Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?s birthday will be celebrated with honor as well as fun at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.
The event will feature keynote speaker Dr. Harold Carter, a student of Dr. King and the pastor at the New Shiloh Baptist Church of Baltimore.
Rosalyn Gaines, the founder and creative director at the Kuumba Theatre, wrote the play, “A Rumble in My Voice,” which will be performed at the celebration. “It?s a tribute to African American women who served in the trenches of the Civil Rights Movement,” Gaines said. “When you take a look at that period of time, many reports out there are about the phenomenal work people did, but particularly men. I wanted to resurrect the contribution that women made.”
The play highlights the contributions of women like Septima Clark, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Annelle Ponder, Coretta Scott King and more. “These women did phenomenal things that almost led to them losing their lives,” Gaines said.
“Some [young people] tend to think the past has nothing to do with what?s going on in their lives right now, but when you present history to them in visual form, they are able to connect with it in a way that becomes personal for them,” Gaines said.
Productions from area schools will accompany the event, including a stepping performance from the Calvin Rodwell Steppers of Calvin Rodwell Elementary. “We are going to be performing several different steps, and the age range of the 12 childrenis from grade 3 through 5,” said Stephanie Brown, the program coordinator at Calvin Rodwell Elementary. “The kids are really excited.”
“If you find invigorating and exciting ways to get [young people] into history, once they know it and they understand their place in it, that breeds leaders,” Gaines said. “They start to think about what it is that they can do for tomorrow.”
A screening of the civil rights videos “The Children of Birmingham” and “The Nonviolent Fight: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycotts” will be shown as well.
If you go
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
» Venue: Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History & Culture, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore
» Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
» Cost: $5
» More info: 443-263-1800
