| Honoring King's Dream Every Day All rights reserved. Please give appropriate attribution for this article. The following material originally appeared on Tolerance.org, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. |
| January 2004 -- As the nation prepares for the one-day holiday celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Tolerance.org's parenting columnist explores ways parents and caregivers can help kids honor his dream every day. by Dana Williams I was 9 years old when Ronald Reagan signed the legislation creating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. But it would be many, many more years before my class, school, community and even state would come to embrace the day set aside to honor a man who dared to dream that America could one day fulfill its promise of freedom and equality for all. I still remember teachers who merely sent us home with an MLK worksheet to color. I remember the textbooks that reserved a brief paragraph or two to "educate" us about the man who led this nation's charge for civil rights, for human rights. I remember the dash to squeeze a lesson or two on Dr. King into Black History Month, as though his teachings were neither important nor applicable the other 11 months of the year. But I have other memories, too, memories for which I will always be thankful. Growing up in Montgomery, Ala., I was raised upon hallowed civil rights ground. The exact spot where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery bus, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott, was just across town. So was the church where Martin Luther King, Jr. served as pastor from 1954 to 1960. And growing up black, I was raised in a family � immediate and extended � that always made sure I knew the importance of the values and causes Dr. King and other leaders of the movement championed. Holiday or no holiday, my family held his legacy and teachings in high regard. I remember sitting on my grandfather's lap listening to stories of racism and oppression � like how he earned a college degree in 1953 but struggled for years to serve as something besides a cook. I remember my grandmother pointing out the shop where she bought my mother new Sunday shoes each year � the store owned by a local Jewish family who didn't refuse service to black customers. And I remember riding in the backseat of my mother's car with my brother and sister, singing along to Stevie Wonder's Happy Birthday, a song celebrating Dr. King and urging a holiday in his honor. These memories symbolize my family's struggles, all our struggles, to overcome oppression, to work together as brothers and sisters and to sing in the midst of sorrow. For me, they tie together the importance of all that Dr. King worked for. And they have helped me form the values that shape my own life and influence how I raise my son. I am pleased that now, during my son's childhood, most of the nation has finally come to embrace the day set aside to celebrate the life of Dr. King. Still, there are many who not only resist this one-day observance, but also the dream it honors. In fact, at my son's school, and many other Southern schools, the day also is reserved to honor Robert E. Lee, a hero of the Confederacy. So much of the racism, inequality and violence Dr. King worked against continue to poison society. If we are truly to honor his legacy, we must work to end these ills each and every day. Here are suggestions to help you and your family celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. on the third Monday in January and beyond. Advocate Nonviolence *Teach children about how Dr. King advocated nonviolent protest to bring about change, even in the face of violence against himself and his family. *Help children avoid violence by acknowledging their anger and providing them with constructive ways to deal with it. Let them know that violence is an unacceptable outlet for anger. *Model healthy behavior for resolving conflict in the home. Teach children skills like counting to ten, taking a deep breath or other ways to manage anger. *Support conflict resolution and violence prevention programs in your school and community. Teach Tolerance *Expose children to diverse books that feature people of other races, religions, nationalities and backgrounds. *Attend multicultural events. *Discuss with children the ways people are alike and different. *Question negative stereotypes in the media, and help your children identify stereotypes. *Examine your own attitudes about those who are different from you. Lead by example and make tolerance a priority in your life. Commit to Service *The King Center asks citizens to serve their communities on the MLK holiday. Spend the day volunteering at a local shelter or fixing up a playground. Visit the King Center website for a national listing of King Day activities. *Attend a program commemorating the King holiday at a place of worship, school or civic organization. *Opportunities for service exist year round. Plan regular family service projects or civic activities not just in January, but every month of the year. And finally, we must keep sharing our stories of struggle and triumph with our children. Only then can they understand what Dr. King and so many others gave their lives for, and why we all must continue the fight. To purchase A Testament of Hope, the collected speaches of Dr. King, visit Beginning the Journey's BookStore! |
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