Weekend Events January 13-15: Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday, To the Mountaintop and Native Dance

Friday, January 13 Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King Jr.

Celebrate the birthday of the civil rights leader at the Anacostia Community Museum’s 27th annual event, featuring keynote speaker Harry E. Johnson Sr., President and CEO of the Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation and a step performance by the Omicron Eta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Free. 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Baird Auditorium, Natural History Museum.

Saturday, January 14 To the Mountaintop
The timeless words that stirred a nation come alive as actor Xavier Carnegie presents selections from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most powerful speeches and sermons. The combination of live performance, historic photographs and audio recordings goes a step beyond “I have a dream” to honor the legacy of all who struggled for a more perfect union. Free. 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. repeats Sunday and Monday. Flag Hall, American History Museum.

Sunday, January 15 Native Dance

As the Native Storytelling Festival wraps up, enjoy a final performance by the singers, dancers and drummers from St. Labre Indian School in Montana. The group, under the guidance of Benjamin Headswift, draws on a rich cultural heritage that includes Crow and Northern Cheyenne cultures. They will perform the Grass Dance, the Crow Hop, and several other pow-wow style dances. Stick around afterwards to meet the students. Free. 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. National Museum of the American Indian.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

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Aviva Shen is a reporter/blogger for ThinkProgress. Before joining CAP, Aviva interned and wrote for Smithsonian magazine, Salon, and New York.