Jan. 18-20: Voices of Liberation – Dr. King’s Legacy of Writing and Speaking in Confinement
Saturday – Monday, January 18–20, 2025
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site
2027 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, PA
and ONLINE
This program explores the profound impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s writing and speaking, especially his transformative “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Visitors will engage in discussions and activities that analyze how Dr. King and other civil rights leaders used the written and spoken word to inspire action and challenge oppression. This program will highlight the enduring power of communication as a tool for resistance and change, even under the most restrictive conditions.
This includes Eastern State’s newest exhibit Making Headlines, focused on the history of journalism at the penitentiary. Through discussion, readings, reflections and hands-on activities, visitors will examine how words shaped the Civil Rights Movement and continue to resonate in today’s struggles for equality.
On Monday at 12:25 PM, ALC executive director Saleem Holbrook will discuss the impact of incarceration on activists George Jackson and Assata Shakur. Special programming on Monday will also include a musical performance by the Black Breath Collective.