Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a free, virtual program on Monday, January 18, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Students, educators, artists and activists will read and discuss Dr. King’s landmark text “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and will share music, poetry and art inspired by Dr. King’s legacy.
Program attendees will hear six selected passages from Dr. King’s 1963 landmark text “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and engage in discussion about the letter’s relevance today. Between each session, special guests will provide space for reflection and connection as they share music, poetry, and art.
“After a year of nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice, Dr. King’s extraordinary letter has never been more relevant,” says Sean Kelley, senior vice president, director of interpretation for Eastern State Penitentiary. “Dr. King taught us that civil disobedience was essential to the civil rights movement. When this highly educated and prominent man chose arrest and incarceration, it forced many Americans to confront not just the racism of individual behavior, but also the immorality and oppression in the nation’s legal system.”
Eastern State Penitentiary’s Martin Luther King Day program will take place virtually, live-streamed on the organization’s Facebook and via Zoom webinar. It will be comprised of six 30-minute, back-to-back sessions, so attendees can participate in just one session or tune in for all six.
This event is free and open to the public. No reservations necessary. For more information, the public can visit www.EasternState.org/events.
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