Kids 12 and under — Free
All other visitors — $17 (discounted special event rate)
Purchase tickets online in advance.

All discussions and performances will also be livestreamed via Zoom:
January 18
January 19
January 20

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. Special programming on Monday will also include a musical performance by the Black Breath Collective.

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Saturday, January 18:

11:00 AM: Public Tour with Artist Talk (ASL Interpreted) featuring Mark Loughney, artist of Pyrrhic Defeat. This program includes both voice and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation in partnership with Hands UP Productions. Purchase tickets online in advance to secure your spot. Use code HANDSUP for $17 special event admission.

12:00 PM: Shawn Mooring leads a discussion on Ida B. Wells-Barnett and the role of investigative journalism to bring about change.

12:00 – 4:00 PM: Visitors have the opportunity to have their portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of Pyrrhic Defeat.

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Sunday, January 19:

12:00 PM: Ismael Jimenez leads a discussion on Malcolm X and the autobiography he penned during his incarceration.

Canceled due to inclement weather. Eastern State Penitentiary is an exposed ruin, and the building does not have climate control. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Philadelphia, citing heavy snow and dangerous travel conditions. For the safety of our staff and guests, all programs scheduled for January 19 have been cancelled. All pre-purchased tickets for 1/19/25 will be exchanged or refunded. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact our guest support team at [email protected].

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Monday, January 20:

12:10 AM: Musical performance by the Black Breath Collective.

12:30 AM: Lewis Webb discusses Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s ongoing legacy of healing justice.

12:45 AM: Reading by students from The Bridge Way School.

1:05 PM: Musical performance by the Black Breath Collective.

1:25 PM: Robert Saleem Holbrook discusses the impact of incarceration on activists George Jackson and Assata Shakur.

1:45 PM: Reading by students from The Bridge Way School.

1:55 PM: Closing musical performance by the Black Breath Collective.

Please note: Due to inclement weather, the historic site will OPEN AT 11:00 -- one hour late -- on Monday, January 20. The Dr. King program schedule listed here has been updated accordingly.

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About the Speakers:

 Robert Saleem Holbrook (he/him) will discuss the work of Assata Shakur and George Jackson on Monday, January 20. Robert is the Executive Director of both the Abolitionist Law Center, a 501(c)(3), public interest law firm and community organizing project; and its sister organization Straight Ahead, a 501(c)(4) legislative and electoral advocacy group. Saleem is a former “juvenile lifer” who served 27 years in Pennsylvania’s adult state prisons (including a total of 10 years in solitary confinement) after being sentenced to life without parole for an offense he was involved with as a 16-year-old child. He was released in 2018 after The Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional. While incarcerated Saleem studied liberation movements and was mentored by older political and politicized prisoners. He began to write extensively on prison abuse, social injustice, state violence, and juveniles charged and sentenced as adults, and saw his work published in Truthout, The Appeal, San Francisco Bay View, and Solitary Watch.

Ismael Jimenez (he/him) will lead a conversation about Malcolm X on Sunday, January 19. For over a decade, Ismael has led numerous professional development sessions on social studies content for instructors teaching preschool to the post-secondary level across Philadelphia and the nation. Additionally, Ismael has facilitated workshops at prestigious postsecondary institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Penn State University, and Princeton University on issues ranging from structural racism to bridging the knowledge and skill gap between high school and postsecondary education. Currently, Ismael serves as the Director of Social Studies Curriculum for the School District of Philadelphia and as an adjunct professor for the University of Pennsylvania’s Urban Teacher Apprentice Program (UTAP).

 Shawn Mooring (he/him) will speak on Saturday, January 18 about Ida Wells-Barnett's journalistic work. Shawn Mooring is The Lenfest Institute for Journalism’s Head of Philadelphia Programs. Shawn leads the Institute’s grantmaking, programs, and initiatives to support journalists and news organizations striving to build sustainable and equitable models of local news that meet the needs of Philadelphia’s communities. 

Lewis Webb Jr. (he/him) will discuss Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s ongoing legacy of healing justice on Monday, January 20. Lewis works as the American Friends Service Committee's U.S. Peacebuilding Director. Lewis previously led AFSC’s New York-based healing justice work for over 12 years and since 2017 has been the coordinator of the organization’s national healing justice network. Since joining AFSC, Lewis has built an advocacy program that focuses on sentencing and the school-to-prison pipeline, established a growing youth advocacy training program, and guided the collective development and eventual organizational endorsement of “Our North Star: A Vision for Community Safety Beyond Prisons and Policing.” Lewis holds degrees in philosophy and law and has many years of experience as an educator. He is based in Philadelphia.