Maltz Museum Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1/19

Cleveland, Ohio

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter," said Martin Luther King, Jr. The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage (2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood, Ohio 44122; 216.593.0575; maltzmuseum.org) recognizes those who speak out to make their voices heard on issues critical to our society with a free, day-long community celebration-Hear Our Voices: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Mon., Jan. 19, 11am - 5pm).

"Whether it's the firsthand account of a Holocaust survivor or the student Stop the Hate anti-discrimination essay contest, we understand the power of taking a stand and being a voice for positive change," says Maltz Museum Executive Director Ellen Rudolph. Because, Rudolph explains, as Dr. King said, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Hear Our Voices begins at 11:30am with a tribute to Civil Rights advocate and longtime Call & Post Associate Publisher and Executive Editor, Connie Harper. The discussion on the importance of black voices in the media will be moderated by Sonali Wilson (General Counsel, Cleveland State University) and include panelists Sheila Wright (Executive Director, Cleveland NAACP), Constance Haqq (Director of Administration & External Affairs, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District) and James W. Wade III (Reporter, Call & Post).

At 1pm, Museum-goers are invited to hear an inspiring spoken word performance by Pushcart-nominated poet, TEDx speaker and facilitator of critical identity discussions, Aaron Levy Samuels (aaronsamuelspoetry.com). The Cave Canem Fellow and nationally acclaimed performer was raised in Providence, Rhode Island by a Jewish mother and a Black father. His debut collection of poetry, Yarmulkes & Fitted Caps was released last year and a post-oration conversation with Samuels will touch on social inequality, identity and "the multiplicities we all contain within."

And, at 3pm, the public is invited to sing for social change with Cleveland Blues Society founder and musician Bob Frank (http://www.bluelunch.com). The Blue Lunch guitarist and solo artist will apply his vast knowledge of country, blues and bluegrass music to performing a retrospective of protest songs.

Other activities throughout the day include a public peace pledge and hands-on "I have a dream" crafts. This family-friendly free day is generously sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.

# # #

The Maltz Museum celebrates culture and identity to encourage connection and promote a greater appreciation of Jewish heritage and the diversity of the human experience. Personal stories of struggle, courage and creativity are brought to life through interactive exhibitions and thought-provoking programs. For more information, visit maltzmuseum.org and follow us on Twitter @maltzmuseum and @stopthehateUS.

OTHER JANUARY MALTZ MUSEUM PROGRAMS & EXHIBITIONS:

State Of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda (Now - March 15, 2015)
"Propaganda is a truly terrible weapon in the hands of an expert," wrote Adolf Hitler in 1924. During the subsequent two decades, Nazi leaders showed the world bold new ways to use this tool. In examining how the Nazis manipulated mass communications in their quest to acquire power, State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda challenges museum-goers to think critically about the messages they encounter today. State of Deception is produced by United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and presented by the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Hearts and Minds: Persuasion, Propaganda and Ethics in the Digital Age (Wed., Jan. 21, 7:30pm)
Does the explosion of media outlets and opinion-makers preserve a free society or make it more difficult to separate fact from fiction? Mike Shafarenko, Manager of Community Engagement, Web & Social Media, ideastream, moderates a provocative discussion with Bruce M. Hennes, Hennes Paynter Crisis Communications, Jan Leach, director of the Media Law Center for Ethics and Access at Kent State University, Elizabeth McIntyre, editor, Crain's Cleveland Business and Russ Mitchell, WKYC-TV3 lead anchor.

Northeast Ohio: What's Next (Wed., Jan. 28, 7pm)
Hear what award-winning Plain Dealer journalist 2010 Cleveland Arts Prize winner Steven Litt thinks is around the corner for Greater Cleveland. Increase your knowledge of and share your thoughts on upcoming developments in the region during this provocative, data-backed overview of our changing region and its future. This program is part of the 2014-2015 Cleveland Jewish History and Public Policy Series co-sponsored by Cleveland Jewish News Foundation, The Laura and Alvin Siegal Lifelong Learning Program at Case Western Reserve University, Teaching Cleveland Digital and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.