Yesterday and early this morning, I was looking for something my son and I could read and discuss regarding the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I found a timeline of his life which children had written, along with pictures, and I also found a video of him reciting the now famous "I Have a Dream Speech" on the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, D.C. My son and I read the timeline of Dr. King's life together, and I then asked my son some questions related to that timeline. It seemed to upset my son immensely that Dr. King was killed by people who simply did not like what he was teaching and preaching. My little boy said, "He hadn't done anything wrong." I told him this was true and that Dr. King fought not just for African Americans to have equal rights, but he also fought for everyone to have equal rights. I also pointed out to him that Dr. King had many followers and supporters, and among those were Caucasians. After this, we listened (and my son was very attentive) to the "I Have a Dream" speech.
I explained to my son that Dr. King was a martyr. Not long before he was assassinated, he said that he wanted to live a long life like any other man and that longevity had its place. He further stated that he had been to the mountain top and was not afraid to die. I told my son that some people are born to die for a great cause and that Dr. King was one of those people. When I listened to the "I Have a Dream" speech, I could feel the anointing of God and the power behind Dr. King's words. My son said he could feel it too. Glory to God, and praise Him that a great, unselfish, and loving man such as Dr. King lived, worked, and served all of humanity.
Ms. Phyllis