African American Museum Celebrates Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with Range of Events

Photos of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by Pulitzer Prize winner Moneta Sleet, Jr., will be on display at the African American Museum.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano announces that the African American Museum and Center for Education and Applied Arts will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life with an exhibit of photographs, letters and other documents.

The exhibit includes photos of Dr. King taken by Moneta Sleet, Jr., who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for his photograph of Coretta Scott King at her husband’s funeral. The photo exhibit, running from January 11 - 29, is sponsored by the Moneta Sleet Foundation. Sleet, who was born in Kentucky but later resided on Long Island, died in 1996.

On January 15 from 8 - 10 p.m., the museum will host a one-woman play about Rosa Parks, the civil rights activist who entered public consciousness in 1955 when she challenged the segregationist rules on public transportation in Alabama. The performance, featuring actress Sherrie Tolliver, is presented by the African American Geneaological Society, Inc. Living History Theatre. Tolliver, a graduate of New York University, is a member of the Ohio-based Women in History nonprofit performance group.

On the January 17 holiday, in addition to displays of Sleet’s photographs and other documents about Dr. King’s life, the museum will host a series of films about the civil rights leader, including “Eyes on the Prize,” “Citizen King,” “Mighty Times: Children’s March” and “Our Friend Martin.”

The African American Museum is located at 110 North Franklin Street in Hempstead. The museum is open Tuesday - Friday, noon - 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Monday by appointment. For more information, call 516-572-0730 or visit www.theaam.org.