National Museum of American Jewish History Honors Legacy of Martin Luther King on Monday, Jan. 21
Museum to be OPEN and FREE with Family Activities!
The National Museum of American Jewish History is OPEN and FREE on MLK Day, a day filled with family-friendly activities and exhibition exploration in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, Monday, January 21, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Commemorate the legacy of this American icon by exploring the challenges and blessings of freedom and sharing what freedom means to you.
Among the activities taking place are:
* 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Special screening of From Swastika to Jim Crow (USA, 2000, 60 minutes), the documentary that inspired the upcoming special exhibition. Screenings take place at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. A talkback with filmmaker Steve Fischler follows the 2pm screening. Film courtesy of the Helen Bader Foundation, The Alpern Foundation, and the filmmakers Steve Fischler and Joel Sucher of Pacific Street Films.
* 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Your Words in Color
Work alongside Philadelphia muralists Keir Johnston and Ernel Martinez as they help you to turn your words into colorful art at this drop-in workshop created by Fleisher Art Memorial and Amber Art Collective and inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr., and the evolution of freedom.
* Docent led in-gallery discussions will be available throughout the day in the Museum’s core exhibition to discuss the role that freedom and tolerance have played throughout American history.
* Visitors will also be able to take part in two of the Museum’s interactive exhibits that will have been customized to engage participants in discussions of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.
The multimedia Contemporary Issues Forum™ offers visitors the opportunity to engage in real-time discussions about important and provocative issues facing the American Jewish community and the world today. Visitors will be asked, “Has Martin Luther King’s dream been realized?” and invited to share their responses with other visitors in the gallery and on the Museum’s online forum.
The “It’s Your Story”™ video recording booths invite visitors to share their family histories and personal memories that the Museum archives for public viewing and sharing through online links. On Jan. 21, visitors will be prompted to share their reflections on the Museum’s new special exhibition, Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars At Black Colleges in which they will find questions relating to the themes of understanding, mentorship, enlightenment, respect, and advocacy.
Advance tickets are not needed; all admission is FREE that day – simply check in at the Admissions Desk upon arrival.
MLK Day at NMAJH kicks off an exciting programs calendar with the upcoming special exhibition opening January 15, Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges.
This moving exhibition tells the little-known story of Jewish academics who came to America in the 1930s as refugees and found homes, work, and community at historically black colleges in the segregated South.
MLK Day at NMAJH is one of many upcoming events that give the Museum the opportunity to further explore the themes found in the exhibition such as mentorship, leadership, identity, and cross-cultural understanding through music, film, theater, and great conversation.
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The National Museum of American Jewish History, located on historic Independence Mall in Philadelphia, brings to life the 350-year history of Jews in America. Tracing the stories of how Jewish immigrants became Jewish Americans, the Museum invites visitors of all heritages to share their own stories and reflect on how their histories and identities shape and are shaped by the American experience. An open door for all, NMAJH honors the past and contributes to a better future by sharing the power of imagination and ideas, culture and community, leadership and service, in ways that turn inspiration into action.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, January 15th 2013 at 5:14PM
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