Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman visited the Joysetta & Julius Pearse African American Museum of Nassau County on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for a ceremony to reflect on the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.
Blakeman said “I’ve been County Executive for just over two weeks, and this now, is my most proud moment to be with you all here today.” He continued “ Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the people that I admired most in my life, he displayed true dedication, delivered strong communication and was a true leader”
“We have made a tremendous amount of progress and a lot of it is due to Martin Luther King," Blakeman said. "But it's a work in progress still. There's more work to do. There
are people who are ignorant or ill-spirited and we have to fight racism like we have to fight any other hate language. We want Nassau County to be welcoming to all people."
Monet Green and Anthony Richards led County Executive Blakeman on a tour of the museum before the ceremony commenced.
We are very lucky to have this museum in Nassau County, it is the only institution in New York State that is focused on African American history, the closest museum of this kind is in Philadelphia. Museum Director Michael Butkewicz said. “This museum has promoted the understanding of the African-American culture and traditions in Nassau County for decades.” He continued. “One of the things we say about this museum is that we show you the hidden history of the African-American culture that went beyond what you learned in school.”
The Josetta & Julius Pearse African American Museum is open to the public, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM - 5 PM, and offers tours Wednesday through Saturday.