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither Young People’ Studio Scholarship, now fully endowed and sustained through an annual celebration she hosts to continue raising support for future generations of MICA students.