After years of organization and fundraising, the National Museum of African American Music inaugurated its extensive suite of exhibits with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 18, 2021, observed that year as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Though the ongoing COVID pandemic meant that the institution had to proceed with caution through its first year of being open to the public, it’s remained deeply invested in telling the rich and vital story of Black music in America — including an annual Juneteenth block party and a special exhibit exploring the history of Nashville’s hip-hop scene. Monday, Jan. 19 (this year’s MLK Day), the museum will celebrate its fifth anniversary with a special suite of events, free and open to the public.
Doors open at 12 p.m. and the official kickoff is at 12:30, which will include youthful piano wizard Carter Hammonds performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The agenda also includes a performance from rising Atlanta country stars The BoykinZ and the unveiling of new exhibit dedicated to Nashville heroes The McCrary Sisters. Both groups are slated to join in a panel discussion titled Sister Groups: Legacy & Innovation. There’s another panel on deck called Civil Rights: Memphis to Nashville, which will explore the stories of musicians Cortelia Clark and Bettye Crutcher. At 3:30 p.m., the museum will mark the official launch of its digital broadcast platform NMAAM Radio, featuring Grammy winner DJ Smoke, who will serve as the platform’s resident DJ.
The party wraps at 5 p.m. Throughout the day, admission to the museum gallery will be free to the public. This does not include the RFID wristbands that activate some of the interactive exhibits, but those will be available for $5 each.
"This is not simply a birthday celebration," reads a statement attributed to museum leadership that appears in the release. "It is a declaration of purpose — honoring five years of truth-telling, cultural preservation, and innovation while setting the stage for what comes next."
See the NMAAM website for more details and updates, as well as information on museum membership.
