How to Celebrate MLK Day with Youth
- Alida Davis-Abdullah
- Jan 22, 2018
- 3 min read
How do you celebrate a man, who was larger than life and meant so much to not only his generation, but also to the generations of people who have come after him? As an educator, it is important that we honor his legacy through ensuring that young people fully understand who Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was and what his dream meant the millions of us who are “living it”. If you are a teacher, youth worker, or parent, here are some tips for carrying out Dr. King’s ideals, not just in January, but throughout the year.
Elementary Aged Children
It is vital that for this age group, we not “sugar coat” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s importance and the reason why he had a dream. Young children, though vulnerable, deserve to be taught the truth about American history and the turbulent era of the Civil Rights Movement. There are ways that you can share these pieces of our past using facts and without sabotaging their innocence. Explain that at the time in which Dr. King lived, the United States was experiencing turmoil because African Americans were not allowed the same rights and freedoms as whites and people of other races. That in the south, there were very strict Jim Crow laws in place that separated blacks and whites from eating together, shopping together, and going together, amongst other things. If broken, these laws were punishable by imprisonment and in some cases even death. It was important that Dr. King used his voice to speak out against these injustices and fight to change these laws and practices. Unfortunately, those who were opposed to this message conspired against him and he lost his life as a result. However, his voice continued to ring in the ears of those left behind and his supporters never gave up, which has allowed for the passing of laws that afforded rights not only to African Americans, but also to others.
Have kids explain what injustices or practices being carried out in their immediate environment (bullying, for example) or community that they can speak out against, similar to the way Dr. King would
Have children write poetry, songs, or create art that expresses Dr. King’s Dream
Middle Grades
Middle Graders are in a space in their lives in which they are learning more about who they are and how they fit into the world around them. Give them an explanation reiterating Dr. King’s purpose and impact, while helping them to see that his message is still relevant and we still have much work to be done to truly achieve equality. This is a great age to go deeper into the work of Dr. King and share his work that was not only focused on civil rights for Black people, but for other disenfranchised Americans also. At the time of his death, Dr. King was organizing sanitation workers Memphis and had helped to established the poor people’s campaign. Help them to gain conscious, unselfish thinking and show them how to navigate ways to impact change, even at a young age.
Encourage middle schoolers to consider injustices in their communities and brainstorm projects that they could implement to affect change (food/clothing drive, raising funds for local shelters, etc.)
Show the documented footage of both “I Have a Dream” Speech and “I Have Been to the Mountaintop” for children to discuss, write about, and reflect on
High Schoolers
At this point, young people should have an understanding of Dr. King’s legacy, and that even in their youth, they are capable of solving real world problems. They should learn more about the whole of the civil rights movement and gain understanding that though he was the voice of it, Dr. King, did not work without the help of community organizers, organizations, and individuals who worked and strategized together to accomplish a common goal.
Write a bill for a law that would create significant and positive change in their community and create a campaign for getting that bill sponsored by local legislators
Show a movie/documentary about the civil rights movement that highlights the collective work of young people to achieve greatness, such as Freedom on My Mind
The key to introducing any of these concepts is ensuring that relationships with youth have been built in order for authentic conversations to be held and real learning to take place. If you would like assistance in facilitating these and other conversations, or finding ways to cultivate deeper relationships in your home, workplace, school, or community, please reach out to Practical Diversity Associates for a free consultation.
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