Southern Bancorp provided $200,000 grant to help build the B.B. King Museum.
The AT&T* Learning Center at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center will be dedicated on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2009. The legendary B.B. King will be on hand to join in welcoming local officials, dignitaries, and museum supporters from the Delta and beyond. The day will begin with live music and a music workshop for young people will be held following the ceremony. The Learning Center is the fulfillment of a dream made possible by a $500,000 grant from AT&T*.
“As we prepare to celebrate the first year anniversary of the Museum, it is a special honor to have B.B. with us to cut the ribbon on the newest part of our facility,” says Connie Gibbons, Executive Director of the Museum. “This is the tangible demonstration of his – and our – commitment to education as a transformative force. We are so grateful to AT&T for making this dream a reality.”
The event begins at 10:15 am with music by Dr. Alphonso Sanders of Mississippi Valley State University and Bill “Howlin’ Madd” Perry. At 11:00, B.B. King will join Mayo Flynt, president of AT&T Mississippi, Congressman Benny Thompson and State Representative Sarah Thomas, to cut the ribbon and officially open the building.
AT&T will unveil the new cover of its The Real Yellow Pages ®, which features the Museum. The Museum will also announce the winner of its Student Button Slogan Contest, chosen by Mr. King himself from over 1500 submissions.
Drummer Derrick Martin and his son will be here from Jackson to present a drumming workshop for kids following the ribbon cutting. Martin’s workshops are informative and energetic, demonstrating drum set mastery in genres from jazz to hip hop. The program will focus on the drum set and its history in American music.
The festivities continue with the dedication of the newest marker on the Mississippi Blues Heritage Trail at Club Ebony at 1:30 p.m. Club Ebony, located on Hanna Street just around the corner from the Museum, will be open for lunch with live music.
Admission to the Museum will be free for the afternoon. Please come join us.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About the B.B. King Museum/Delta Interpretive Center
The B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to the establishment of a museum (and Delta Interpretive Center) honoring B. B. King. Through the story of B.B. King, the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center empowers, unites and heals through music, art and education and shares with the world the rich cultural heritage of the Mississippi Delta.
About Philanthropy at AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T supports projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2007, AT&T contributed more than $164 million through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, the corporate philanthropy organization of AT&T, combine more than $1.9 billion of historic charitable commitment to communities across the country.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation’s fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation’s leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.
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