Visitors view a statue of Nelson Mandela which overlooks the city of Bloemfontein, the birthplace of the ANC, on July 12, 2013 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Today is the 95th birthday of Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa and anti-apartheid leader. To honor the ailing icon on what’s known as “Mandela Day,” TransAfrica, the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists will hold a celebration tonight in D.C.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church (1518 M Street NW) and will be attended by South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, as well as leaders of the Free South Africa Movement. The Washington Performing Arts Society’s Children of the Gospel Choir will perform. Birthday cake will be served.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art (950 Independence Avenue SW), with TransAfrica and the South African Embassy, will also hold a Mandela celebration from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. today. It will feature a performance by “The Wire” actress, dancer and storyteller Maria Broom and percussionist and spoken word artist Jali D in the museum’s pavilion. The museum’s director will give remarks, while its curator will talk about the museum’s South African objects. Cupcakes from Curbside Cupcakes will be available.

Mandela has been hospitalized since June 8 for a recurring lung infection. While his prognosis seemed dire earlier this month, his daughter Zindzi said today her father is making “remarkable progress.”