Celebrating an American KING

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist Minister and prominent Civil Rights Activist. He was assassinated in 1968, however, we will always recognize him for his work in ending segregation and promoting unity and equality among all Americans.
Want to continue the discussion at home and in our communities? We’ve highlighted some ways for families to honor this great American and continue his legacy.

Did you know?

  • Did you know that Dr. King’s birthday is actually January 15 (the day the holiday falls on this year!)
  • Martin was born Michael King Jr. His father, also a Baptist Minister changed both of their names to Martin Luther King after a trip to Germany and being inspired by Michael Luther, a German Reformer and founder of the Lutheran Church
  • Dr. King was arrested a reported 29 times! From peaceful protests to unwarranted traffic stops, being a Civil Rights Leader did not come easily

Here are some additional kid-friendly links:

National Geographic Kids: Informational Article on Dr. King

Family Education: 8 MLK Jr. values to instill in your kids

Race Relations

How do you discuss race with your children? It can be a delicate topic and difficult to pinpoint an appropriate time. The inevitability of the discussion remains a reality when you live in culturally-diverse neighborhoods like ours.
Whether you choose to talk about race early in an effort to prepare children for the harsh realities of the world VS. waiting to have discussions that may potentially damage a child’s self-confidence and view of themselves, some guidance can be helpful…

We’ve linked some articles and resources below to help you form how to start or continue talking to your kids about race, and equality.

Raising Race Conscious Children: A resource to support adults who are trying to talk about race with young children

BuzzFeed Article: 7 tips for addressing race with children, as well as additional resources

Embrace Race: A resource created by multiracial families who support each other to meet the challenges that race poses to our children, families, and communities

Weekend Plans!

There are many ways to celebrate this great leader with your family.  See these select family events below and for more happenings, visit our Local Events page.

At the Museum of the City of New York, visit the exhibition “King in New York” and taking inspiration from the Civil Rights Movement through today, create your own protest poster to inspire change for an issue that you wish to see improve.

Join a group of like-minded individuals to march around Manhattan’s Upper West Side in the 30th Annual Martin Luther King Jr.’s Commemorative March. The theme of this year’s march is “A New Revolution: Youth and Social Change”