Themed “Grassroots and Grand Strategies,” the weekend will focus on virtual programming with an on-site voter registration drive
PHILADELPHIA – The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) has shifted its 2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend Celebration to largely virtual programming to ensure the safety of its guests and employees amid growing public health concerns.
This year’s events will run from January 14-17 and will feature mostly virtual opportunities for the public to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Themed “Grassroots and Grand Strategies,” the collection of events will highlight the continuum of individual and collective efforts to promote equity, celebrate and facilitate generational advancement, and protect the mental and spiritual wellbeing of historically oppressed peoples.
The 2022 MLK Weekend Celebration will virtually include a special edition of the Disruption Spotlight and Open Mic quarterly event series; a screening of the film “A King in the Wilderness;” a transcribe-a-thon; and a children’s book event. The weekend will culminate with an on-site, in-person voter registration drive that will serve as an MLK Day service project.
The Museum will remain open for visitation for registered guests and will follow its current hours of operation with reduced admission during four designated time slots. Thanks to a contribution from the Citizens Charitable Foundation, admission to the Museum on MLK Day (January 17) will be free to the public, with $2 admission on January 15 and 16. Advance registration is required for all in-person visitors.
This year’s MLK Weekend Celebration’s lineup includes:
· (Virtual) On Friday, January 14, at 6 p.m., AAMP will virtually host a special evening of live poetry, music, energy, and elevation curated by award-winning artist, Lyrispect, called Disruption Spotlight & Open Mic at AAMP: Grassroots and Grand Strategies.
· (In-person) On Saturday, January 15, at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., AAMP will provide visiting families with children ages 6 – 13 with a grab-and-goLearning through the Arts: MLK Weekend Edition kit. The hands-on, art-making activities will draw inspiration from social justice messages in the words of MLK, as well as the works on display in AAMP’s galleries. Visiting families can also participate in the annual MLK Weekend Scavenger Hunt, which helps participants discover how generations of people have worked together to defend justice and equality.
· (Virtual) On Saturday, January 15, at 1:45 p.m., AAMP invites middle and high school educators, teens, and families to join the virtual “In the Name of Emmett Till” Book Discussion. Author Robert Mayer and educator Rachel Nelson will discuss Mayer’s latest book “In the Name of Emmett Till: How the Children of the Mississippi Freedom Struggle Showed Us Tomorrow.” It follows the little-known stories of the young Mississippians who were galvanized into activism by the horrific murder of Emmett Till.
· (Virtual) On Saturday, January 15, at 3:30 p.m., virtual audiences are invited to screen “A King in the Wilderness.” Learn about the final years in the life of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when he endured perhaps his greatest self-doubt and opposition. This Emmy-winning HBO documentary includes never-before-seen footage of interviews with some of those closest to King, interspersed with historical archives during a period of his life.
· (Virtual) On Sunday, January 16, at 12 p.m., the public can join a Virtual Transcribe-a-thon. AAMP is proud to partner with the Christ Church Preservation Trust to make this program possible. This year, participants will transcribe Philadelphia Congregations Early Records from the 18th and 19th centuries. These records illuminate topics including Philadelphia’s activities during the Civil War, the church’s role in enslaved and free African communities from the mid-1700s through the Civil War, and the rise of new religious denominations, such as the Episcopal Church and the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. The transcribed content will become text-searchable online and ensure the accessibility of these historical materials. Please note, participants will need to read cursive to transcribe.
· (Virtual) On Sunday, January 16 at 1:45 p.m., AAMP will host “Art + Activism, Then and Now” Public Dialogue with Richard J. Watson and LaTreice Branson. This virtual discussion between visual artist Richard J. Watson and percussionist LaTreice Branson will explore key themes found within Watson’s work in the current exhibition Portals + Revelations: Richard J. Watson Beyond Realities; historical narratives; and our collective experiences as people.
· (Virtual) On Monday, January 17, at 10 a.m., Youth Mentors from Dreamline will lead a Youth Service Project- Dreamline Workshop. Inspired by Martin Luther King’s legacy of equity, justice, and freedom, participants will imagine and create a Dream Banner with paper, pencil, and whatever art materials may be on hand.
· (Virtual) On Monday, January 17, at 12 p.m., AAMP will virtually host Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy through the Lens of Black Excellence and Achievement with the African American Children’s Book Project. Award-winning children’s book author, Leah Henderson, will share how Black excellence and achievement have inspired her to create stories that highlight the wonder, beauty, and determination of Blackness in its many forms. Whether marching for equal rights, remembering those who sacrificed for others, learning what it means to be a compassionate global citizen, or highlighting Black accomplishments and joy Henderson’s books echo Dr. King’s words that “we are made by history.”
· (In-person) On Monday, January 17, at 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., AAMP will host Service Project – Voter Registration Drive with the Philadelphia City Commissioners Office and the League of Women Voters Commissioners Office. This in-person, non-partisan voter registration drive is designed to provide assistance and information to people interested in registering to vote, or checking their registration status and eligibility. Attendees will be able to ask officials and informed volunteers about absentee ballots, ballot measures, early voting options, ID requirements, online voter registration, and more.
· (Virtual) On Monday, January 17, at 3:30 p.m., AAMP will wrap up the 2022 MLK Weekend Celebration with a virtual MLK Memorial Performance! This is the sixteenth year that AAMP and Citizens have teamed up to celebrate the life and legacy of MLK. For more information on the 2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend Celebration and to register for events, visit https://www.aampmuseum.org/mlk.html.
