5 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.

 
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From his memorable speeches to his courageous marches, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work inspired world movements and his legacy is something to be honored and celebrated.  Below are suggestions for meaningful ways to celebrate Dr. King, however, one of the greatest ways we can honor Dr. King’s legacy is by continuing the conversation and promoting racial equality and justice year round. 

Read

Books are always a great way to learn, connect, and encourage further dialogue. Reading about Dr. King’s impact is a great way to begin the conversation about social justice and racial equality. Here are a few great books by age group:

Younger Children:

My Uncle Martin's Big Heart
By Watkins, Angela Farris
 

Elementary Age:

What Was the March on Washington?
By Krull, Kathleen, Who HQ
I Have a Dream (Book & CD)
By King Jr., Martin Luther Dr.
 

Tween/Teen:

Watch

It’s likely that you or your child has heard a number of historical quotes from Dr. King’s speeches. While those quotes are certainly inspirational, a meaningful way to connect with the message Dr. King shared is by watching or listening to one of his most memorable speeches. 

After watching his speeches, talk with your children about Dr. King’s legacy and what he was working to achieve. How does change happen? What do leaders do when they face resistance? Who else had to support these leaders for their work to be possible?

Contribute

Consider a family contribution to an organization working to end racism, violence or poverty. Take a moment to research organizations dedicated to promoting peace and equality. Here are a number of organizations dedicated specifically working on racial equality and justice.

CREATE

A great way to continue Dr. King’s quest for peace and equality is by creating art that symbolic of his work. Check out the work from these Black artists.

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Events

Although many events have been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the bright sides is that a number of events have gone virtual allowing anyone to attend from anywhere! Here is a great list of virtual events happening throughout our nation to celebrate Dr. King.