Albany Civil Rights Institute unaffected by partial federal government shutdown

ALBANY — During the partial government shutdown that began a few days before Christmas, several agencies saw effects.

In the five years that W. Frank Wilson has been the Albany Civil Rights Institute’s executive director, he said the museum has been largely unaffected by previous government shutdowns — and that he thinks that will remain to be the case.

“We are not under a direct federal grant, per se,” Wilson said. “So none of our money at this point comes directly from the federal government. I don’t envision that we will be impacted at this time.”

Wilson added that the institute is closed for its holiday break but will open on Wednesday and Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, which is Jan. 15. He said that King’s birthday might be a short day, with the institute being open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Wilson mentioned that the institute still plans to put on its annual Lift Every Voice and Sing program on Feb. 28 at the Albany Municipal Auditorium. It is a free concert featuring a choir consisting of both public and private schools from the Albany area.

“In 2019, we will not add the entire Albany Symphony Orchestra to the concert, but we will have a quartet from the orchestra perform with the young folks along with the Freedom Singers,” he said. “We’re really excited about expanding this family-oriented concert.”

The Albany Civil Rights Institute is located at 326 W. Whitney Ave.