This coming Monday, the Museum of the African Diaspora opens its doors to everyone for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Free Community Day. You can tour all the galleries and exhibitions for free (usually $15 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, free for ages 5-12) and take part in a wide range of community activities through the day, all in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. on this national holiday.
The day’s slate of art, performance and music provides a chance to reflect on creativity, courage and the importance of protest, and the power of diverse communities. MoAD is usually closed on Mondays, so this is an extra bonus!
The day-long observance takes place from 11am to 5pm. It kicks off with an interactive performance from the Prescott Circus, a fantastic youth circus with performers from West Oakland’s Prescott Elementary School. They’ll be stilt walking and entertaining people on the sidewalk outside from 11am to 2pm. Sidewalk chalk art will be happening 1 to 4pm outside the museum as well, giving visitors a chance to draw or write a meaningful message.
At noon and 12:45pm, the Marcus Shelby Quintet will perform a musical celebration of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement, including rearrangements of spirituals, freedom songs and original music composed by Shelby. San Franciscan Shelby is a composer, bassist, bandleader and educator whose work focuses on African American history, social movements and music.
At 2:30 and 3:15pm, the CO-LLAB Choir will sing songs of protest and healing. The choir is an Oakland-based contemporary vocal ensemble. From 11:30am to 4pm, families can do art activities with Nicole Dixon, an Oakland painter and teacher, in the third floor galleries.
The galleries are open for walking through anytime during the event, with an all-ages scavenger hunt with a prize for those who complete it. Currently on exhibit at MoAD are three exhibitions: Liberatory Living: Protective Interiors and Radical Black Joy, curated by Key Jo Lee; Helina Metaferia’s What We Carry to Set Ourselves Free and Soleé Darrell’s Cosmic Ceremony. Commissioned by MoAD, a painting of Martin Luther King, Jr. titled MLK, Jr. by Bay Area artist Jermaine Danté Burse will be on exhibit.