Martin Luther King, Jr. N.H.S.
Atlanta, GA
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In honor of Black History Month, we visited the National Historic Site dedicated to the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Harrison and Amanda developed a great deal of respect for this man whom they had only known as a name and a holiday. Even as adults, our understanding of and gratitude for this remarkable individual grew measurably. The moving film, pictures, quotations and displays touched us deeply.

We joined the Freedom Walk exhibit and learned of the dedication and patience of those that joined Martin Luther King, Jr. in his quest for equal rights for all people. We signed pledge cards, committing ourselves to making our society a fair home for everyone. You too can help . . .

Make Dr. King's Dream come true
I pledge to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and non-violent work by helping to make this world a better, more just place for all people.
I will:
  • Respect all people
  • Live a life of loving, not hating
  • Chose patience over anger, non-violence over force
  • Actively help to promote freedom, justice, and world peace

This quote by John Hope Franklin sums up our feelings upon leaving this important museum:

King was not only the most eloquent spokesman for racial justice of this time; he was also the most successful. He raised the discussion of human rights to a new level, and he developed techniques and approaches that made activism in civil rights a viable policy by which stated goals could be achieved. He discovered, however, that it was far easier to secure basic civil and voting rights--as difficult as that was--than to remove from a society the racial prejudices and discriminatory practices by which it had lived for centuries. But by his teachings and example, he infused his own and succeeding generations with a commitment to racial equality and a zeal to work diligently for it. That legacy was second in importance only to the goals that he achieved in his own time.
Pictures (Click to enlarge)

Children of Courage

"We learned that black children can be very brave. I learned about a black girl who went to a whites only school and got yelled at, but she still went to the school. There were also some black teenagers who went to a whites only cafeteria with their white friends for a sit-in. The white customers poured sugar, ketchup, eggs and other stuff on them as they sat, but they didn't fight back at all. I think blacks can make a difference."--Amanda

Dear Dr. King : Today's Children Write to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Jan Colbert (Editor), Ann McMillan Harms (Editor), Ernest C. Withers, Roy Cajero (Photographer)

"I wrote a letter to Dr. King and I read other kids' notes and learned about what they thought about him. I wrote that I wish I could listen to him talking to Gandhi. Though they never really met, it would be interesting to me because they had the same idea on their minds."--Harrison
Many protesters were jailed, beaten, and some killed. "Dr. King was put in jail many times, sometimes for such small things as waiting too long at the court house for a friend. I didn't know much about him before we went to his museum, but now think he was a very cool man and it makes me sad that someone would kill him. This world would probably be a better place if he was still alive."--Amanda

If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King
by Ellen Levine, Anna Rich (Illustrator)

In this home, Martin Luther King, Jr. was born and lived until he was 12. His family was very middle class, but lived and worked peaceably among people of all classes. The diversity of race and income in his "Sweet Auburn" neighborhood gave him the perspective that led to his life's mission. The entire neighborhood is now being preserved as an historic area because it shows the environment in which Dr. King grew up.
Faces (Click Here for more faces)

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (1929-1968) Baptist Minister, Civil Rights Leader

 

  

Kunta Kinte, Captured African

 

  

Trip Tips

A visit to the Martin Luther King, Jr. site, his birth home and the Center for Nonviolent Social Change makes for a complete day of Dr. King studies.

To tour Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth home, sign up at the information desk and get your free tickets. The home is a five-minute walk from the museum.

The Center for Non-violent Social Change has displays on Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King, as well as Rosa Parks and Mahatma Gandhi.

If traveling with children, plan time to play at the playground in front of the MLK center. We had a great time meeting some neighborhood kids there.
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Amazon.comResources

Check out these resources from your local library, or click on these links to buy them online from Amazon.com. You'll get the same great price and help keep our pages on the web.

For Younger Readers

For Older Readers
Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Leader
by Kathy Kristensen Lambert

Gandhi
by Leonard Everett Fisher, Sarah Caguiat (Editor)

A book for students 9-12, introduces children to the basic message of Gandhi's life - non-violent means to social justice. Not a complete source, but an artistic supplement to studies of Gandhi.

If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King
by Ellen Levine, Anna Rich (Illustrator)

100 African Americans Who Shaped American History (100 Series)
by Chrisanne Beckner, Joanne Clarke

Amazon.comFind more books about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Find more books about Gandhi at Amazon.com
My Life With Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Coretta Scott King (Reader)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Autobiography
Edited by Clayborne Carson
Dear Mrs. Parks (A dialog with today's youth)
Edited by Clayborne Carson

Biography: Martin Luther King, Jr. (1997)

Not Rated.

A&E's Biography Series capably tells the story of the leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Not a complete telling of all of his contributions or controversies, but this film does offer a well rounded understanding of Dr. King's life, and the impact he had on the nation.
 

I Have a Dream : Writings and Speeches That Changed the World
by James Melvin Washington (Editor), Martin Luther, Jr. King, Coretta Scott King

Reading his own words shows how potent a leader he was. His arguments for justice, and the methods to achieve it, reveal a man of exceptional intelligence and compassion.
Autobiography : The Story of My Experiments With Truth
by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Gandhi on Non-Violence
by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Thomas Merton (Editor)

A brief description of Gandhi's principles of non-violent resistance for social change. Includes the most important parts of his writings and speeches.


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