The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History will offer three days of free admission from Saturday, January 14, through Monday, January 16 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, courtesy of FedEx.
“FedEx is honored to celebrate the legacy and values of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through our continued support of the Two Mississippi Museums,” Rose Flenorl, manager of Global Citizenship at FedEx Services said. “We are proud to help visitors connect with Dr. King’s legacy, and leave inspired to drive positive changes of their own.”
MLK Night of Culture will take place at the museums on Monday, January 16 at 6 p.m. in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium. This year’s theme, inspired by the Black Empowerment gallery in the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, celebrates the unity and determination of Black Mississippians demanding their civil rights from 1965 to the mid-1970s, urged on by successes such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The evening will feature performances exploring how African Americans persevered through the turmoil of racial violence, and publicly demanded their rights as American citizens through boycotts, marches, and protests organized across Mississippi.
“We are grateful to FedEx for their continued support of our Martin Luther King Jr. celebration,” Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History said. “Welcoming the public into the museums as guests of FedEx is a wonderful way to honor this important holiday.”
The Two Mississippi Museums will also host a food drive throughout the free weekend to benefit Stewpot Community Services located in Jackson.
Dr. King’s involvement in Mississippi included visiting Greenwood in support of Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964, testifying in support of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party during the 1964 Democratic National Convention, and continuing James Meredith’s March Against Fear following the assassination attempt against Meredith in 1966.
