Maltz Museum To Reopen For MLK Day Celebration

BEACHWOOD, OH — The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage will reopen to the public on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18.

The museum's annual MLK Day celebration — this year called "Hear Our Voices" — will feature free admission, virtual family activities and an online program featuring Dr. David Pilgrim, founder and curator of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. Participants can take a free virtual tour of the Jim Crow Museum before the lecture at 3 p.m.

All activities are free, though advanced registration is required. Tickets can be reserved online through the Maltz Museum's website.

Here's the schedule of activities for MLK Day 2020 (Jan. 18):

• 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Visit the Maltz Museum, in-person
  • Guests can tour the Maltz Museum's core collections for free, though advanced tickets are required. Limited tickets available.
• 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. — "Stop the Hate" Essay Writing Workshop, online
  • During this workship, students in grades 6-12 can get insight on how to write personal essays. Lake Erie Ink will provide insights and tips for essay writing, valuable both for the contest and future college applications.
• 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — March Toward Freedom, an Interactive Family Event, online
  • Punch McHamm of BravoNation will read from the book "As Good as Anybody," written by Richard Michelson and illustrated by Raul Colon. The book covers the friendship of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.
  • An interactive question-and-answer session with Zelma Brown of SAFY will follow the reading.
  • Finally, Talespinner Children's Theater will lead an improv-like activity exploring what it means to be a leader.
• 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Race, Racism, and the Jim Crow Museum: A Discussion with Dr. David Pilgrim, founder and curator of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia, online
  • The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia uses racist objects of intolerance to teach tolerance and promote social justice, according to the Maltz Museum. The goal of the museum is to explore race relations and the consequences of racist depictions.
  • Pilgrim will discuss race, racism and the Jim Crow Museum during his speech.
  • Participants are invited to take a free virtual tour of the Jim Crow Museum before the lecture and come prepared with question for Pilgrim during his Zoom speech.

For more information on the upcoming programs, and to register, visit the Maltz Museum's website.