Wright Museum to host 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History encourages guests to attend its all-day commemorative celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 18.

All exhibits and activities will be available for at regular museum admissions price: $8 for adults (13+), $5 for seniors (62+) and free entry for youth (3-12).

Starting at 8 a.m. the program begins with a breakfast. According to museum education specialist and docent Yolanda Jack, Reverend Nicholas Hood III of Plymouth United Church of Christ and his father will be present as guests of honor. Following the breakfast will be children’s activities and workshops from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“There will be many activities for young people and their families,” Jack said. “In workshops, preschoolers can make crafts that relate to Dr. King, while in the evening there will be group discussions and the singing of freedom songs from the civil rights era.”

A Black Lives Matter panel discussing the role of civil rights within the 21st century at noon will include the following panelists: author and poet Tawana Petty, musician Sterling Toles and Danielle Atkinson founding director of the advocacy group Mothering Justice.

“To remember Dr. King and his legacy is a way to touch base into what we have been through and what we have done,” Jack said. “We must always remember our heroes who have lived their lives for the benefit of their people and history.”

Jamon Jordan of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, ASALH, will also present a lecture called “Legacy of King in the Age of Obama” at 3:30 p.m.

Jack said that King’s legacy inspires individuals within communities to take care of one another and link his teachings to the environment came naturally because keeping each other healthy and safe involves living in a good quality environment.

In an effort to promote environmental efforts, the Green Humanity Cafe will feature environmentally minded games and healthy foods that will be open until 4 p.m.

“We will be piloting a new program we’re calling ‘Wright Cycle’ to encourage an understanding of recycling and techniques within the museum that impact the health of the environment,” Jack said.

The museum’s core exhibition “And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History & Culture” will be open for guests throughout the day, while civil rights films will be on rotation in the Orientation Theater. A scale model of the King National Memorial in Washington D.C. will also be on display.

Both the Detroit Children’s Choir and the Mosaic Youth Theater will be performing.

Haley DeLisle, program coordinator of the Detroit Children’s Choir, said their auditioned ensemble of 40 students called the Concert Chorale will be performing at the museum. DeLisle said that the group of students rehearses every Saturday morning. They have been trained based on a Kodaly-inspired curriculum and boast a challenging repertoire in several language and genres.

“We aim to provide experiences through choral music education that will enrich the lives of Metro Detroit’s youth and communities,” said DeLisle. “Dr. King’s life, dreams, and teachings have shaped the values we hope to inspire our students with.”

The Henry Ford Health System will be on site providing free health screenings. However, Henry Ford pediatrician and medical director of the event, Nakia Williams said that the screenings will not take the place of a full physical exam.

“We screen individual’s blood sugar, hemoglobin, blood pressure, body mass index, height and weight,” Williams said. “Some folks are unable to see a healthcare provider and in these cases, we want to let them know basic information about their health status and point them in the right direction to receive a follow up, either with their own provider or a free clinic in the area.”

Williams ensures that it is not necessary for guests who choose to participate in a health screening to provide any form of identification or have health insurance.

The Wright’s new winter exhibit, "No Boundaries: Aboriginal Australian Contemporary Abstract Painting,” will officially open during the day’s events.

LaNesha DeBardelaben, the museum’s vice president of community engagement and affairs, said that this new exhibit showcases the colorful works of nine aboriginal artists.

“It’s really an inspiration to see the world through these artists because it’s a view of art that we here in the United States seldom get a chance to see,” DeBardelaben said. “It focuses on the African diaspora and the art produced by these African artists coincides with Dr. King’s message of a beloved community.”

DeBardelaben said that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the busiest day of the year for the museum, and they enjoy catering to a multiethnic and multigenerational audience.

“We encourage folks to connect, learn, discover and enjoy,” DeBardelaben said. “That’s what we offer at the Wright Museum and that’s what we will be encouraging on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.”

Visit http://thewright.org/ for additional museum information.

Contact reporter Aleanna Siacon: aleanna.siacon@wayne.edu. Follow her on Twitter @AleannaSiacon