"During this stressful time, many of us are in need of a beacon of hope, especially as we enter 2021. Spirits started to rise as we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 18th."-- Trevor Walton, 8th grade
During this stressful time, many of us are in need of a beacon of hope, especially as we enter 2021. Spirits started to rise as we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 18th. King was a figure with words we should account for, a figure who gave his life to bring people together, and importantly: a figure who made a mark in the history books.
Dr. King was a minister and an activist who was born on January 15th, 1929. He grew up in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, with his mother, father, and three brothers. During the time, life in the United States was racially segregated, with African Americans treated in horrible ways that couldn’t be imagined.
“My mother confronted the age-old problem of the Negro parent in America: how to explain discrimination and segregation to a small child,” Dr. King said, according to MLK Celebration - Austin, Texas. “She taught me that I should feel a sense of “somebodiness”, but that on the other hand I had to go out and face a system that stared me in the face every day saying that you are ‘less than,’ you are not ‘equal to’.”
At age 15, King graduated high school and attended Morehouse College to major in medicine. Most people during the time didn’t accept an educated person of color. But King broke the glass ceiling. In 1948, he continued his education after graduating from Morehouse College, and soon after earned his Bachelor's Degree in Divinity from Crozer Theological Seminary. He was also the President of his senior class, which consisted of a large number of White students.
King started to get more involved with activism when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (or NAACP) elected the Pastor to be the lead speaker in boycotting Montgomery buses. According to History, on December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks, secretary of the local NAACP, spoke out against the bus driver on giving her seat up for a White passenger. She was unfortunately arrested.
After Parks was arrested, the NAACP decided it was the time to finally speak out. They decided to boycott the Montgomery buses for a year in disagreement to the unequal treatment. The organization decided that they should have a leader, a figure to represent them. So, they all decided to choose King as their spokesman and protest leader.
MLK Jr. wanted to continue to make a difference after the Montgomery bus protest, and was inspired by figures such as Mahatma Gandhi to continue gaining knowledge on how to better himself, and how to help others.
“Love for Gandhi was a potent instrument for social and collective transformation,” King said, according to MLK Celebration - Austin, Texas. “It was in this Gandhian emphasis on love and nonviolence that I discovered the method for social reform that I had been seeking.”
In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. and many other activists, including A. Phillip Randolph, arranged the March on Washington. The march was to protest the unequal treatment of African Americans, such as segregation and employment discrimination. The three-hour program consisted of performers and activists, who each spoke about equality or performed songs, according to the Official Program for the March on Washington. The program ended with Martin Luther King Jr. reading his famous “I Have A Dream” speech—words that continue to be recited today.
“When I heard the speech, I had no idea that the words of the speech would last as long as they did,” basketball legend Bill Russell said, according to the Seattle Times. “It never occurred to me it would be quoted years later.”
In 1964, former president Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, which ended segregation of race, gender, religion, and color in places that were segregated, such as Atlanta or Memphis. King continued to speak out against topics such as poverty and the Vietnam War, but sadly, on April 4th, 1964, King was murdered in Memphis, Tennessee. The day before, according to Biography, Dr. King even said it himself that he might not be able to live long enough to see the success he and his fellow activists had made into the world. "I've seen the promised land,” Dr. King said. “I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”
After Martin Luther King Jr. passed away, many people tried to get the government to celebrate a day in honor of MLK, but they didn’t agree. So, activists persisted, determined to make the world recognize MLK, and some celebrities helped as well. Famous singer Stevie Wonder advocated for a day in honor of Dr. King. In fact, according to Udiscovermusic, Wonder created the famous song “Happy Birthday” to support MLK Day. The day was finally established in 1983, and was first celebrated in 1986.
The legacy and heart of MLK continues to be remembered today, tomorrow, and for years to come, especially on January 18th. Many people, such as teachers or activists, try to incorporate his words as best as they can so that students can remember what to become. Local history teacher, Katie Libby, also tries to incorporate King’s legacy into her curriculum.
“Dr. King’s legacy impacts my teaching in a variety of ways,” Libby said. “First and foremost, one of the many reasons I teach is to help create the kind of world that he and the many activists he worked with were striving for.”
“More specifically, in my History courses, Dr. King’s legacy presents an opportunity for an incredibly rich historical conversation with my students,” Libby added. “The traditional narrative of Dr. King in the public sphere focuses only on certain aspects of his life and activism, and expanding the view of this complex historical figure helps students continue to question the narrative of American history they hear in their everyday lives and/or in the media.”
Libby wanted to become a history teacher because when she was a tutor in college, she discovered that she loved to work with students. “History was always an interest of mine, and having the opportunity to help students learn about our human past is one I treasure,” Libby stated. “I chose and continue to teach history because it’s a subject that connects us all and has the power to help my students grow from thoughtful, young people into the brave adults that will be making crucial decisions and choices that affect all of us in the future.”
“The day of celebration and service for Dr. King is very meaningful to me as the hard work and contributions of Dr. King made an indelible mark on the history of the US,” Libby stated when asked what MLK Day means to her. “He ultimately sacrificed his life to make the world safer and more equitable for others and, as such, should be celebrated. It’s also one of the rare days in which our country pauses to recognize the contributions of a historical figure outside of the traditionally-known powerholders and, as such, it holds even more power and significance for me.”
Libby thinks that more Civil Rights history can be taught in schools, because the fight for civil rights “was not simply a movement of the 1950s and 1960s, but it’s still taught that way in schools.”
“The movement to gain equal and equitable access to civil rights is one that has been occurring in the US since its inception and continues today,” Libby said, “and I think that the broad narrative is often overlooked when it can be woven into the broad story of the United States.”
“I think that the push to deepen the instruction of civil rights history has to begin with supporting teachers in their own education and development,” Libby said. “There’s an old saying ‘we don’t know what we don’t know’ and teachers are humans, so there’s always going to be more for us to learn about our content, no matter how long we’ve been teaching.”
“Teachers can also learn more about the best practices for engaging our students in the study of civil rights history,” Libby said. “The study of the movements involves the study of a lot of trauma and violence; teachers have to be supported in learning how to teach the truth of the movement while not re-traumatizing students (which disengages them from learning) or inaccurately hyper-focusing on the violence. The history of the movements for civil rights is also the history of the persistence of hope in the face of those traumatic experiences, and ultimately that’s the point of teaching history: to engage students in the study of the past in order that they have the tools and education to move forward with hope and improve the future.”
Many NBA players are also inspired by the former Civil Rights leader, and really like playing on MLK Day. Former Shooting Guard Dwayne Wade said that because some of King’s dreams came true, he knew that his dreams would become reality as well. “As a kid growing up in inner-city Chicago, I needed a dream,” Wade said. “I needed someone to believe in. The inspiration for me hearing his belief and his dream, and to see some of it come true, I knew that my dreams could come true as well.”
“It’s a very important day,” said Memphis Grizzlies Power Forward Jaren Jackson Jr., when talking about basketball games on MLK day. “Just go out there and give it your all, because you know that it’s important, that it’s a very visible game for a lot of people who may not have seen basketball, may not have seen you play. Definitely a time for people to get introduced to you.”
On MLK Day, many people and organizations tried to find ways to celebrate the Civil Rights activist during Covid. The Atlanta Hawks, a National Basketball Association (NBA) team in Atlanta, came up with a way to appreciate Dr. King. Against the Memphis Grizzlies, on MLK Day, the Hawks debuted their custom city jerseys, which are in honor of Dr. King. On October 4th, the Hawks stated that they’ll be donating the money that they make from jersey sales back into the Atlanta community to help continue actions supported by Dr. King.
“We are honored that we were able to work with the King Estate, Nike and the NBA to make this happen,” said Hawks Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Proctor, according to SLAM. “Being able to represent Dr. King and continue to educate next generation Atlantans and basketball fans around the world about his legacy is so important, especially right now…One of Dr. King’s final campaigns were for economic justice, which is why we are excited that proceeds from sales of this jersey will go toward supporting communities of color.”
Dr. King was a minister and an activist who was born on January 15th, 1929. He grew up in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, with his mother, father, and three brothers. During the time, life in the United States was racially segregated, with African Americans treated in horrible ways that couldn’t be imagined.
“My mother confronted the age-old problem of the Negro parent in America: how to explain discrimination and segregation to a small child,” Dr. King said, according to MLK Celebration - Austin, Texas. “She taught me that I should feel a sense of “somebodiness”, but that on the other hand I had to go out and face a system that stared me in the face every day saying that you are ‘less than,’ you are not ‘equal to’.”
At age 15, King graduated high school and attended Morehouse College to major in medicine. Most people during the time didn’t accept an educated person of color. But King broke the glass ceiling. In 1948, he continued his education after graduating from Morehouse College, and soon after earned his Bachelor's Degree in Divinity from Crozer Theological Seminary. He was also the President of his senior class, which consisted of a large number of White students.
King started to get more involved with activism when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (or NAACP) elected the Pastor to be the lead speaker in boycotting Montgomery buses. According to History, on December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks, secretary of the local NAACP, spoke out against the bus driver on giving her seat up for a White passenger. She was unfortunately arrested.
After Parks was arrested, the NAACP decided it was the time to finally speak out. They decided to boycott the Montgomery buses for a year in disagreement to the unequal treatment. The organization decided that they should have a leader, a figure to represent them. So, they all decided to choose King as their spokesman and protest leader.
MLK Jr. wanted to continue to make a difference after the Montgomery bus protest, and was inspired by figures such as Mahatma Gandhi to continue gaining knowledge on how to better himself, and how to help others.
“Love for Gandhi was a potent instrument for social and collective transformation,” King said, according to MLK Celebration - Austin, Texas. “It was in this Gandhian emphasis on love and nonviolence that I discovered the method for social reform that I had been seeking.”
In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. and many other activists, including A. Phillip Randolph, arranged the March on Washington. The march was to protest the unequal treatment of African Americans, such as segregation and employment discrimination. The three-hour program consisted of performers and activists, who each spoke about equality or performed songs, according to the Official Program for the March on Washington. The program ended with Martin Luther King Jr. reading his famous “I Have A Dream” speech—words that continue to be recited today.
“When I heard the speech, I had no idea that the words of the speech would last as long as they did,” basketball legend Bill Russell said, according to the Seattle Times. “It never occurred to me it would be quoted years later.”
In 1964, former president Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, which ended segregation of race, gender, religion, and color in places that were segregated, such as Atlanta or Memphis. King continued to speak out against topics such as poverty and the Vietnam War, but sadly, on April 4th, 1964, King was murdered in Memphis, Tennessee. The day before, according to Biography, Dr. King even said it himself that he might not be able to live long enough to see the success he and his fellow activists had made into the world. "I've seen the promised land,” Dr. King said. “I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”
After Martin Luther King Jr. passed away, many people tried to get the government to celebrate a day in honor of MLK, but they didn’t agree. So, activists persisted, determined to make the world recognize MLK, and some celebrities helped as well. Famous singer Stevie Wonder advocated for a day in honor of Dr. King. In fact, according to Udiscovermusic, Wonder created the famous song “Happy Birthday” to support MLK Day. The day was finally established in 1983, and was first celebrated in 1986.
The legacy and heart of MLK continues to be remembered today, tomorrow, and for years to come, especially on January 18th. Many people, such as teachers or activists, try to incorporate his words as best as they can so that students can remember what to become. Local history teacher, Katie Libby, also tries to incorporate King’s legacy into her curriculum.
“Dr. King’s legacy impacts my teaching in a variety of ways,” Libby said. “First and foremost, one of the many reasons I teach is to help create the kind of world that he and the many activists he worked with were striving for.”
“More specifically, in my History courses, Dr. King’s legacy presents an opportunity for an incredibly rich historical conversation with my students,” Libby added. “The traditional narrative of Dr. King in the public sphere focuses only on certain aspects of his life and activism, and expanding the view of this complex historical figure helps students continue to question the narrative of American history they hear in their everyday lives and/or in the media.”
Libby wanted to become a history teacher because when she was a tutor in college, she discovered that she loved to work with students. “History was always an interest of mine, and having the opportunity to help students learn about our human past is one I treasure,” Libby stated. “I chose and continue to teach history because it’s a subject that connects us all and has the power to help my students grow from thoughtful, young people into the brave adults that will be making crucial decisions and choices that affect all of us in the future.”
“The day of celebration and service for Dr. King is very meaningful to me as the hard work and contributions of Dr. King made an indelible mark on the history of the US,” Libby stated when asked what MLK Day means to her. “He ultimately sacrificed his life to make the world safer and more equitable for others and, as such, should be celebrated. It’s also one of the rare days in which our country pauses to recognize the contributions of a historical figure outside of the traditionally-known powerholders and, as such, it holds even more power and significance for me.”
Libby thinks that more Civil Rights history can be taught in schools, because the fight for civil rights “was not simply a movement of the 1950s and 1960s, but it’s still taught that way in schools.”
“The movement to gain equal and equitable access to civil rights is one that has been occurring in the US since its inception and continues today,” Libby said, “and I think that the broad narrative is often overlooked when it can be woven into the broad story of the United States.”
“I think that the push to deepen the instruction of civil rights history has to begin with supporting teachers in their own education and development,” Libby said. “There’s an old saying ‘we don’t know what we don’t know’ and teachers are humans, so there’s always going to be more for us to learn about our content, no matter how long we’ve been teaching.”
“Teachers can also learn more about the best practices for engaging our students in the study of civil rights history,” Libby said. “The study of the movements involves the study of a lot of trauma and violence; teachers have to be supported in learning how to teach the truth of the movement while not re-traumatizing students (which disengages them from learning) or inaccurately hyper-focusing on the violence. The history of the movements for civil rights is also the history of the persistence of hope in the face of those traumatic experiences, and ultimately that’s the point of teaching history: to engage students in the study of the past in order that they have the tools and education to move forward with hope and improve the future.”
Many NBA players are also inspired by the former Civil Rights leader, and really like playing on MLK Day. Former Shooting Guard Dwayne Wade said that because some of King’s dreams came true, he knew that his dreams would become reality as well. “As a kid growing up in inner-city Chicago, I needed a dream,” Wade said. “I needed someone to believe in. The inspiration for me hearing his belief and his dream, and to see some of it come true, I knew that my dreams could come true as well.”
“It’s a very important day,” said Memphis Grizzlies Power Forward Jaren Jackson Jr., when talking about basketball games on MLK day. “Just go out there and give it your all, because you know that it’s important, that it’s a very visible game for a lot of people who may not have seen basketball, may not have seen you play. Definitely a time for people to get introduced to you.”
On MLK Day, many people and organizations tried to find ways to celebrate the Civil Rights activist during Covid. The Atlanta Hawks, a National Basketball Association (NBA) team in Atlanta, came up with a way to appreciate Dr. King. Against the Memphis Grizzlies, on MLK Day, the Hawks debuted their custom city jerseys, which are in honor of Dr. King. On October 4th, the Hawks stated that they’ll be donating the money that they make from jersey sales back into the Atlanta community to help continue actions supported by Dr. King.
“We are honored that we were able to work with the King Estate, Nike and the NBA to make this happen,” said Hawks Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Proctor, according to SLAM. “Being able to represent Dr. King and continue to educate next generation Atlantans and basketball fans around the world about his legacy is so important, especially right now…One of Dr. King’s final campaigns were for economic justice, which is why we are excited that proceeds from sales of this jersey will go toward supporting communities of color.”
In addition, the National Hockey League (NHL) debuted their custom hockey helmets in honor of MLK and the 63rd anniversary of Willie O’Ree becoming the first Black hockey player in the league. Also, the Philadelphia Phillies, a team in Major League Baseball (MLB), joined a weekend celebration hosted by the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) and citizens. The team hosted a virtual conversation on athletes and activism, according to MLB.
NBA teams remembered MLK Jr. by wearing custom MLK warm-up t-shirts designed by the collaboration between the National Basketball Players Association, Martin Luther King Foundation, and MLK’s son, Martin Luther King III. The front of the jersey wrote, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all,” while the back of the outfit wrote, “Honor King”. As well as the warm-up outfits, the NBA announced a program called “We Must Learn” on January 13th, with the program discussing how NBA members are showing leadership off the court, helping their community, and discussing the legacy of MLK, stated by the Shadow League.
Here in Oakland, students from Kindergarten through 12th grade attend the annual MLK Oratorical Fest to read their work off to others in honor of not just MLK, but heroes and sheroes everywhere. It was founded in 1978 by former Oakland school principal Donald Oliver. He wanted to encourage local kids to be inspired by Dr. King, stated by the Mercury News. This year, the oratorical was cancelled due to Covid-19, but that didn’t stop people from letting our voices be heard. The Austin Area Heritage Council hosted a virtual MLK Oratorical Fest on January 14th. They wanted to continue celebrating King’s legacy, so they adjusted to the situation to make sure it can be celebrated during this time.
Martin Luther King Jr. has done incredible things to help our community reach equality. He left us with his work, and it’s our job to continue where he left off. Even through Covid, people made the best of the situation in order to celebrate a hero that made it his mission to better the world. So, it is during this time that we should remember his words to help us keep going in the early stages of 2021, while also keeping them in mind for years to come.
NBA teams remembered MLK Jr. by wearing custom MLK warm-up t-shirts designed by the collaboration between the National Basketball Players Association, Martin Luther King Foundation, and MLK’s son, Martin Luther King III. The front of the jersey wrote, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all,” while the back of the outfit wrote, “Honor King”. As well as the warm-up outfits, the NBA announced a program called “We Must Learn” on January 13th, with the program discussing how NBA members are showing leadership off the court, helping their community, and discussing the legacy of MLK, stated by the Shadow League.
Here in Oakland, students from Kindergarten through 12th grade attend the annual MLK Oratorical Fest to read their work off to others in honor of not just MLK, but heroes and sheroes everywhere. It was founded in 1978 by former Oakland school principal Donald Oliver. He wanted to encourage local kids to be inspired by Dr. King, stated by the Mercury News. This year, the oratorical was cancelled due to Covid-19, but that didn’t stop people from letting our voices be heard. The Austin Area Heritage Council hosted a virtual MLK Oratorical Fest on January 14th. They wanted to continue celebrating King’s legacy, so they adjusted to the situation to make sure it can be celebrated during this time.
Martin Luther King Jr. has done incredible things to help our community reach equality. He left us with his work, and it’s our job to continue where he left off. Even through Covid, people made the best of the situation in order to celebrate a hero that made it his mission to better the world. So, it is during this time that we should remember his words to help us keep going in the early stages of 2021, while also keeping them in mind for years to come.