January programming announced for MLK Jr. Day, Ali's birthday
01.10.23
MEDIA ADVISORY
Two days of celebrating Greatness and Black Leadership highlighted by free admission, student civil leadership forum, community needs assessment.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Muhammad Ali Center will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Muhammad Ali’s Birthday – on January 16 and 17 respectively, with two days of programming and education fitting these two pillars of the civil rights movement.
In partnership with the American Red Cross, the Association for Teaching Black History in Kentucky, and the Consortium for Anti-Racist Teaching, the Ali Center will host a full day of in-museum programming on Monday, January 16.
Admission to the Center will be free to all on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a great opportunity for the community to come, learn, and help us continue the legacy. Dr. King’s I Have A Dream speech will be shown for free at the top of each hour. Doors to the Center will open early, at 11:30 a.m. to allow people to arrive on time for the 12 p.m. programming. Following the 12 p.m. screening, a panel of seven Muhammad Ali Center Council of Students will speak on carrying forward Dr. King’s Dream and Muhammad Ali’s legacy in a forum hosted by the MAC.
“We are still learning from Muhammad Ali and Dr. King, and these are special days where we hope people will come join us in community and talk about carrying forward their important work,” said Muhammad Ali Center President and CEO Marilyn Jackson. “Our MACCS panel will give voice to the young leaders following in Dr. King and Muhammad’s footsteps, and our educational resources and training will help mold even more young minds towards social justice.”
Monday’s programming begins with an American Red Cross blood drive on the first floor of the Center, as well as professional development led by the ATBH-KY in View Pointe Hall. Teachers can sign up for the professional development here.
Muhammad’s birthday, January 17, falls on a Tuesday, when the Center is closed to the public. But, there are still opportunities for the community to join in celebrating the day and carrying forward his life’s work. The Muhammad Ali Center education department compiled lesson plans for students K-12 that can be accessed from the Ali Center website.
In addition to educator resources, Muhammad’s birthday will launch the I Love Ali’s Louisville Community Impact Survey. This survey is an outgrowth of the Strategic Plan that the MAC launched in July, which conveys a vision for growing strategic partnerships between the Center and the Louisville community. Community members will have an opportunity to share their insight into how the Ali Center can better serve the Champ’s hometown.
“The Muhammad Ali Center could have been anywhere in the world, but Muhammad chose Louisville because he believed in his hometown,” said Senior Director of Education & Curation Erin Herbert. “In that spirit, we’re looking for feedback from the Louisville community on how we can work together to make Ali’s Louisville the best it can be.”
The community impact survey will be available at alicenter.org and will be distributed throughout the community through early 2023.
Summary of Janunary 16 Public Events:
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – American Red Cross Blood Drive
11:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. – FREE admission to the Muhammad Ali Center
12 p.m. – First I Have a Dream screening, followed by MACCS panel
1-4 p.m. – Hourly screenings of I Have a Dream speech
Contact:
Annie Moore
Muhammad Ali Center
amoore@alicenter.org
502.992.5338 or 812.786.1072 mobile