01/11/2010
Citizens Bank donates $25,000 and sponsors free Community Day at the African American Museum in Philadelphia
Free admission helps commemorate MLK Day
Philadelphia (January 12, 2010) - Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania announced today that it is donating $25,000 to the African American Museum in Philadelphia and will sponsor the museum’s commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, January 18, 2010. The sponsorship will provide free admission to the museum, as well as special events, including the Citizens Bank Scavenger Hunt for Heritage aimed at helping children learn about the museum and African American history.
“The importance and lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and work cannot be overlooked or underestimated, especially his goal of promoting justice and equality for all people,” said Daniel K. Fitzpatrick, Citizens Bank President and CEO for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. “Citizens Bank is proud and honored to commemorate Dr. King’s legacy by once again sponsoring free admission at the African American Museum in Philadelphia.”
At a news conference held at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, Citizens Bank presented the $25,000 gift. The money will be used to sponsor a free Community Day for anyone that wants to visit the museum on January 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. To encourage visits by families, the bank will offer the Citizens Bank Scavenger Hunt for Heritage, a fun and educational activity that will help children explore and experience the museum. More than 45 Citizens Bank volunteers will help guide children through their list of clues to find specific artifacts. Children who bring their completed list to the Citizens Bank table in the museum will receive a special prize, compliments of Citizens Bank.
“We’re grateful for Citizens Bank’s support as our partnership enters a third year,” said Romona Riscoe Benson, President and CEO of the African American Museum in Philadelphia. “The bank’s generous support of the museum enables us to open our doors to the community for our festivities and exhibits surrounding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This important event enables us to attract new community members to the museum and to showcase our recently updated facility, including the installation of our outstanding core exhibition, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776 -1876.”
The museum has been involved in a $4.5million renovation project that has enhanced the entire visitor experience. On Martin Luther King Day visitors will enjoy a fun-filled day of dynamic musical, dance and other cultural performances and have the opportunity to enjoy the acclaimed Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776-1876 exhibit and be among the first to experience 381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story, which chronicles the heroic stand of Rosa Parks through her arrest and the bus boycott that followed.
The African American Museum in Philadelphia is located at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia and will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, January 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. For a complete list of special events and performances, visit the African American Museum in Philadelphia’s Web site at aampmuseum.org.
About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has 383 branches and 646 ATMs throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates 15 retail branches and 64 ATMs in southern New Jersey and a commercial loan office in Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $151 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I.
Citizens Financial Group, through its subsidiaries, has more than 1,500 branches, and approximately 3,500 ATMs and approximately 22,600 employees. CFG’s two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a 12-state branch network under the Citizens Bank brand in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the Charter One brand in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. CFG has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc). CFG’s Web site is citizensbank.com.
About the African American Museum in Philadelphia
Founded in 1976 in celebration of the nation's Bicentennial, the African American Museum in Philadelphia is the first institution funded and built by a major municipality to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans. Throughout its evolution, the museum has objectively interpreted and presented the achievements and aspirations of African Americans from pre-colonial times to the current day.
The museum is committed to telling the story of African Americans in all its permutations: family life, the Civil Rights movement, arts and entertainment, sports, medicine, architecture, politics, religion, law and technology. The AAMP houses four galleries and an auditorium, each of which offers exhibitions anchored by one of three dominant themes: the African Diaspora, the Philadelphia Story and the Contemporary Narrative.
