Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Legacy: celebrating stories of change year round

 

Although Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday is a federal holiday observed every January in the United States, his legacy continues to be honored through stories all year round.  Here is my round-up of excellent reads for elementary through middle school aged readers.

Kindergarten-3rd grade Picture Books

• Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito and Laura Freeman
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

This is a picture book biography that tells the story of Georgia Gilmore and the other women in the Club from Nowhere who supplied food for civil rights workers and who raised money for gas and cars during the bus boycotts in Montgomery, Alabama.

• Back of the Bus by Aaron Reynolds and Floyd Cooper

Most young people can recount the story of Rosa Parks and the stand she took that day in 1955 to refuse to give up her seat on the bus.  This picture book story is told from the perspective of a young Black boy who is on the bus that day and witnesses the arrest of Rosa Parks.

• William Still and His Freedom Stories: the Father of the Underground Railroad by Don Tate

Although William Still lived before the time of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this picture book biography can still be shared with young people.  It tells the story of William Still who was an abolitionist, writer, historian, conductor of the Underground Railroad, and a civil rights activist.  The publisher has a teacher's guide and other resources for this moving nonfiction book.

• A Ride to Remember by Sharon Langley, Amy Nathan and Floyd Cooper

Children will be able to relate to this account of Sharon Langley's experience as a child in 1963 when she was unable to go to an amusement park in her community in Maryland because of the color of her skin.  This picture book tells how her family helped to organize against segregation and what it took for her to be the first Black person to take a ride on the carousel in the park.  What is especially neat is that the horse that she rode on is on display in Washington D.C. to commemorate the efforts of the civil rights activists who organized against segregation. One of the authors, Amy Nathan, has a website with more resources.

• The Youngest Marcher: the Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson and Vanessa Brantley Newton

In May of 1963, 3,000 children and teenagers were arrested for civil rights protests in Birmingham, Alabama.  One of those children arrested was Audrey Faye Hendricks.  This biography picture book tells her story.  The author, Cynthia Levinson's website has more resources. 

4th grade-6th grade Chapter and Picture Books

• Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson and Frank Morrison

This picture book pairs well with The Youngest Marcher in that it explains how under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., children and teenagers marched against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963.  There are numerous teaching resources that go with this book.

• Ellington Was Not a Street by Ntozake Shange and Kadir Nelson

This is an illustrated poem where the author, Ntozake Shange, recalls her childhood growing up in the company of great African American men who were instrumental in changing American culture and society.  When I have used this book with students, they each took one person named in the book and researched to find out more about them.  Then they shared what they learned with their classmates. There are additional resources for this book.

• Child of the Dream: a Memoir of 1963 by Sharon Robinson

In 1963 Jackie Robinson's daughter turned 13 and she witnessed her parents doing everything they could to help Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement from their home in rural Connecticut.  Being one of two Black students at her school, Sharon is struggling with fitting in and finding her voice.  She remembers school dances, riding her horse, and going to camp while The Children's March shocked the world in Birmingham, Alabama.  Her photos and stories of that year shine a new perspective to the stories of that time period.  This chapter book is full of topics that go beyond history: coming of age and individuality.

• Memphis, Martin and the Mountaintop: the Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Fay Duncan and R. Gregory Christie

This picture book tells the story of the Sanitation Workers Strike in Memphis, Tennessee where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his final speech to strike workers the night before his assassination.  When I share this book with students we listen to his speech afterwards and discuss his message.  

Does it still resonate with us today?