Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not only a beacon of hope and a celebration of one of America’s greatest leaders, but it is also a reminder of the progress that still must be accomplished. “The struggle very much continues,” says Ann Barnett, director of communications and institutional advancement at Karamu House. “There’s been some silver linings in the last four years, and one silver lining is that we've unearthed the reality that racism is still very prevalent. We can make change with the form of peaceful protest that Dr. King shared.” Many Cleveland art institutions are celebrating King’s legacy through the power of music and art. Here are a few events to check out on Jan. 18.
The Bop Stop at the Music Settlement: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Concert
Tune in to the Bop Stop’s Facebook page at 3 p.m. on the Sunday before MLK Day for a livestreamed memorial concert with performances from the Music Settlement’s faculty and students. Curated by faculty members Linda Allen and Matthew Jones, the free afternoon of music honors King’s civil rights work and legacy. Free (donations encouraged at givebutter.com/mlkconcert), Jan. 17, 3 p.m., Virtual event, facebook.com/bopstop
Cleveland Museum of Art: Becoming a Beloved Community
During the Civil Rights Movement, King envisioned the world as a “beloved community,” a vision that included equal opportunities and love for all. This Cleveland Museum of Art program explores this vision through the lens of Michelangelo Lovelace’s 1998 painting “My Home Town.” In Lovelace’s painting, two large groups of people stand in front of Cleveland but are divided by race. Despite the overarching divide, some connect in the middle. A speech from Rev. Dr. Jawanza Colvin of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church opens the event, followed by a recital of original works exploring themes related to Lovelace’s painting by poets Orlando Watson and Cuyahoga County poet laureate Honey Bell-Bey and a moderated discussion. Free, Jan. 18, 6-7 p.m., Virtual event, clevelandart.org
The Cleveland Orchestra's Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
The Cleveland Orchestra is honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day for the 41st time with a livestream performance. Viewers can recognize King’s legacy through the virtual series, which spans into early February. Performances from 2018, 2019, and 2020 are also accessible through Adella and radio and TV broadcasts through Ideastream. New performances will be released through social media. Jan. 14-Early February, adella.live, ideastream.org
Cleveland Public Library: Honoring the Change Makers and Unsung Heroes Among Us
The library’s 36th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration looks a little bit different this year but is once again saluting the everyday members of our community who carry on King’s legacy by working for social justice in their own neighborhoods. Tune in for speeches from Antioch Baptish Church’s Rev. Marvin A. McMickle and Cleveland Baptist Church’s India Pierce Lee, award presentations, music performances and a reenactment of Robert F. Kennedy’s eulogy of Dr. King. This year’s theme “And Justice For All” also nods to the writings of King, author Leslie Snyder, abolitionist Fredrick Douglass and President Theodore Roosevelt. The ceremony broadcasts three times Sunday and Monday in collaboration with WOIO 19News. Jan. 17, 7 p.m., WUAB Channel 43; Jan. 18, 9 a.m., WOIO Channel 19, 11 a.m., WUAB Channel 43; cpl.org
Karamu House: Infinite Hope
King left a message that “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lost infinite hope.” Karamu House, the 106-year-old Black performing arts center visited by King in 1963, is celebrating the important message behind this iconic quote in a program called “Infinite Hope.” The 50-minute celebration features songs from iconic Black performers such as James Brown, a celebration of art from the Harlem Renaissance, traditional African dance numbers, spoken-word performances that include reenactments of King’s most-famous speeches and much more. Free (Registration Required), Jan. 18-24, Virtual event, karamuhouse.org
