Share your dream at the Washington State History Museum’s MLK Jr. program

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The Washington State History Museum will be celebrating all day Jan. 18 during its 13th annual MLK Day event. With various performances, keynote address and a new jazz exhibit, the museum has a lot in store to honor the legacy of the civil rights leader, activist and pacifist. The History Museum is extending operating hours until 6 p.m. during this celebration of Dr. King’s life, and admission is free all day.

The formal program kicks off in the auditorium at 11 a.m. where guests can catch the first of two screenings of “Tacoma Civil Rights Project: Remembering Our Past, Reshaping Our Destiny,” a documentary by Sidney Lee about Tacoma’s civil rights activists; the other screening will be later that afternoon at 1 p.m.

“The South was not the only place where Americans were denied equal rights,” said the museum’s Public Relations Coordinator Kimberly Adams. “Right here in Tacoma, as little as 35 years ago Americans couldn’t get jobs or housing because of their skin color.” She said Lee’s documentary tells all about how local leaders fought Washington’s own civil rights battle.

The rest of the program will take place on Floor 5. Lyle Quasim, former secretary of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and a civil rights activist, will deliver the keynote address at 2 p.m., during which he will talk about the importance of King’s life and legacy.

“We have an established relationship with Lyle Quasim, and knew he’d deliver a thoughtful and significant keynote address,” Adams said. “Quasim will touch on Tacoma’s successful collaborations and commitments to providing educational opportunities for the community, while telling the stories of Tacoma’s accomplishments.”

Another major highlight at this year’s event will be musical performances from singer Kim Archer and the Kim Archer Band. “Our stellar programming team is constantly seeking new talent, and once they discovered the Kim Archer Band’s talent, they knew they had to be a part of our event,” Adams said. Band members are singer Kim Archer also playing acoustic guitar, David McKibbin on guitar, Chris Tussing on drums and Jerome Gates on bass. To learn more about the band, visit http://www.kimarcherband.com.

Guests can also roam about the “Jackson Street After Hours: The Roots of Jazz in Seattle” exhibit to learn about African Americans building up a lasting jazz movement in Seattle. Imagine a time when Seattle nightlife surged long past midnight, with people ducking in and out of 34 nightclubs along Jackson Street. A time when limousines pulled up to the 908 Club, and celebrities, jazz, and bootleg liquor flowed as fast as a soldier’s pay. This historic photograph exhibit documents the rich after-hours scene that flourished along Jackson Street from 1937-51. This show highlights the era which nourished the early careers of Quincy Jones, Ray Charles and Ernestine Anderson.

There will be no food or concession stands, and there is no food or drinks allowed in the galleries or auditorium. As a general museum guideline for the comfort of guests, children will have their own space for drinks or snacks. The event is wheelchair accessible.

In honor of this special event, the museum will be extending their business hours, and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Washington State History Museum is located at 1911 Pacific Ave. in downtown Tacoma, just off I-5. For more information, call (888) BE-THERE, send e-mail to Kimberly Adams at or visit the museum’s website at http://www.washingtonhistory.org. Guests can also follow the museum on Twitter and Facebook at http://www.twitter.com/HistoryMuseum and http://www.facebook.com/historymuseum respectively.

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