Happy Thursday MMT Fam! In honor of the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, some local venues are having family-friendly, free or low cost events to celebrate his life and give tribute. Take a look at the list below and plan accordingly!
African American Museum in Philadelphia: Read, Write, Resist! January 17-20
The African American Museum in Philadelphia and Citizens Bank invite audiences to join them for a full weekend of enriching, fun, inspirational, family-friendly activities celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The theme for this year is “Read, Write, Resist!” From January 17 through 20, visitors are invitied to explore the value of multiple modes of literacy in current and historic movements to resist injustice and embrace their shared histories.
Weekend highlights include book events for adults and youth on Friday and Monday, a participatory service project on Saturday, astounding musical performances on Sunday and Monday, and the always-popular appearances by the Phillie Phanatic, Phillies players and Phillies Ballgirls on Monday, when the generous sponsors and friends from Citizens Bank will join for a full day of service.
Throughout the weekend, guests can also explore the AAMP’s core exhibition, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia, 1776-1876, the special exhibition, In Conversation: Visual Meditations on Black Masculinity and its newest exhibition, Through His Eyes: Youth Activism in Philadelphia’s Civil Rights Era.
Visitors can attend for Free on Friday and, thanks to the generosity of Citizens Bank, museum admission will be reduced to $2 for all guests on Saturday, Sunday and Monday! Click here to get additional info and tickets.
The Annenberg Center Presents We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., January 17
The Annenberg Center presents We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., Friday, January 17 at 8 PM. Inspired by the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., We Shall Overcome features repertoire from across African American music traditions that electrified generations of civil rights activists and defenders. Led by talented multi-genre musician Damien Sneed, recipient of the prestigious Sphinx Medal of Excellence, this performance weaves spoken word from Dr. King’s speeches with a musical lineage that includes traditional gospel, modern gospel, classical, jazz, Broadway and spirituals to reinvigorate and inspire future generations. From Aretha Franklin to Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington to Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone to Donny Hathaway, and traditional spirituals and music from The Wiz, Sneed’s unique understanding of each genre allows him to fluidly cover a wide span of musical ground in a single performance.
Performers joining Damien Sneed for We Shall Overcome include vocalists Chenee Campbell, Markita Knight, Anitra McKinney, Alicia Peters-Jordan, and Linny Smith; Marquéz Cassidy on organ; Arthur Sutton on bass; Joel Tate on drums; and singers from New Spirit of Penn Gospel Choir and St. Thomas Gospel Choir.
Tickets are priced $29-49. Visit AnnenbergCenter.org for ticket information.
Eastern State Penitentiary January 18-20
Eastern State Penitentiary invites you to join as it commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Audiences can engage in special readings from the landmark text and respond to its relevance today.
Professional actors, youth, and community leaders will read excerpts from Dr. King’s letter three times a day on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. After each reading, visitors are invited to respond to the letter’s relevance today during an informal discussion moderated by a civil rights scholar.
The readings and discussions are free and open to the public. No reservations required. Seating is first come, first served, with a strong recommendation to arrive at the reading location 30 minutes in advance of the scheduled start time. Tours of Eastern State are standard admission. Visit EasternState.org for additional information.
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