Memphis, TN, Jan. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Civil Rights Museum is excited to host its first event of the year with King Day: An All-Day Celebration on January 16. The event is designed to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, and legacy and to highlight how the museum honors him and the Movement every day.
Thanks to FedEx, the celebration includes free admission to the museum during extended hours from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Dr. King stated, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?”
The Museum will continue its commitment to a day of service by encouraging guests to bring nonperishable food items to support the Mid-South Food Bank to support area constituents in need.
The museum annually partners with Vitalant to host a blood drive to address urgent supply shortages. Guests who donate blood at Vitalant locations this week and onsite at the museum on January 16 receive express museum admission and free admission any day in 2023 for four people.
Guests will enjoy engagement and entertainment in the museum’s courtyard. Main Stage performances, sponsored by Ford Motor Company Fund, will feature local artists including Karen Brown, Gerald Richardson, the Stax Music Academy Satellite Band, the Grizzlies Drumline, and Cordova High School Choir.
Inside The Pavillion, sponsored by Wells Fargo, there will be a wide range of children and family activities like face painting, magic shows, African drumming, and balloon art. Home Depot will supply and demonstrate children’s craft kits. Several community organizations will provide essential resources. Tennessee Arts Council is also a supporting sponsor.
Visitors should pack their patience as the museum's visitor parking lot will be closed starting January 12 as set up for the holiday festivities is underway. On-street parking and public parking lots are available off campus. On the holiday, street closures will allow for pedestrian-only traffic around the campus, and security checks will be posted at campus entry points.
For more information, visit kingday.org. The event hashtag is #KingDay2023.
About the National Civil Rights Museum
The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 student visits annually. The Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights. It educates and serves as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change.
A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries. It is a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal.
