Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome in everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I am Stormy with you, and it is time for
another edition of the Pulse, a special edition today as
we delve into King Day and we got another special
guest on the show. But thank you for joining us
and as you do every weekend.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I appreciate you. I am Stormy again, and ladies and gentlemen,
let me introduce to some or how do you say that?
Reintroduce to others the new president of the National Civil
Rights Museum. Y'all, Dr Russ Wiggington, how are you.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I'm good good. I like how you said new and
it's been three and a half years.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Well new, I know, because too for a lot of us,
you are new.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I know, I mean, and I mean that sincerely because
I do my previous my two predecessors in particular, uh
huh had long and distinguished careers at the museum. And
when you're yeah, you're new to your not new.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, pull that microphone to you. And I should have
had you do that before we got started. But y'all, uh,
this weekend is a special weekend. It is h MLK
weekend and a lot of folks view MLK weekend as
a time to party and just live it up and
do nothing on Monday. But that is not how doctor
(01:32):
King would want it. King Day. And I've heard this
over the years, and I got this from doctor Lasimba Gray.
Pastor Gray said, it's a day on and not off.
And usually we view this weekend, some of us, not everybody,
as a day off and we want you to get
(01:53):
back on. And I'm sure that is your sentiments as well,
Doctor Wigington.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
You better believe it. It's it's such a special day
for us at the museum. Uh. It's a day of celebration. Uh,
it's a day of inspiration, it's a day of hopefulness,
it's a day of rejuvenation. So yeah, uh, there's nothing
more powerful than to be in in space on on
(02:23):
sacred ground, if you will, Uh, to celebrate the life
and legacy of doctor Martin Luther King.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, how has this week been for you guys? Because
his birthday was earlier this week the King right, And
I know for a lot of people, they don't wait
until King Day to do stuff, right, they want to
do things on his birthday right.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Well. And for us, as you know, we have a
the privilege, if you will, of having people certainly in
our local community, but people visit us from all over
the world, all over the country in the world, and
so uh, it does mean that we're sort of anticipating
that all throughout the week. We also know that because
(03:08):
of the benefit of it being a holiday on Monday,
and it's a community day for us and for me,
it's free and open to the public all day. And
then we have so many activities that we know the
majority of people plan to come out on Monday. And
(03:29):
we're so fortunate to have sponsorships with folks like fat
Ax who is the presenting sponsor. Ford Philanthropy supports us
and dex Colm. We have wonderful corporate sponsors to make
sure that everybody has a chance to attend at no cost.
(03:50):
And all of the activities that we have, the food
drive with Mid South Food Bank, the blood drive with Vitalent,
the connection with the NFL alumni player so those former
Titans who you all love, and a door they will
be at the museum. They are all kinds of activities
(04:12):
for the family taking place, and of course walking through
experiencing the museum for the first time for the tenth
time is what we want people to do.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
You've got some new things happening over there.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I was over there when did I come before Thanksgiving
or no, the day after Thanksgiving with my family, And
there were a few things that I hadn't seen before,
at least I don't remember.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
And that was around.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
The area where the room is, where you go to
view the room.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Once you're heading out.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That seemed a little new to me because I remember
before there was a cigarette burning burning in the astray
or a semblance of something like that. Am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (05:04):
So I don't know. I don't think. I don't know
if you're wrong or not. But I will say sometimes
when you leave room three h six, depending on what
activities we have, it's a bit different in the room
before you walk into the museum store as you exit. Yeah,
(05:25):
so that that could have looked different for you. But
you know, we also have a lot of construction going
on around them, so the exterior feels a lot different.
We're so excited about the renovation the Founder's Park and
Legacy Terrace and the boarding house. That project is well
underway and is coming along beautifully.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
And I can't tell me about the boarding house. Tell
me about that.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
So the boarding house people may recall we've had that
for about twenty years, and the focus up till now.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
That's the room, or that's the building right across from
the building across the museum.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
That's right, and it's the place from where the alleged
shot was fired. And so a lot of the attention
in that building previously had been about James Larray and
various artifacts and items connected to that. What we have
decided to do is use that building for the extension
(06:29):
and continuation of answering the question that Doctor King asked
in his last book, where do we go from here?
Chaos or community? And we're focused on post doctor King's life.
All of the up until his death is in the
on the Lorraine side, we're focused on nineteen sixty eight
(06:50):
to the present, and so think about all of the
steps forward, the side steps, and even the steps back
that have happened since nineteen sixty eight. And we are
going to tell those stories, and we're going to tell
those stories from a position to inspire hope and the
(07:12):
possibilities of where we can go.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I'm thinking of some of the of I guess major
things that have happened, and I'm just wondering because I
don't remember seeing this in the actual museum. Will there
be anything in there? Is it relating to things like
Rodney King, George Floyd or Barack Obama?
Speaker 3 (07:37):
All of that, all of the above. So if you
imagine the steps forward, sideways and backwards for the last
fifty plus years related to civil and.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Human rights, that's a big story.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
It's all eligible for that space. Yeah, and so it
is a big story, and it's actually a fascinating story
that hadn't been told in the way that we're seeking
to tell it. Certainly, the historic civil rights movement story
that we tell on the Lorraine side is important. I'm biased,
(08:15):
but I think we tell it better than anybody. It's
connected obviously to doctor King and his influence and that narrative,
the various dates and people and those kinds of things
have we lift up. The sixty eight to the present
story is a bit different, right, I Mean, it's got
(08:35):
some similar themes, However, we haven't always talked about those
in the context of civil and human rights. So some
of the things you meant the people you mentioned, of course,
but also so many other things. And we're adding dimensions
like how did the answering questions like how did the
(08:57):
civil rights movement, the historic civil rights movement influence and
impact the launching of other movements. So think about movement
for rights, women's rights and rights for perhaps me too,
and l B G, d G, t Q rights, and
(09:21):
the the the various environmental issues that we talk about,
accessibility rights, think about all of the things. The black farmers, well,
the black black farmers, absolutely because when you think about
the beauty of that, I'm glad you mentioned it is.
It's the combination of continued historic civil It's also about
(09:43):
agricultural and environmental rights. And it's also about economic empowerment
because as we know in this country, land ownership rules
today and when your land, when when your land ownership
is uh disallowed or your disadvantage or your opportunity to
own land, it's hard to build wealth, right, and so
(10:08):
we are super excited about it.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
How long will it be? And for those of you
that are just joining us, I am stormy. It is
the polls and the president of the National Civil Rights
Museum is on the show today, doctor russ Wiggington, thank
you again for being here with us. How long will
it be before we get to see this building and
its fruition? Absolutely so, because the story is continuing to
(10:32):
be written, so by the time you put it up,
another part of it will probably happen that.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Needs to be you know what I'm saying, Well, we
are accounting for that. Actually you will see when you're
in there. There's space for the future. Okay, But we
will open in twenty twenty six. Ah no, it's not long.
I mean before, you know, literally a year from now.
We will be knocking on the door if you will,
(10:58):
for opening Before that. However, the Legacy Terraces and Founder's
Park opens this summer, so that will be exciting exterior space.
If you think about how people convene at the museum,
particularly in the summer, with the ability to be in
community outside, the ability to have place to reflect and
(11:21):
to gather. The park before was not as conducive as
it will be. This park is being totally redone. We
will have seating out there. It'll be set up for
us to have more festivals and community gatherings. It's free
and open to the public, as they are in on
(11:41):
South Maine and in the downtown community. So people will
get to wet their whistle if you will. Starting this
summer with Founder's Park and Legacy terraces.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
That's pretty exciting. Thank you for sharing that. Is this
breaking news for me? Yeah, I'm sure you've told story before.
But you know what I was thinking about when I
first started coming over to the museum, and I would
I actually came before I moved to Memphis, me and
(12:13):
my family, and because I'd read a book and about
it and I wanted to see it, you know, everything,
for myself. But I noticed something living here in Memphis
that a lot of local folks have never set foot
in the museum. How do we get more people to
want to come in the door? And is that something
(12:33):
you guys are working on?
Speaker 3 (12:34):
That is something we are working on and thinking about
every single day. It's it's it's it's an issue that
a lot of community struggle with. I mean, it's it's
it's sort of the the idea of recognizing and appreciating
your assets in your own backyard. I mean, we are
(12:56):
guilty of that in so many communities. I talked to
people all the time who will talk about going on
vacation and going out of town, and I'll ask them
what they did, and when they start talking about several
of the things they do, they when they're on vacation.
I'm like, have you ever done all those kinds of
things in Memphis at home?
Speaker 4 (13:16):
At home?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Because we have such incredible organization and restaurants and places
and things that you people tend to focus on on vacation,
and we often forget to take advantage of those things
at home. So I am.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Always probably the hustle and bustle of life.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Well, and you just take certain things for granted. I
mean you look over there and say, oh, yeah, I
can swing by there next weekend, and then it doesn't happen,
and you just it's just the way it is. I mean, now,
what I do know is this community loves the.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Museum absolutely, and I.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Am so grateful that there's the sense of appreciation and
protectiveness ownership, if you will, for the museum. But I
tell people, if you really want to prove that to me,
show up and come visit, and if you've been before,
come again, because the experience is different every time. It
depends on your mindset that you've got going on in
(14:17):
your life.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
And sometimes it is just different because different you have
different let's see, what do you call it? Because you've
got the exhibits like Southern Heritage Classic is in there
that wasn't in there prior to the classic last year.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
That's exactly right, and so we and and speaking of
new exhibits, we we have a new collection that March
twenty eighth will open and it's a of an iconic
civil rights leader, a collection that has never been seen
before that we now own at the National Civil Rights Museum,
(14:52):
and it's of Buyered Rusting Wow, the phenomenal strategist, an
organizer for the March on Washington, who was one of
doctor King's closest confidants.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
And we now have a collection of approximately four hundred
items of his We've never had a collection of this
time Wow four And we are showcasing that to the
world March twenty eighth, and it will be that exhibit
will be open throughout the rest of twenty twenty five.
And because we own the collection, you will see aspects
(15:28):
of it disperse throughout the museum. So there's opportunity every
time you come to the museum to have a different experience.
And we want and need our community to show up
and to really dive into something that belongs to the world,
but certainly has a special place for the Memphis community.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Yeah, I was going to say, belongs to you.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
That's right, it belongs to you.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
It belongs to everybody, and we should we should re
want to hold height to these things, you know, because
a lot of people are doing just that.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
They fly in, like you said.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
From all over the place, celebrities, you name it, they
come to be a and even when we were there,
and we've been there over the years, I mean for
a long time, and even being there, I've met so
many people from so many places that it's like incredible.
And you'll get to meet so many people too, if
you just take time out of your day to go
(16:29):
and check out the museum for yourself. So it's a
day of service and celebration at the National Civil Rights
Museum this Monday. I will be there, so V one
oh one, WDA K ninety seven's Big sou and Sherry
mackeie of Hallelujah FM. We're all going to be there
broadcasting live from ten to noon, and I believe we'll
(16:53):
be inside.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I'm sure you will be.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Because I just want to let you guys know that
it is the weather is forecasted to be quite cold,
but that doesn't stop people from.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Coming to the museum.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
No not at all.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I've been out there when it was.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Freezing outside and personally and have come over the years.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
My kind of a tradition.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Mean, we do have a tent though, just so people
know there will be tent in the parking lot that
will have some warmth there, so we don't expect people
to just totally stand outside on the courtyard.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah, you know, I I was ready to say one
of my traditions, me and.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Vette Whiteside, she used to work here with us, and
if she's listening, hey, that we had this thing. We
go to Monumental for the service there and then we
come over to the National Civil Rights Museum. It was
something we did every year and it was like a thing.
We loved it and for us here at our company,
it is a thing as well. We would have been
(17:59):
there last year, but it was virtual last year.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Yeah, we were iced out last year. That was a
little different than this year. Even though it's gonna be
cold this year, there's no ice predicted.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah, and thank goodness for that. But you guys, so
visitors can tour from eight a m. To six pm.
But you guys are gonna have not just this I understand.
Ryan is gonna be djying at some point.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Of the day.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
DJ Thriller. He goes. He goes from Ryan Jones to
DJ Thriller on Monday and he will be there all day. Okay,
we have several other talented artists in the Memphis community.
We've got local officials, We've got community organizations who will
(18:50):
be they're in the spirit of peace and unity and
moving our community forward.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Karen Brown, Gerald richardson the Stax music Out of Me
nine O one band, come on here, Righteous Soul. I
really don't want to leave anybody out, but this is
gonna be amazing. So it's a full day for people
to come out.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
It's free.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
But you do have a giving back part of this,
and now you do it every year. Sure, you have
a couple of organizations that come out to help the community.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
And one uh is the Mid South Food Bank?
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Are they still Mid South Food Bank? And Bye Talent
for on the blood drive.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Absolutely yeah, So we get to we get to give back.
You can bring can goods, blood, Yeah, this will be
your opportunity to do do those things. So I hear
if you give blood, you're gonna be ushered to the
front of the lune.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Absolutely, and we we will you get treated special when
you give back? There's no doubt about it. So we
we doctor King would would would would endorse such better?
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Yeah, So this is you know what, and there's there's
something that when you were talking about the okay, and
that's this.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
That's this Monday. You guys just f y.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I we're going to be there from ten to noon,
but you guys are going to be there until six pm,
so you have time all day to get out there
and have fun and take the kids.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
And please take the kids.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Please take the kids. It I mean, let's let's not
forget it's also inauguration day.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Oh that's right.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
And we have chosen the theme that's connected as I
mentioned to Doctor King's book for the boarding house renovation.
But it's the theme for the year and as we
move forward answering that question, where do we go from here?
Chaos or community? And our theme is community over chaos.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
So we're talking about let's start twenty twenty five off
with the spirit of community. Yeah, let's find our way
individually and collectively to be in community to not just survive,
but how do we thrive in community? How do we
figure out how to to be engaged in the way
(21:25):
Doctor King would say. You can be civil in your disagreement. Yeah,
you can be defiant in your disagreement, but let's do
it through the lens of humanity and decency and respect.
We want to launch that type of mindset for everybody,
(21:48):
and we feel a responsibility to do it and we're
honored to do it at the Loraine Hotel.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
I love that that.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I think that's awesome because in a time I was
just talking to a friend of to day and we
were talking about how everybody's so divided right now and
it ain't a good feeling. It doesn't feel good because
what happens is you don't know if you when you
walk in a room, if you should speak to somebody
be nice, or if they're not going to be nice.
(22:16):
You don't know, because right now there's so much division
and we are so much better when we're do And
I still believe that doctor King, in all his days
that he was on this earth, he was about bringing
people together.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
He was about community.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
It was the beloved community. That's what he was focused on.
And that just was back people. That's fundamental everybody. I mean,
people sometimes forget that he was on his way to
the Poor People's campaign.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
That's it, And that's what I was going to ask you,
since you brought that up, Dr Wiggington, that will be
the first exhibit when you walk into the boarding house.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
I'm just letting people know, right now.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Come out here, that's what I was going to ask you.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
We are going to out explain show you the power
of that campaign that happened after his death. When we
are highlighting a beautiful it would be a beautiful, inspiring,
hopeful exhibit and show people the power of what the
Poor People's Campaign was about.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Yeah, Okay, okay, And that's exactly what I was going
to ask you, because I feel like that should be
where it picks up.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
That is where it picks up, because there's.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
So many questions surrounding that. There's so many people even
talking about, you know, his death and his legacy and
what really happened and what just so many things and
just you know, I hear people all the time, Doctor Wiggington,
and we definitely want you to come out Monday to
(23:50):
see everything for yourself. Six no, eight am until six
pm is when the museum is open. Come out and
see that for yourself. Bring a can good. Of course,
if you want to donate blood, do that too. I
definitely want to put that message in your head to
come out and do it. But we see so many
people talk about I haven't made it there yet, I'm
(24:12):
not old enough this.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
You know, how old was doctor King when he passed away.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
Thirty nine, and how much did he do?
Speaker 2 (24:24):
And how many books have been written about a man
who dedicated his life and his legacy to the detriment
sometimes of his marriage and his family, his life and
legacy to seeing this world and definitely America become a
(24:48):
better place. You are not too young, you are not
too old well.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
And one of the strengths of our museum. And we
know this because we get told this all the time,
and being a Smithsonian affiliate and understanding the sort of
spirit of museum culture we have, we have curated an
experienced that people, regardless of how much they know, how
(25:16):
little they know, or how much they know, they can
have a rich experience in our museum. So we sort
of cast a big tint so that you enter as
you are and it will be transformative for you. And
we think about that very carefully and very deeply, so
(25:40):
that all people feel welcome at the museum. We have
three pillars at the museum that are that we highlight
and emphasize that are centered in doctor King's work. Education,
economic empowerment, health equity. These are issues and topics that
are still so relevant today. So you're gonna learn some
(26:02):
history and you're gonna learn about some things that happened
in the past, but we're also talking about issues that
are relevant and matter today today that still need to
be solved for and to your points, Stormy, that's what
he sacrificed so deeply for is those topics are critical
(26:24):
and foundational so that everybody has a legitimate chance to
reach their full potential. Everybody deserves that. He talked about
all labor having dignity. Doesn't matter what your job is.
You're not invisible. You matter, You matter as an individual,
(26:45):
and that's right and everybody has to We have to
unapologetically step into a willingness, I think, to commit to
this beloved community that he talked about. And we aren't
(27:05):
doing that as a society right now. But it's not
too late.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
We can do better, to do better. We can do better,
and by we I mean we we we can do better.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
I can do better. We can all do better.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
And I think this is a great weekend for you
to take some reflection on what's happening in your life
and maybe grab a pen and paper in journal and
just say, how can I make a difference. How can
I be a part of the legacy of doctor King,
How can I participate in King Day.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
There's a fundamental concept that if you work at the museum,
we talk about all the time, and it's our commitment,
both in the Lorraine Motel and in this renovated boarding
house to think about how ordinary people do extraordinary things. Yes,
(28:11):
and the last exhibit, So I just I told you
what the first exhibit is going to be in the
boarding house. The last exhibit is going to be captured
through a think. The theme hope is a discipline. It's
about hope and it's about creating hopefulness for all people.
(28:35):
And so part of this this renovation is how do
we inform people and create this spirit of hopefulness Because
when you have hope, it's amazing the kind of sacrifice
and the kind of trials that you are willing to
seek to overcome. So this is about hopefulness, instilling some
(28:56):
hopefulness and a society that up frankly systemically allows people
to be hopeful. Yeah, all of this is part of
the part of the challenge and the opportunity at the
National Civil Rights Museum, and we want everybody to come
out and find themselves if you will in this tremendous experience.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Yeah, take a part in it. Get off the sidelines
and come on, get in the game.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Come get in the game. We'll help you get in
the game.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I know that's right. Oh, it's exciting you guys.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
King Day is tomorrow, It's Monday, and it's a day
on and not off, and we would love to see
you at the National Civil Rights Museum.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Come out and be a part of that.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
If you cannot do that, go to the Civil Rights
Museum dot org and donate and you know, be a
part that way. There were some people that when doctor
King went, and there were many people that couldn't go,
but they sent their money.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
That's right, So they were there.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
They were there, and you can also experience it on
Monday virtually.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
So if you physically can't be at the museum, please
join us online. That kicks off at ten o'clock. Okay,
you will feel some of the energy from that, and
we have a whole program prepared for the people who
can't make it out or the people who are in
other parts of the world to still get a taste,
if you will, of what's happening at the National Civil
(30:26):
Rights Museum.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Yeah, you don't want to miss it at all. Okay,
all right, thank you, doctor Wigington. I really appreciate you coming,
and I look forward to having you come back in
the future and share the vision of what's happening at
the National Civil Rights Museum. And it's such an important
mission and something I feel like and believe our community
(30:47):
needs to know about.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
So thank you, thank you, and come on, Memphis, we
need you there.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
You go, all right, it's the pulse keeping our fingertips
on the pulse of our community.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Civil Rights Museum or.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
That's where you go to find out everything you need
to know about King Day. And hopefully we'll see you
guys Monday at the National Civil Rights Museum. Yeah, or
virtually either way, we'll see you guys Monday. Anyway, that's
going to do it for the pulse, keeping our fingertips
on the pulse of our community. I'm Stormy, have a
great week. We will see you next time, same station
Speaker 1 (31:24):
God bless you,
Welcome in everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I am Stormy with you, and it is time for
another edition of the Pulse, a special edition today as
we delve into King Day and we got another special
guest on the show. But thank you for joining us
and as you do every weekend.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I appreciate you. I am Stormy again, and ladies and gentlemen,
let me introduce to some or how do you say that?
Reintroduce to others the new president of the National Civil
Rights Museum. Y'all, Dr Russ Wiggington, how are you.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I'm good good. I like how you said new and
it's been three and a half years.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Well new, I know, because too for a lot of us,
you are new.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I know, I mean, and I mean that sincerely because
I do my previous my two predecessors in particular, uh
huh had long and distinguished careers at the museum. And
when you're yeah, you're new to your not new.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, pull that microphone to you. And I should have
had you do that before we got started. But y'all, uh,
this weekend is a special weekend. It is h MLK
weekend and a lot of folks view MLK weekend as
a time to party and just live it up and
do nothing on Monday. But that is not how doctor
(01:32):
King would want it. King Day. And I've heard this
over the years, and I got this from doctor Lasimba Gray.
Pastor Gray said, it's a day on and not off.
And usually we view this weekend, some of us, not everybody,
as a day off and we want you to get
(01:53):
back on. And I'm sure that is your sentiments as well,
Doctor Wigington.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
You better believe it. It's it's such a special day
for us at the museum. Uh. It's a day of celebration. Uh,
it's a day of inspiration, it's a day of hopefulness,
it's a day of rejuvenation. So yeah, uh, there's nothing
more powerful than to be in in space on on
(02:23):
sacred ground, if you will, Uh, to celebrate the life
and legacy of doctor Martin Luther King.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, how has this week been for you guys? Because
his birthday was earlier this week the King right, And
I know for a lot of people, they don't wait
until King Day to do stuff, right, they want to
do things on his birthday right.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Well. And for us, as you know, we have a
the privilege, if you will, of having people certainly in
our local community, but people visit us from all over
the world, all over the country in the world, and
so uh, it does mean that we're sort of anticipating
that all throughout the week. We also know that because
(03:08):
of the benefit of it being a holiday on Monday,
and it's a community day for us and for me,
it's free and open to the public all day. And
then we have so many activities that we know the
majority of people plan to come out on Monday. And
(03:29):
we're so fortunate to have sponsorships with folks like fat
Ax who is the presenting sponsor. Ford Philanthropy supports us
and dex Colm. We have wonderful corporate sponsors to make
sure that everybody has a chance to attend at no cost.
(03:50):
And all of the activities that we have, the food
drive with Mid South Food Bank, the blood drive with Vitalent,
the connection with the NFL alumni player so those former
Titans who you all love, and a door they will
be at the museum. They are all kinds of activities
(04:12):
for the family taking place, and of course walking through
experiencing the museum for the first time for the tenth
time is what we want people to do.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
You've got some new things happening over there.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I was over there when did I come before Thanksgiving
or no, the day after Thanksgiving with my family, And
there were a few things that I hadn't seen before,
at least I don't remember.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
And that was around.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
The area where the room is, where you go to
view the room.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Once you're heading out.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That seemed a little new to me because I remember
before there was a cigarette burning burning in the astray
or a semblance of something like that. Am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (05:04):
So I don't know. I don't think. I don't know
if you're wrong or not. But I will say sometimes
when you leave room three h six, depending on what
activities we have, it's a bit different in the room
before you walk into the museum store as you exit. Yeah,
(05:25):
so that that could have looked different for you. But
you know, we also have a lot of construction going
on around them, so the exterior feels a lot different.
We're so excited about the renovation the Founder's Park and
Legacy Terrace and the boarding house. That project is well
underway and is coming along beautifully.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
And I can't tell me about the boarding house. Tell
me about that.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
So the boarding house people may recall we've had that
for about twenty years, and the focus up till now.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
That's the room, or that's the building right across from
the building across the museum.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
That's right, and it's the place from where the alleged
shot was fired. And so a lot of the attention
in that building previously had been about James Larray and
various artifacts and items connected to that. What we have
decided to do is use that building for the extension
(06:29):
and continuation of answering the question that Doctor King asked
in his last book, where do we go from here?
Chaos or community? And we're focused on post doctor King's life.
All of the up until his death is in the
on the Lorraine side, we're focused on nineteen sixty eight
(06:50):
to the present, and so think about all of the
steps forward, the side steps, and even the steps back
that have happened since nineteen sixty eight. And we are
going to tell those stories, and we're going to tell
those stories from a position to inspire hope and the
(07:12):
possibilities of where we can go.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I'm thinking of some of the of I guess major
things that have happened, and I'm just wondering because I
don't remember seeing this in the actual museum. Will there
be anything in there? Is it relating to things like
Rodney King, George Floyd or Barack Obama?
Speaker 3 (07:37):
All of that, all of the above. So if you
imagine the steps forward, sideways and backwards for the last
fifty plus years related to civil and.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Human rights, that's a big story.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
It's all eligible for that space. Yeah, and so it
is a big story, and it's actually a fascinating story
that hadn't been told in the way that we're seeking
to tell it. Certainly, the historic civil rights movement story
that we tell on the Lorraine side is important. I'm biased,
(08:15):
but I think we tell it better than anybody. It's
connected obviously to doctor King and his influence and that narrative,
the various dates and people and those kinds of things
have we lift up. The sixty eight to the present
story is a bit different, right, I Mean, it's got
(08:35):
some similar themes, However, we haven't always talked about those
in the context of civil and human rights. So some
of the things you meant the people you mentioned, of course,
but also so many other things. And we're adding dimensions
like how did the answering questions like how did the
(08:57):
civil rights movement, the historic civil rights movement influence and
impact the launching of other movements. So think about movement
for rights, women's rights and rights for perhaps me too,
and l B G, d G, t Q rights, and
(09:21):
the the the various environmental issues that we talk about,
accessibility rights, think about all of the things. The black farmers, well,
the black black farmers, absolutely because when you think about
the beauty of that, I'm glad you mentioned it is.
It's the combination of continued historic civil It's also about
(09:43):
agricultural and environmental rights. And it's also about economic empowerment
because as we know in this country, land ownership rules
today and when your land, when when your land ownership
is uh disallowed or your disadvantage or your opportunity to
own land, it's hard to build wealth, right, and so
(10:08):
we are super excited about it.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
How long will it be? And for those of you
that are just joining us, I am stormy. It is
the polls and the president of the National Civil Rights
Museum is on the show today, doctor russ Wiggington, thank
you again for being here with us. How long will
it be before we get to see this building and
its fruition? Absolutely so, because the story is continuing to
(10:32):
be written, so by the time you put it up,
another part of it will probably happen that.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Needs to be you know what I'm saying, Well, we
are accounting for that. Actually you will see when you're
in there. There's space for the future. Okay, But we
will open in twenty twenty six. Ah no, it's not long.
I mean before, you know, literally a year from now.
We will be knocking on the door if you will,
(10:58):
for opening Before that. However, the Legacy Terraces and Founder's
Park opens this summer, so that will be exciting exterior space.
If you think about how people convene at the museum,
particularly in the summer, with the ability to be in
community outside, the ability to have place to reflect and
(11:21):
to gather. The park before was not as conducive as
it will be. This park is being totally redone. We
will have seating out there. It'll be set up for
us to have more festivals and community gatherings. It's free
and open to the public, as they are in on
(11:41):
South Maine and in the downtown community. So people will
get to wet their whistle if you will. Starting this
summer with Founder's Park and Legacy terraces.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
That's pretty exciting. Thank you for sharing that. Is this
breaking news for me? Yeah, I'm sure you've told story before.
But you know what I was thinking about when I
first started coming over to the museum, and I would
I actually came before I moved to Memphis, me and
(12:13):
my family, and because I'd read a book and about
it and I wanted to see it, you know, everything,
for myself. But I noticed something living here in Memphis
that a lot of local folks have never set foot
in the museum. How do we get more people to
want to come in the door? And is that something
(12:33):
you guys are working on?
Speaker 3 (12:34):
That is something we are working on and thinking about
every single day. It's it's it's it's an issue that
a lot of community struggle with. I mean, it's it's
it's sort of the the idea of recognizing and appreciating
your assets in your own backyard. I mean, we are
(12:56):
guilty of that in so many communities. I talked to
people all the time who will talk about going on
vacation and going out of town, and I'll ask them
what they did, and when they start talking about several
of the things they do, they when they're on vacation.
I'm like, have you ever done all those kinds of
things in Memphis at home?
Speaker 4 (13:16):
At home?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Because we have such incredible organization and restaurants and places
and things that you people tend to focus on on vacation,
and we often forget to take advantage of those things
at home. So I am.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Always probably the hustle and bustle of life.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Well, and you just take certain things for granted. I
mean you look over there and say, oh, yeah, I
can swing by there next weekend, and then it doesn't happen,
and you just it's just the way it is. I mean, now,
what I do know is this community loves the.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Museum absolutely, and I.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Am so grateful that there's the sense of appreciation and
protectiveness ownership, if you will, for the museum. But I
tell people, if you really want to prove that to me,
show up and come visit, and if you've been before,
come again, because the experience is different every time. It
depends on your mindset that you've got going on in
(14:17):
your life.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
And sometimes it is just different because different you have
different let's see, what do you call it? Because you've
got the exhibits like Southern Heritage Classic is in there
that wasn't in there prior to the classic last year.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
That's exactly right, and so we and and speaking of
new exhibits, we we have a new collection that March
twenty eighth will open and it's a of an iconic
civil rights leader, a collection that has never been seen
before that we now own at the National Civil Rights Museum,
(14:52):
and it's of Buyered Rusting Wow, the phenomenal strategist, an
organizer for the March on Washington, who was one of
doctor King's closest confidants.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
And we now have a collection of approximately four hundred
items of his We've never had a collection of this
time Wow four And we are showcasing that to the
world March twenty eighth, and it will be that exhibit
will be open throughout the rest of twenty twenty five.
And because we own the collection, you will see aspects
(15:28):
of it disperse throughout the museum. So there's opportunity every
time you come to the museum to have a different experience.
And we want and need our community to show up
and to really dive into something that belongs to the world,
but certainly has a special place for the Memphis community.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Yeah, I was going to say, belongs to you.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
That's right, it belongs to you.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
It belongs to everybody, and we should we should re
want to hold height to these things, you know, because
a lot of people are doing just that.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
They fly in, like you said.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
From all over the place, celebrities, you name it, they
come to be a and even when we were there,
and we've been there over the years, I mean for
a long time, and even being there, I've met so
many people from so many places that it's like incredible.
And you'll get to meet so many people too, if
you just take time out of your day to go
(16:29):
and check out the museum for yourself. So it's a
day of service and celebration at the National Civil Rights
Museum this Monday. I will be there, so V one
oh one, WDA K ninety seven's Big sou and Sherry
mackeie of Hallelujah FM. We're all going to be there
broadcasting live from ten to noon, and I believe we'll
(16:53):
be inside.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I'm sure you will be.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Because I just want to let you guys know that
it is the weather is forecasted to be quite cold,
but that doesn't stop people from.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Coming to the museum.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
No not at all.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I've been out there when it was.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Freezing outside and personally and have come over the years.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
My kind of a tradition.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Mean, we do have a tent though, just so people
know there will be tent in the parking lot that
will have some warmth there, so we don't expect people
to just totally stand outside on the courtyard.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah, you know, I I was ready to say one
of my traditions, me and.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Vette Whiteside, she used to work here with us, and
if she's listening, hey, that we had this thing. We
go to Monumental for the service there and then we
come over to the National Civil Rights Museum. It was
something we did every year and it was like a thing.
We loved it and for us here at our company,
it is a thing as well. We would have been
(17:59):
there last year, but it was virtual last year.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Yeah, we were iced out last year. That was a
little different than this year. Even though it's gonna be
cold this year, there's no ice predicted.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah, and thank goodness for that. But you guys, so
visitors can tour from eight a m. To six pm.
But you guys are gonna have not just this I understand.
Ryan is gonna be djying at some point.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Of the day.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
DJ Thriller. He goes. He goes from Ryan Jones to
DJ Thriller on Monday and he will be there all day. Okay,
we have several other talented artists in the Memphis community.
We've got local officials, We've got community organizations who will
(18:50):
be they're in the spirit of peace and unity and
moving our community forward.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Karen Brown, Gerald richardson the Stax music Out of Me
nine O one band, come on here, Righteous Soul. I
really don't want to leave anybody out, but this is
gonna be amazing. So it's a full day for people
to come out.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
It's free.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
But you do have a giving back part of this,
and now you do it every year. Sure, you have
a couple of organizations that come out to help the community.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
And one uh is the Mid South Food Bank?
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Are they still Mid South Food Bank? And Bye Talent
for on the blood drive.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Absolutely yeah, So we get to we get to give back.
You can bring can goods, blood, Yeah, this will be
your opportunity to do do those things. So I hear
if you give blood, you're gonna be ushered to the
front of the lune.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Absolutely, and we we will you get treated special when
you give back? There's no doubt about it. So we
we doctor King would would would would endorse such better?
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Yeah, So this is you know what, and there's there's
something that when you were talking about the okay, and
that's this.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
That's this Monday. You guys just f y.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I we're going to be there from ten to noon,
but you guys are going to be there until six pm,
so you have time all day to get out there
and have fun and take the kids.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
And please take the kids.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Please take the kids. It I mean, let's let's not
forget it's also inauguration day.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Oh that's right.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
And we have chosen the theme that's connected as I
mentioned to Doctor King's book for the boarding house renovation.
But it's the theme for the year and as we
move forward answering that question, where do we go from here?
Chaos or community? And our theme is community over chaos.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
So we're talking about let's start twenty twenty five off
with the spirit of community. Yeah, let's find our way
individually and collectively to be in community to not just survive,
but how do we thrive in community? How do we
figure out how to to be engaged in the way
(21:25):
Doctor King would say. You can be civil in your disagreement. Yeah,
you can be defiant in your disagreement, but let's do
it through the lens of humanity and decency and respect.
We want to launch that type of mindset for everybody,
(21:48):
and we feel a responsibility to do it and we're
honored to do it at the Loraine Hotel.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
I love that that.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I think that's awesome because in a time I was
just talking to a friend of to day and we
were talking about how everybody's so divided right now and
it ain't a good feeling. It doesn't feel good because
what happens is you don't know if you when you
walk in a room, if you should speak to somebody
be nice, or if they're not going to be nice.
(22:16):
You don't know, because right now there's so much division
and we are so much better when we're do And
I still believe that doctor King, in all his days
that he was on this earth, he was about bringing
people together.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
He was about community.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
It was the beloved community. That's what he was focused on.
And that just was back people. That's fundamental everybody. I mean,
people sometimes forget that he was on his way to
the Poor People's campaign.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
That's it, And that's what I was going to ask you,
since you brought that up, Dr Wiggington, that will be
the first exhibit when you walk into the boarding house.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
I'm just letting people know, right now.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Come out here, that's what I was going to ask you.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
We are going to out explain show you the power
of that campaign that happened after his death. When we
are highlighting a beautiful it would be a beautiful, inspiring,
hopeful exhibit and show people the power of what the
Poor People's Campaign was about.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Yeah, Okay, okay, And that's exactly what I was going
to ask you, because I feel like that should be
where it picks up.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
That is where it picks up, because there's.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
So many questions surrounding that. There's so many people even
talking about, you know, his death and his legacy and
what really happened and what just so many things and
just you know, I hear people all the time, Doctor Wiggington,
and we definitely want you to come out Monday to
(23:50):
see everything for yourself. Six no, eight am until six
pm is when the museum is open. Come out and
see that for yourself. Bring a can good. Of course,
if you want to donate blood, do that too. I
definitely want to put that message in your head to
come out and do it. But we see so many
people talk about I haven't made it there yet, I'm
(24:12):
not old enough this.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
You know, how old was doctor King when he passed away.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
Thirty nine, and how much did he do?
Speaker 2 (24:24):
And how many books have been written about a man
who dedicated his life and his legacy to the detriment
sometimes of his marriage and his family, his life and
legacy to seeing this world and definitely America become a
(24:48):
better place. You are not too young, you are not
too old well.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
And one of the strengths of our museum. And we
know this because we get told this all the time,
and being a Smithsonian affiliate and understanding the sort of
spirit of museum culture we have, we have curated an
experienced that people, regardless of how much they know, how
(25:16):
little they know, or how much they know, they can
have a rich experience in our museum. So we sort
of cast a big tint so that you enter as
you are and it will be transformative for you. And
we think about that very carefully and very deeply, so
(25:40):
that all people feel welcome at the museum. We have
three pillars at the museum that are that we highlight
and emphasize that are centered in doctor King's work. Education,
economic empowerment, health equity. These are issues and topics that
are still so relevant today. So you're gonna learn some
(26:02):
history and you're gonna learn about some things that happened
in the past, but we're also talking about issues that
are relevant and matter today today that still need to
be solved for and to your points, Stormy, that's what
he sacrificed so deeply for is those topics are critical
(26:24):
and foundational so that everybody has a legitimate chance to
reach their full potential. Everybody deserves that. He talked about
all labor having dignity. Doesn't matter what your job is.
You're not invisible. You matter, You matter as an individual,
(26:45):
and that's right and everybody has to We have to
unapologetically step into a willingness, I think, to commit to
this beloved community that he talked about. And we aren't
(27:05):
doing that as a society right now. But it's not
too late.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
We can do better, to do better. We can do better,
and by we I mean we we we can do better.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
I can do better. We can all do better.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
And I think this is a great weekend for you
to take some reflection on what's happening in your life
and maybe grab a pen and paper in journal and
just say, how can I make a difference. How can
I be a part of the legacy of doctor King,
How can I participate in King Day.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
There's a fundamental concept that if you work at the museum,
we talk about all the time, and it's our commitment,
both in the Lorraine Motel and in this renovated boarding
house to think about how ordinary people do extraordinary things. Yes,
(28:11):
and the last exhibit, So I just I told you
what the first exhibit is going to be in the
boarding house. The last exhibit is going to be captured
through a think. The theme hope is a discipline. It's
about hope and it's about creating hopefulness for all people.
(28:35):
And so part of this this renovation is how do
we inform people and create this spirit of hopefulness Because
when you have hope, it's amazing the kind of sacrifice
and the kind of trials that you are willing to
seek to overcome. So this is about hopefulness, instilling some
(28:56):
hopefulness and a society that up frankly systemically allows people
to be hopeful. Yeah, all of this is part of
the part of the challenge and the opportunity at the
National Civil Rights Museum, and we want everybody to come
out and find themselves if you will in this tremendous experience.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Yeah, take a part in it. Get off the sidelines
and come on, get in the game.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Come get in the game. We'll help you get in
the game.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I know that's right. Oh, it's exciting you guys.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
King Day is tomorrow, It's Monday, and it's a day
on and not off, and we would love to see
you at the National Civil Rights Museum.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Come out and be a part of that.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
If you cannot do that, go to the Civil Rights
Museum dot org and donate and you know, be a
part that way. There were some people that when doctor
King went, and there were many people that couldn't go,
but they sent their money.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
That's right, So they were there.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
They were there, and you can also experience it on
Monday virtually.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
So if you physically can't be at the museum, please
join us online. That kicks off at ten o'clock. Okay,
you will feel some of the energy from that, and
we have a whole program prepared for the people who
can't make it out or the people who are in
other parts of the world to still get a taste,
if you will, of what's happening at the National Civil
(30:26):
Rights Museum.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Yeah, you don't want to miss it at all. Okay,
all right, thank you, doctor Wigington. I really appreciate you coming,
and I look forward to having you come back in
the future and share the vision of what's happening at
the National Civil Rights Museum. And it's such an important
mission and something I feel like and believe our community
(30:47):
needs to know about.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
So thank you, thank you, and come on, Memphis, we
need you there.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
You go, all right, it's the pulse keeping our fingertips
on the pulse of our community.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Civil Rights Museum or.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
That's where you go to find out everything you need
to know about King Day. And hopefully we'll see you
guys Monday at the National Civil Rights Museum. Yeah, or
virtually either way, we'll see you guys Monday. Anyway, that's
going to do it for the pulse, keeping our fingertips
on the pulse of our community. I'm Stormy, have a
great week. We will see you next time, same station
Speaker 1 (31:24):
God bless you,
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Decisions, Decisions
Welcome to "Decisions, Decisions," the podcast where boundaries are pushed, and conversations get candid! Join your favorite hosts, Mandii B and WeezyWTF, as they dive deep into the world of non-traditional relationships and explore the often-taboo topics surrounding dating, sex, and love. Every Monday, Mandii and Weezy invite you to unlearn the outdated narratives dictated by traditional patriarchal norms. With a blend of humor, vulnerability, and authenticity, they share their personal journeys navigating their 30s, tackling the complexities of modern relationships, and engaging in thought-provoking discussions that challenge societal expectations. From groundbreaking interviews with diverse guests to relatable stories that resonate with your experiences, "Decisions, Decisions" is your go-to source for open dialogue about what it truly means to love and connect in today's world. Get ready to reshape your understanding of relationships and embrace the freedom of authentic connections—tune in and join the conversation!