January reminds me: I shared my Martin Luther King, Jr. unit with my middle school students each year in my language arts and literature classes, celebrating the life and teaching of this dreamer. Here’s what I did to share his life and how he influenced my students and my life!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Teaching Unit

Each January, I started the new year studying the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. in my middle school literature and language arts classes.

The unit included important dates in King’s life and the Civil Rights movement. I found a great play that walked my students through key parts of his life. When they read it, they took the part of Reverend Ralph Abernathy and John Lewis. By doing this, they met many of the King’s colleagues through this play. They learned how instrumental the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was in the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King’s connection to it.

A highlight of the unit for me: when we read his “I Have a Dream” speech and took it a part and talked about its meaning. Then I shared a precious teacher-resource a colleague gave me my first year of teaching in Denver, Colorado at Martin Luther King Jr. middle school. He had been in Washington, DC and recorded Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28, 1963. He gave me a copy of this treasure! Yes, a cassette tape! Probably today, you could find a better-quality recording on the internet, but I taught these classes from 1984-1991 in Raton, New Mexico and from 1991-2000 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the resources weren’t available so readily on the internet, and the background sound was unbelievable of the singing and the people.

Key Dates

They learned important dates:

January 15, 1929 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Born

5 key events to remember the minister and activist

• December 5, 1955 – Supported Rosa Parks with a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama
• August 28, 1963 – “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, DC
• December 10, 1964 – Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
• April 4, 1968 – Assassinated
• November 2, 1983 – President Ronald Reagan signed the law establishing a holiday in his honor.

https://www.en-vols.com/en/inspirations-en/culture-en/martin-luther-king-key-events/

As I taught the unit, I watched the impact studying Dr. King had on my students. Especially, my eight-graders marveled at the thought of participating in the sit-ins at diners where black people were not allowed to eat. Because of the changes in our world due to the Civil Rights Movements, they had never seen anything like that.

I shared with them that I remembered going to Amarillo, Texas in the 50s as a child and seeing signs that said “Whites Only.”

Because of my experiences growing up, I shared personally. I was ten years old when Dr. King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech, and I remember the coverage on the news. What amazing crowds gathering in Washington, DC. Also, I remember the day he was assassinated on April 4, 1968. At twelve years old, I totally understood the significance of loss of this courageous man. That’s probably why I so passionately shared his life in my classes.

Also, I told them about what I saw in Denver, Colorado with the force desegregation that happened in the early 70s. White families fled Denver to the suburbs like Littleton so their children wouldn’t have to go to school with “blacks.” This movement was named the “White Flight.”

One Memorable Classroom Revelation

In January 1991 while teaching in Raton, New Mexico, my eight grade students soaked up all the information I presented about Martin Luther King, Jr. in a telling way. Then Operation Desert Storm hit January 17, 1991, and they asked what me what could we do. The idea of war scared them, and the Dr. King unit had opened up possible actions they could take.

One student touched by the Dr. King unit asked, “Can we do a sit-in?” Others agreed.

My teacher-heart overflowed—they had been listening to me. We brainstormed the possibilities and the logistics. What could we do that would be acceptable? We came up with a tentative model. Then I shared it with my other classes and they totally wanted to participate. I had ignited a firestorm in Raton, New Mexico.

“Let me talk to the principal,” I replied and the next day, it was off to the principal I went. I presented their ideas. He stared down at his hands, taking it all in.

“This can’t be a protest against Operation Desert Storm. That wouldn’t be patriotic,” Joe Gagliardi, the principal said.

We had thought of that, so I explained, “They want it to be a protest against war, not Operation Desert Storm.” I knew we were splitting hairs, but it had to be “politically correct” so we could do it.

Mr. Gagliardi asked more clarifying and probing questions. I had all the answers lined up—my students and I had done our job. Finally, he agreed and we set the date for the assembly for the whole middle school.

Preparation

To prepare, we created posters of each national guard soldier who had been called out from Raton. Our own janitor was one of them.

The class who came up with the idea planned the whole thing: the format, the music, who would speak. It was amazing to see the depth they wanted to go.

After advertising it to the school, the day finally came. As students entered the gym, we asked them to sit in the stands. We had patriotic music playing. The posters honoring the National Guard men hung around the gym, and I MCed the event. Several of my students stood up in front of their peers and shared their concerns. Then we opened it up to anyone who might want to say something. The janitor/National Guard volunteer spoke and had us all in tears.

Sit-In against War

Then the moment came. I asked anyone who wanted to join us on the floor of the gym in protest to war, to get up and join us on the floor. I had no idea if any of the other students besides my classes would come down. To my surprise the whole school joined us.

We ended the event with Bette Midler’s song, “Wind Beneath My Wings.”

Martin Luther King, Jr’s legacy lived on for me on that day. I saw my students see the impact on others when you stand up for what you believe in. I hope that memory lives on in all those students who joined us for that “Sit-In against War” that day.

Finally,

when I think of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I think of the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, his dynamic “I Have a Dream” speech and a strong Christian belief that stabilized him throughout his tumultuous career. And also, I remember eight-graders who digested his actions and beliefs and took a stance.

Take time tomorrow, January 15, to stop and think about Dr. King’s amazing accomplishments.

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