Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an appropriate day for reflecting on Dr. King's message of equality, justice, and non-violence.

In Nashville, Tenn., this year, it was a day of celebration, as the ceremonial ribbon was cut at the National Museum of African American Music. It's a new endeavor in Music City that's been 20 years in the making.

To kick off today's Sound of Ideas, Rick Jackson will be talking with H. Beecher Hicks III. He's the president and CEO of the museum.

They talk about what it means to open a museum celebrating African American music on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. They'll also touch on the challenges of opening a museum in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. And they reveal how our very own Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum here in Cleveland played into this new museum in Nashville.

Later in the show, Carrie Wise and our Ideastream arts team bring us an appropriate discussion about diversity in classical music.

And, Rick Jackson talks to Jared Bendis, our "Sound of Ideas Tech Guru," and Creative New Media Officer at Case Western Reserve University about the latest and greatest tech gadgets from this year's Consumer Electronics Show. And, we'll get his impression of how tech has impacted our lives over the course of this pandemic.

Guests:
H. Beecher Hicks III, president, National Museum of African American Music
Matthew Jenkins Jaroszewicz, assistant conductor, Canton Symphony Orchestra
Rachel Hagemeier, Manager of Education and Community Engagement, Canton Symphony Orchestra
Jared Bendis, Creative New Media Officer, Case Western Reserve University