MOTOWN MUSEUM TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH SERIES FOCUSED ON MOTOWN'S BLACK FORUM LABEL

Motown Museum announced today that, in partnership with University of Michigan Detroit Center, it will host a series of Black Forum Friday events every Friday in February in celebration of Black History Month. Motown Museum Chairwoman and CEO Robin Terry made the announcement.

The Black Forum Label—a spoken word label created by Berry Gordy and the Motown Corporation in the 70’s—was created to function as a platform for Black expression and education. To celebrate Black History Month, the Museum will launch for the first time the Black Forum Friday event series and provide a listening experience of selected Black Forum albums, while educating attendees about the history of Motown’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.

Each event will offer guests the opportunity to hear portions of two albums and participate in moderated community dialogue beginning at 5:30 p.m. every Friday in February (February 5, 12, 19, 26), with the listening portion of the program from 6-7:30 p.m. The minimum donation to attend is $5 and will grant guests access to the Museum before and after the program portion of the event.

“Motown played a vital role in giving voice to the African American community, and the Black Forum Label was critical in capturing and preserving some of the most historic events and speeches within a wide spectrum of Black perspectives and experiences,” said Terry. “As we protect, preserve and narrate the deep cultural, social and historical significance of the Motown legacy, it is our honor to provide our guests with this authentic and unique experience in honor of Black History Month and share some of these moving and influential recordings with our local community.”

Some of the albums that will be featured during the event series include the 1963 The Great March to Freedom album featuring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream:” speech, the 1970 Writers of the Revolution album featuring influential African American poets Langston Hughes and Margaret Danner, and the 1972 Black Spirits album, which features Imamu Amiri Baraka and The Original Last Poets live at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.

For more information on Motown Museum, including hours of operation, visit http://www.motownmuseum.org or call 313.875.2264.