“A right delayed is a right denied”

For many years I ran a preschool from my home, and then I formally taught kindergarten for 3 years at our church school. I love planning lessons around themes, unit studies, decorating up my classroom around a particular theme etc.

Fast forward several years, and as a homeschooling mom of 3, I have often dropped the ball in this area. Just keeping track of who is doing what, reading what, or who is supposed to be doing those things leaves little time for elaborate thematic lesson plans. But every now and then I get inspired. And this year, for some reason, I feel especially inspired to make my children aware of what a great man Martin Luther King Jr. was. But of course, I didn’t actually sit down to pull anything together until late Sunday night so my options are limited. Yep, that is me. Mrs. Mommy Big Plans But  (un)Organized.

But thankfully I still have this book from my teaching years on our bookshelf, add in a few online printables and I am  pretty sure I have my act together enough to share this great man with my children.

Oh and I have the story.

The one that took place when I was in 5th grade. I will never forget it.

Our teachers decided they needed to give us a real life example of what prejudices existed for African Americans. So they seperated us into groups: blond hair, blue eyes, and not blond hair, blue eyes.

The blond hair/blue eyes group got special privileges. The children who didn’t have blond hair/blue eyes were not allowed to sit near them, use the same bathroom as them, eat lunch with them, play in the same play ground area as them etc.

We didn’t know there was  a lesson involved. We just thought our teachers were doing some crazy new thing at school.

Did I mention that I do not have blond hair and blue eyes?

The blondies really took advantage of having the upper hand. By mid afternoon, things were getting slightly out of control, and I was in the bathroom crying and feeling sick to my stomach. I wanted to go home.

Being a minority, looked down upon, and treated unequally because of my hair color was awful.

Our teachers sat us down and shared with us the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and about the injustices done to the African American people. I remember being so shook up that this really happened in my country. I couldn’t believe that people treated each other this way.

It’s a story I have never forgotten. And I don’t want my children to ever forget either.

With Obama as our President, it is hard for my children to ever imagine a day when a man of his color was not allowed to have the same privileges we have. But they need to know that it wasn’t always this way.

Debi Pearl shares a moving story in her article Listen To My Dream. It reminded me again of the lesson learned in 5th grade. I have not yet purchased her Listen To My Dream book, but it is on my wish list.

Thankfully we live in a nation where prejudices (for the most part) are a thing of the past. But there is good reason to let our children see what can happen when there is, and what can happen when one person decides to bravely stand up and boldly proclaim their beliefs even if it costs them dearly. After all, our Savior wasn’t afraid to do it. And doesn’t He calls us to the same boldness, even if the cost is high?

After reading Happy Birthday Dr. King together, we have this coloring page, will complete this Martin Luther King Jr notebooking page, and making this hand banner.

And then we will pray that our nation will never again treat others unfairly because of their skin color, hair color, whether they are rich or poor, tall or short, small or large. And we will also pray that we will be able to be as courageous and walk as boldly as those who have gone before us if and when God calls them.

Do you do anything special to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. in your home?