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THE NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM CELEBRATES DR. KING’S 90TH BIRTHDAY WITH FREE ADMISSION AND DAYLONG ACTIVITIES

The Museum Honors King’s Inclusive Leadership and Service to Humankind

Memphis, TN, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the national holiday Monday, January 21, the National Civil Rights Museum will remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on what would have been his 90th birthday.  For this special celebration, the  King Day admission will be free for each guest with a canned food donation benefitting Mid-South Food Bank. 

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“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other,” King said. Drawing on his message of hope and unity, the museum celebrates Dr. King’s love through empathy and humanity.

“The National Civil Rights Museum each year honors the vision of Dr. King in promoting equality, empowerment and service.  His leadership is a beacon for the way forward to overcoming obstacles to peace and justice. Also, on this special day of service, our premier sponsor, FedEx, is providing free admission to tour the museum,” said Terri Lee Freeman, Museum President.

“FedEx is proud to join the National Civil Rights Museum in honor of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in our hometown of Memphis,” said Shannon A. Brown, senior vice president of Air Ground and Freight Services and chief diversity officer at FedEx Express.  “It is a privilege for us to offer free public admission to the National Civil Rights Museum in his honor.”

Other sponsors include Caesars Foundation, The Starbucks Foundation, Tennessee Arts Commission and University of Tennessee Health and Science Center.  A host of restaurants and services are providing in-kind donations and several corporations, and organizations have committed volunteers to serve at the museum on King Day.

KING DAY HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Visitors can tour the museum from 8am–6pm. Included in the tour is the new exhibit Without Regard to Sex, Race or Color: The Past, Present and Future of One Historically Black College, a photographic exhibit depicting the life of Morris Brown College campus life during its heyday and in its current state of present decline.
  • The museum is continuing its blood drive with Vitalant (formerly Lifeblood) to help with the seasonal blood shortage. Any one donating blood will receive additional free admission for up to four people on any day in 2019.  For the food drive with the Mid-South Food Bank, the museum is requesting a canned good with the free admission to help feed hungry families in the Mid-South. In 2018, 3,551 families were assisted with food donations and 62 units of blood were donated to potentially save 186 lives.
  • A full day of activities including Main Stage performances, an edutainment Children’s Activity Tent, a resource-rich Healthy Community Pavilion, Home Depot Arts & Crafts Tent,  the Memphis Public Library’s Tech Mobile Van, trivia contest with prizes, an Instagram photo booth, the Shelby County Schools Visual Arts team student  reporters, and WQOX 88.5FM) streaming via Facebook Live.

STREET CLOSURES:

There will be a few road closures designated for pedestrian-only traffic around the Museum's campus.

  • Huling Avenue at South Main Street
  • Huling Avenue at St. Martin Street
  • Butler Avenue at South Main
  • Mulberry Street at G.E. Patterson
  • St. Martin Street from Second Avenue to Butler

For more information about the King Day at the National Civil Rights Museum, visit civilrightsmuseum.org/king-day.  Hashtags are #KingDay2019

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, is the only museum of its kind that gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from 1619 to the present. Since opening in 1991, millions from around the world have come, including 90,000 students annually. As the new public square, the Museum examines today’s global civil and human rights issues, provokes thoughtful debate and serves as a catalyst for positive social change.

A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized among USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Named in the Top 1% of TripAdvisor 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; Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and Top Tourist Attraction by Memphis Business Journal.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $69 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 450,000 team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit about.fedex.com.

 

Faith Morris
National Civil Rights Museum
901-527-1225
fmorris@civilrightsmuseum.org