January 17, 2025
National Civil Rights Museum Celebrates ‘Community Over Chaos’ With Free Admission On MLK Day
Dr. King's legacy lives on!
The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis is honoring the legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 20 with free admission on MLK Day.
Museum admission is free for all guests, thanks to sponsorship from FedEx. MLK Day will be celebrated with a special emphasis on the theme of “Community Over Chaos.” Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the extended hours from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and to pay homage to the day of service by bringing nonperishable items that will be donated to the Mid-South Food Bank.
Guests will experience a robust agenda, including performances on the main stage from local artists listed as Karen Brown, Gerald Richardson, the 901 Band of the Stax Music Academy, and more. A presentation highlighting Dr. King’s thought leadership and humanitarian efforts will be live-streamed for those outside the Memphis area to educate viewers on the correlation between Dr. King’s era and today’s social justice movements.
The museum partnered with other local greats of the sports community to honor Dr. King’s ongoing legacy. The Memphis Grizzlies organization will be on site to present NBA greats Cheryl Miller, Tommy Smith and Amare Stoudemire with the National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award during the annual Earl Lloyd Sports Legacy Panel at the FedEx Forum. Local student winners of the museum’s 2024 Keeper of the Dream Award will join in the award presentation to present the honorees during a pre-game ceremony against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Tennessee Chapter of the NFL Alumni Association will also be on-site to provide free COVID and flu vaccines through a partnership with the CDC and Health Heroes. A number of NFL greats will be present for photo ops and autographs. Additional MLK Day support comes from local companies and major corporations, including Home Depot, Ford Philanthropy, and DexCom, volunteering their time to uphold Dr. King’s legacy of community engagement.
There are a number of other activities in the Memphis area celebrating the national holiday. According to Action News 5, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition is hosting a day of service event at The Historic Monumental Baptist Church from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Guest speakers include Monumental’s pastor, Reverend Mike Collins, and Principal of Whitehaven High School, Dr. Vincent Hunter. The Whitehaven High School Choir is also scheduled to perform.
After the opening ceremony, attendees will march over to the museum at 9 a.m.
Located at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, the museum gives detailed insight into the history of the American Civil Rights Movement, slavery, and present-day history.
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