African American Museum Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on January 18

Photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., taken by Moneta Sleet will be on display at the African American Museum.

The African American Museum of Nassau County will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on January 18 with an exhibit of photographs, letters and other documents relating to the civil rights leader’s life, announced Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano.

The exhibit will continue through March 31.

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 exhibit is sponsored by the Moneta Sleet Foundation. Sleet, who was born in Kentucky but later resided on Long Island, died in 1996.

The civil rights-related photos of several other photographers will also be in on display, including those of Steve Patel, Jim Peppler (a former Newsday photographer) and Herbert Randall.

As part of a special program on January 18 at 6 p.m., photographers, journalists and friends of Moneta Sleet will join the Sleet family in a panel discussion about the photographer’s life.

The African America Museum is located at 110 North Franklin Street in Hempstead; it is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 516-572-0730.