The Citizens Bank Foundation announced last week that it is donating $25,000 to the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) today underwrite the museum’s commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The grant, which has been bestowed to AAMP for five years, will allow the museum to offer free admission and cultural activities to more than 3,000 museum visitors that day. “The day has just grown by leaps and bounds,” said Henri G. Moore, Senior Vice President, Citizens Bank. “I think the first year we were maybe at about 1,000 attendees, and as of last year we were up to about 3,000. it's so wonderful to see so many families come out and participate. And there are so many of our Citizen Bank colleagues who volunteer their time every year to come and make this event such a successful day.”
According to Claire Lomax, AAMP Board Chair, the museum’s “Sharing the Heritage Day” will allow visitors to enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities, including arts and crafts, historic reenactments, and dynamic musical, dance and other cultural performances. “In many ways, this will be an educational, fun, event recognizing and celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Lomax.
In addition, visitors can view a new exhibit entitled “Life and Times of Congressman Robert Smalls,” which officially opens on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. The exhibit includes furniture from the house where Smalls and his mother were enslaved, letters and pictures from his home in Beaufort, S.C., and movie screenings. “Dr. King, and his work, while of course an assassin took him physically away, he will never be away from any of us,” noted Mayor Nutter. “Many of us, quite honestly, are the benefactor of all the work and effort struggle and pain. I would not be standing where I am today, if not for the work of Dr. martin Luther King—and I am reminded of that and think of that as I'm going about trying to run the fifth largest city in America. So this is always a joyful occasion and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the life, the legacy and the dedication and commitment of a great American and a great citizen of the world.”
To encourage visits by families, the bank will offer the Citizens Bank Scavenger Hunt for Heritage, a fun and educational activity that will help children explore and experience the museum. More than 50 Citizens Bank volunteers will guide children through their list of clues to find specific artifacts. Each child who brings a completed list to the Citizens Bank table in the museum will receive a copy of Martin’s Big Words, a picture-book biography of the civil rights leader; or a book on Robert Smalls entitled American Heroes: Robert Smalls: The Boat Thief, compliments of Citizens Bank. Scavenger hunt participants will also receive a special commemorative button compliments of AAMP. The Phillie Phanatic will greet visitors between 11 a.m. and noon.
“The partnership between Citizens Bank and the African American Museum has significantly enhanced the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Philadelphia,” said Nutter. “It's a wonderful occasion, as we've come to say, it really is a day on, not a day off. Bringing children and families to the museum and being actively engaged in some day if service project. It's not just about the one day; there are many, many days in the year to provide some service, some support, some assistance to someone here in the city of Philadelphia. People are still struggling and these are very hard times and many people and families have been impacted—still—by the ongoing effects of the recession.”
In the midst of the announcement, the mayor requested that several of the youngsters selected to read their MLK essays at the Museum also visit City Hall to share their prose. “The more we listen to our young people, the better position we'll be to actually respond to the things that are on their minds,” said Nutter. “Many of these young people are wanting to do the right thing and need to know that somebody really cares about them.”
Underwritten by the Citizens Bank Foundation, “Sharing the Heritage Day” enables The African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St., to open its doors free of charge on Monday, January 16, 2012 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., as part of the national observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. For a complete list of special events and performances, visit
www.aampmuseum.org or call (215) 574-0380.
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