On the eve of the commemoration of Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. let me echo the title of his famous oration by saying, I have a dream, too!
During the era of his speech the equality of all Americans, as our forefathers envisioned, was far from reality. Our nation couldn’t have been more polarized by race.
On August 28, 1963, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. King shared his dream with millions of people- the masses before him as well as those glued to their radios and television sets across the country.
I remember that day-- very well-- and the barely muted excitement of my home as we prepared for the evening’s rebroadcast of Dr. King’s speech, given earlier that day. As a child I don’t recall a greater sense of anticipation, except for Christmas time.
You see, my parents had a dream for me—when I hadn’t as yet developed a dream for myself. And Dr. King’s speech seemed to validated their right to embrace lofty goals for their three children. Eventually though, as I grew older and understood the nature of the man-made obstacles born out or racial and gender barriers, I determined to make my parents’ dream, my dream too.
My parents’ dream for me and my younger sister and brother included good character, a college education, and love for all people- regardless of race or creed. But the impact of their dream for me was the careful preparation and footsteps they provided for my brother, sister and me to walk in. They carved out a path and modeled for us kids what it looked like to value wisdom, all people, and education, the details of which there’s not time nor space here to elaborate. Suffice it to say, we’ve done our best to follow our parents’ example.
But it all began with a dream.
A dream shared, a dream believed, a dream lived.
In living my dream, I have a dream for others, beyond my own family.
I have a dream for my students- for all students in America...
I believe in their innovation and creativity.
I believe in their ability to think critically.
I believe that if they conceive it, they can achieve it.
I have a dream.
I believe in their desire to make a difference.
I believe in their ability to communicate clearly and globally.
I believe that if empowered, they will change the world.
I have a dream.
I believe in their capacity to love and understand.
I believe in their ability to judge the heart and character of a person.
I believe that if encouraged they will express compassion beyond their years.
I have a dream.
I have a dream.
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Martin Luther King was murdered on my 11th birthday. I was growing up in a small town in New Mexico - Silver City - and thus was pretty innocent of the Civil Rights struggle. My memory is that after he was killed I saw something on TV about him and clips of his Dream and Memphis speeches. After, I went and told my mom, in the terms of the day, that I had seen a Negro man talking about things like the sons of slaves and slave owners eating together and it had made me feel kind of good. As I grew and learned more about King, he became one of my heroes.
Last March some colleagues and I went to Memphis for some training. During some down time we went to the National Civil Rights Museum which is located, you may know, in the Lorraine Motel, the exterior of which they’ve kept the same as on the day of the assassination. At one point in the museum you stand just a couple feet from where King was standing when he was shot. I’ve travelled a lot and stood in a lot of places where history was made – including where he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Monument – but I’ve never been as overwhelmed by History as I was at the Lorraine.
In the gift shop I bought a copy of Why We Can’t Wait, his book from about 1965 in which he wrote a lot about Birmingham. I read the Letter from the Birmingham Jail about once a year or so, but in this book he writes at length about his doubts and how through prayer the night before his arrest, decided to continue the Birmingham marches. Then the next chapter is the Letter. I gave the book to one of our Humanities teachers and she is moving to get a class set.
Two other books that came out of the trip to Memphis are: Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King and The International Hunt for His Assassin, by Hampton Sides, and The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. The Wilkerson book is about the mass African American migration out of the South in the first seven decades of the 20th Century. Those three books together were among my best reading of 2011, and hope that if you’re interested, and haven’t already read them, you might give any of them a try. I’ll be hearing you soon at the next webinar and seeing you in February. Until then…
Thanks so much for sharing your memories of that day and how Dr. King's oratory made you feel as a child. I remember that same feeling. I went to school the next day on a cloud. For someone outside my home to validate my hopes and dreams was tremendous! And I learned to view obstacles as opportunities. Your thoughts about the museum are thrilling! I could sense the anticipation you experienced as you walked in his shoes.
My family and friends joke that I don't understand the meaning of the word "No". But as a teen I decided that in order to live my life to the fullest I needed to learn to thrive where others might be uncomfortable, to push myself past the boundaries of comfort and embrace the unknown, the road less traveled.
Thanks for the book recommendations. I always like to read inspirational and informative books.
I’d like to share my teaching notes on MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The “I Have a Dream” speech is rich in allusions: historical, biblical, and even financial. I use the Martin Luther King Jr. – I Have a Dream speech on DVD that introduces the speech with real footage of events leading up to it. It includes a featurette about the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. My students enjoy seeing the marchers and always are impressed with how well-dressed the marchers are.
Links are on http://classantics.com/archives/1444 or you can search for I Have a Dream on my blog, www.ClassAntics.com
Corey,
Thank you for the links they will prove useful in future lessons!