Martin Luther King

 

                                      
     I was in Elementary school when Martin Luther King was assassinated.  Long before Martin Luther King's legacy was framed by the now iconic "I have a dream speech" at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in August of 1963, he was  well respected in the African American community.  To many, he was a welcomed figure who spoke eloquently about the struggles of African Americans and was one of many leaders in the modern Civil Rights movement that spanned from 1954-1968.  I remember my father listening to "The Great March to Freedom" over and over in our home (his copy pictured above). I remember Ebony magazine highlighting Dr. King's life and the magazine on our coffee table.  My mother had a copy of a comic book that featured Dr. King and talked about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.  I remember being fascinated by the comic with all the Black people in it,  featuring a real life person I knew from the news.  We learned about Dr. King as a key figure in the Civil rights movement.  We also learned that it was not a movement that was just about him but a movement of the people.  Martin Luther King was such an important figure that he was memorialized on velvet, decoupage, posters and plates that allowed many African American homes to display King's portrait in a place of honor.  He offered hope to a people and his message resonated with not just the African American community.  When sharing Dr. King's legacy I like to remind learning communities that Dr. King was an ordinary person who lived an extraordinary life.  He gave many speeches, some more moving the than the "I have a dream speech"  that still continue to inspire.  He was dedicated to  making life better for everyone.  He was profound and a great example of a servant leader that reminds us of the gift of Hope.