Is MLK Still Relevant? I Hope So!

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Today marks the US celebration of Martin Luther King's birthday. His actual birthday was January 15, but we love to nationalize (standardize?) things here in the States. It's easier and more convenient for the masses, I guess. Had he been allowed to live, King would have celebrated his 84th birthday.

I can't help but wonder how he would view today's civil rights movement, which focuses largely on same-sex marriages. After all, in addition to being a civil rights activist, King was also a Baptist minister. It represents an interesting conflict of interest. Would he support one group but shun another? Just one of those deep and random thoughts that infiltrate my mind from time to time. 

Regardless, there is no denying King's impact on our nation. I often worry that his legacy -  and the legacies of so many other courageous leaders and innovators that have shaped our culture - is being forgotten. So many students are lacking the basic background knowledge they need to actively participate in our society. It makes me sad.

So imagine my surprise and delight when my two kindergartners started talking about MLK last week. They both knew basic details, including why he was assassinated. I visited the classroom of one of them last Friday, and was moved to find her teacher playing a video of King's I Have a Dream speech on the SMARTBoard. The teacher didn't just play the video, but she paused at various moments, checked for comprehension, and highlighted important information. After the video, she asked her students engaging questions and introduced activities that encouraged the kiddos to explore their own dreams.

King's legacy inspires our society to this day, and his fight is more relevant than ever. It's just that his fight has shifted from racial to cultural. We need to find ways to help students make the bigger connection.

Thanks for reading ... It keeps your Mind Full of Literacy!