National Museum of African American Music Marks 5th Anniversary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 19, 2026) — The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) will commemorate five years of preserving, celebrating, and advancing African American musical legacy with a day-long public anniversary celebration on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The milestone event will transform the Museum into a living, multi-space experience featuring live performances, panel discussions, educational programming, exhibitions, and the official launch of NMAAM Radio, honoring both the Museum’s history and its future as a cultural and intellectual institution.

A Day of Reflection, Legacy, and Sound

Doors open at 12:00 PM, welcoming guests with music, interactive educational activities for families and youth, the debut of the 5th Anniversary Exhibition, and an active Living Sound Archive recording station where visitors can share their personal reflections and connections to Black music and the Museum’s mission. At 12:30 PM, NMAAM will officially open the celebration with a formal Opening Ceremony, featuring welcome remarks from Museum leadership, recognition of the Museum’s five-year milestone, and an overview of the day’s programming. The afternoon will unfold with a powerful blend of performance and dialogue, including:

• A stirring rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by pianist Carter Hammonds

• Mission Moments video series, showcasing the Museum’s quarterly milestones and five-year journey

• A Civil Rights panel discussion exploring the legacies of Cortelia Clark and Bettye Crutcher, tracing cultural connections from

Memphis to Nashville through the soundtrack of the movement

• The unveiling of a McCrary Sisters exhibit, marking a deeply personal and historic moment

• A generational panel on Sister Groups: Legacy & Innovation, featuring The McCrary Sisters and The BoykinZ

• A live performance by The BoykinZ, showcasing genre-defying country soul artistry

Throughout the day, Grammy Award-winning DJ Smoke will curate the celebration’s soundtrack, building toward his role as NMAAM Radio’s resident DJ.

Historic Launch of NMAAM Radio

At 3:30 PM, the Museum will celebrate a major institutional milestone with the official launch of NMAAM Radio, a groundbreaking digital platform extending African American musical storytelling beyond the Museum’s walls and into global digital airwaves. The launch features a live countdown celebration as Grammy Award-winning DJ Smoke transitions to his role as NMAAM Radio’s resident DJ, kicking off the station’s first broadcast with “One Nation Under a Groove” by George Clinton. The launch represents a bold expansion of the Museum’s mission, taking Black music preservation from local landmark to global digital authority. From 4:00–5:00 PM, NMAAM Radio will broadcast live as the celebration winds down, continuing to stream beyond the event as the Museum’s new 24/7 digital platform.

More Than an Anniversary

“This is not simply a birthday celebration,” said Museum leadership. “It is a declaration of purpose — honoring five years of truth-telling, cultural preservation, and innovation while setting the stage for what comes next.” The celebration is open to the public and designed to engage audiences of all ages through history, sound, and shared experience. In addition to performances and programming, the celebration will feature a curated selection of local vendors, highlighting Nashville-based makers, creatives, and small businesses throughout the Museum’s public spaces. Guests are encouraged to explore, shop, and support the local community while enjoying the day’s events. Gallery admission to the National Museum of African American Music will be free throughout the day on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Donations are welcome and directly support the Museum’s mission to preserve, interpret, and share African American musical history. Free gallery admission does not include RFID Interactive Wristbands, which activate select immersive and interactive exhibits throughout the Museum. RFID Interactive Wristbands will be available for purchase on-site for $5.00 each.

Event Details

Date: Monday, January 19, 2026

Location: National Museum of African American Music, 510 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

Time: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

About the National Museum of African American Music

The National Museum of African American Music is the only museum dedicated exclusively to preserving and celebrating the central role African Americans have played in shaping American music. Through exhibitions, education, performance, and scholarship, NMAAM connects the past, present, and future of America’s soundtrack.