Martin Luther King Resources

Martin Luther King lived only to be 39 year old, but, in the time he was alive, he made many people think about issues such as equality, justice, freedom, diversity, and education. He was a man who never gave up in his fight to make life better for black Americans, and yet he never fought with violence or hatred. He taught us to use our words and our ideas instead of our fists. He was a minister, a teacher, a family man, a hero. His personal faith and his knowledge that he was fighting for a just cause gave him the strength he needed in his struggles. Today we need those lessons as much as we did then as we try to understand others who lead different lives and come from different cultures. Dr. King would have urged us to embrace their gifts, respect their beliefs, and find a way to help them in their fight to make their lives better. We too can make a difference. What better tribute to this remarkable man.

Here are a few resources that you can use with students to study this amazing man and also to continue study through February and Black History Month.

• Enchanted Learning has a great Martin Luther King page.
• A wonderful photo gallery of pictures honoring black history.
• Go to the dictionary and look up these words: diversity, nonviolent, violent, passive, aggressive, segregation, and integration. Can you think of examples from your own life for these terms?
• African Flags
• Hear the I have a Dream Speech
• Research one of these talented black Americans.
• Endangered Cultures – Diane Taylor, librarian at MSS found this wonderful site created by photographer Phil Borges. Mr. Borges uses photography and interviews to help us understand life in other cultures. Click on the Enter link and then on the next page go to the photo album to meet some wonderful people. A great site to stimulate discussion.
• Lesson plans on ways that Martin Luther King taught us to respect each other.
• For grades 3-5, try this Martin Luther King Scavenger Hunt
• Famous Black Inventors
• A Great list of African-American Biographies
• Explore what a slave auction was like. Take different roles.