.png)
A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
"...Freedom songs are the soul of the movement."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
As Martin Luther King Day approaches, BlackRock Center for the Arts is honored to present our 3rd annual SAY IT LOUD! MLK Event at BlackRock on January 18, 2025.
.png)
CLICK TO SEE THE MENU!
PLAN YOUR DAY!
FILM LINEUP
All movies are free! Please visit concessions for popcorn, beer, wine, and other goodies.
11:30 A.M. - Mainstage Theater
FOUR LITTLE GIRLS (TV-14)
.jpg)
SPIKE LEE’S documentary of the notorious racial terrorist 1963 bombing that killed four little girls. On Sunday, September 15, 1963, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, was bombed by four members of the Ku Klux Klan. Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, four African-American girls between the ages of 11 and 14 who had been attending the 16th Street Baptist Church's Sunday school, were killed in the blast. Director Spike Lee's somber 1997 documentary tells the story through new interviews and archival footage.
12:45 P.M. - BlackBox Theater
AILEY (PG-13)
An immersive portrait of dance pioneer Alvin Ailey, told through his own words and a new dance inspired by his life.
1:30 P.M. - Mainstage Theater
BlacKKKlansman (Rated R)
.jpg)
From visionary filmmaker Spike Lee comes the incredible true story of an American hero. Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer from Colorado Springs, CO, successfully manages to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan branch with the help of a Jewish surrogate who eventually becomes its leader. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. The young detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague, Flip Zimmerman, into the undercover investigation of a lifetime. Together, they team up to take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sanitize its violent rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream.
2:30 P.M. - BlackBox Theater
CALL ME DANCER
A street dancer from Mumbai struggles against his parents' insistence that he follow a traditional path. Then he meets a curmudgeonly Israeli ballet master, who inspires him to follow his dreams.
4:15 P.M. - BlackBox Theater
STEP (PG)
“STEP” were there to observe three seniors, all members of its Step Dance Team.
.jpg)
The Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women was founded in 2009 to help underserved girls, predominantly African Americans prepare for College. As this public charter school geared up to graduate its first class, the filmmakers of
6:00 P.M. - BlackBox Theater
FIGHT THE POWER (TV-14)
This is an incredible narrative of struggle, triumph and resistance through the lens of an art form that has chronicled the emotions, experiences and expressions of Black and Brown communities: Hip Hop. Featuring Killer Mike, Will.i.am, Monie Love, Ice-T, Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte and many more, this is a portrait of the unique relationship between Hip Hop and the political history of the U.S.
UPCOUNTY RECORD FAIR
1:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
RECORD VENDORS
Bumrush 45
HR Records
Mezzanine Vinyl
The Crate Adventure
PLUS DJ SETS BY:
Radio Teleocene
Aquatic Gardener
DJ Gamma
…and more!
PERFORMANCES
JANUARY 17
8:00 PM - Mainstage Theater
SA-ROC
10:00 PM - BlackBox Theater
Official SA-ROC After Party with DJ OSO FRESH!
Entry is included with tickets to the SA-ROC concert.
JANUARY 18
10:00 A.M. - Mainstage Theater
Do Justice: Voices of The Civil Rights Movement
Many of us take our freedoms for granted, forgetting that for far too long many people were denied their basic rights. This oppression continued until one person, and then another, decided that they could no longer let their voices be silent; following the path of many laid before them, including during the years of Reconstructions, together they formed the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. We all have a voice. But if we are silent though our cause is just, how can we make a difference? In this interactive program, storyteller Sarah Brady and Bomani Armah share voices that rose from the Civil Rights Movement to help us answer this question.
10:00 & 11:30 A.M. - BlackBox Theater
BSO Presents Dinosaurs - Woodwind Quintet
ART & MORE
12 P.M. - Kay Gallery
VEKETIA GIBSON
Why Community Matters- The Need for Love Courage and Strength and the birth of Walking for Talking and its Journey.
1 P.M. - Kay Gallery
ACT-SO POETRY & SONG
More information coming soon!
2 P.M. - Kay Gallery
TIANA JOELLE - The Courage to Leave: Overcoming Narcissistic Abuse
In this powerful and inspiring discussion, Tiana Joelle shares her deeply personal journey of breaking free from a 7-year relationship with a narcissistic partner. She opens up about the emotional toll of the abuse, the challenges of recognizing the toxicity, and the strength it took to finally walk away. Through her story, Tiana highlights the importance of self-worth, healing, and reclaiming your life after leaving an emotionally abusive relationship. She hopes that all attendees will leave feeling empowered to face their own challenges, armed with insights on resilience, self-love, and the courage to create a brighter future for yourself.
2:30 P.M. - Dance Studio
Crazy Legz Beat Ya Feet Workshop
Born and raised in SE Washington DC John Pearson III aka Crazylegz " The King of Beat Ya Feet" has been pushing the GoGo rooted dance Beat Ya Feet for over a decade through DMV communities. He first became popular from his signature footwork and style named after him, which is credited with evolving the dance style at a time when the Beat ya feet dance was at its peak. He was one of the original members and leader of the popular DC dance group the Beat Ya Feet Kings. Although he has been striving to keep the GoGo dance culture alive in the city, his hard work payed off when it caught attention internationally, through his travels to Warsaw, Poland and Ghana, West Africa. Now he not only pushes to influence the dc culture locally for generations to come but to also spread the DC culture around the world by using the Beat ya feet dance as a gateway to introduce GoGo music and culture to the masses in a way where the music genre is fully accepted and appreciated. He is the Owner of Pearson & Company LLC, a company that utilizes the Beat Ya Feet dance as a base to entertain, and educate through events, workshops, competitions, and production.
REBECCA MARIMUTU - BETWEEN Portrait(s), Divine Mother
EXHIBITION OPEN 12 P.M. - 8 P.M.
ARTIST RECEPTION: 5 P.M. - 8 P.M.
In Portrait(s), Divine Mother, Guyanese-African American experimental photographer Rebecca Marimutu utilizes a rigorous practice of subverting orthodox photographic processes to pay homage to the Caribbean spirituality of her matriarchal lineage. The ancestral worship of her female-dominated household derives from Shaktism, a tradition venerating the divine feminine through goddesses like Mariamman and Kali. As well as exhibiting monumental self-portraits on metal, Marimutu will engage directly with individuals from the Caribbean diaspora through workshops, interviews, and discussions focused on the project’s themes.
DUNNIE ONASANYA - CHOOSE YOUR JOY
First generation Nigerian American painter and art educator, Dunnie Onasanya, presents a vibrant family-friendly exhibition that invites visitors of all ages to explore the transformative power of love, personal growth, and self-expression through the symbolism of hearts and butterflies. Onasanya's work is heavily influenced by her West African heritage, her faith, and an intuitive approach pulling from abstract expressionism, hamsas and other historic symbols using bold colors, metallic paints, gold leaf, crushed glass, and jewels.
EXHIBITION OPEN 12 P.M. - 8 P.M.
ARTIST RECEPTION: 5 P.M. - 8 P.M.
