PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A museum in Old City is celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a weekend of special events and exhibits.
The Museum of the American Revolution is blending spoken word, movement, and song with a special performance from the Philadelphia Jazz Project on Saturday at 1 p.m. It’s titled “Wait Means Never: A Musical Exploration of MLK's Letter from a Birmingham Jail."
“This will be the first time it is ever shown,” said Adrienne Whaley, the museum’s director of education and community engagement.
“It’s amazing how they’ve taken music, movement, and spoken word and they’ve turned it into something that helps us reflect on Dr. King's message and legacy.”
Visitors will also be able to immerse themselves in educational programs focused on the history of voting rights, protests and civil rights in America through the museum's Digital Discovery Cart.
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“Protest is as American as apple pie. People don’t always think about this, but Americans have always taken to the streets to use their power and voices,” said Whaley.
“You can actually hear from our amazing gallery educators as they talk about the opportunity for people to vote.”
The museum will also have a performance about an inspiring Black woman named Elizabeth Freeman, who Whaley says did something extraordinary in early American history.
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“[She] actually goes to court for her freedom in Massachusetts, but I won’t tell you what happens next,” Whaley said. “But if you’d like to learn her story, come hang out with us Saturday and Sunday.”
That performance will go on both Saturday and Sunday at 1:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. All the events are included with the price of admission.
Additionally, the museum will debut its Black Voices of the Revolution gallery highlights tour. The 60-minute tour focuses on a diverse set of stories, and experiences related to people of African descent during the American Revolution. That tour happens at noon on both Saturday and Sunday.