Mamma, Tell Me About Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Posted: Friday, April 04, 2008
by Judi Lake
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It began with the question, “Mamma, tell me about Martin
Luther King?"
Lifting my baby girl onto my lap, I began, “Well, Sweetie,
Martin Luther King, Jr., was a Godly man who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, a very
long time ago. Just like you and your friends, Martin liked to play sports,
ride his bicycle and fly his kite."
“Did he have any brothers or sisters?"
“Yes, Laura, Martin had one brother, A.D. and a sister,
Willie Christine."
“Was he smart?"
“Well you tell me. He was only fifteen years old when he
began college. Even though his classmates were older than him, they all
respected and looked up to him. “He will make a fine leader, one day," they’d say. When he graduated, he had the
highest-grade average in his class.
After he completed college, he decided to follow his daddy’s
and grandfather’s footsteps and decided to become a pastor."
“But I thought he was married?"
“Yes, silly, only Catholic priests can’t marry. After he graduated college, he met Coretta
Scott who he married and moved to Montgomery, Alabama.
During this time, especially in the South, black people were
not treated fairly and many things were segregated for black people and white
people. It was a sad time. Bathrooms and water fountains were separate for both
races and black people could only sit in the back end of buses."
“That’s horrible, mommy!"
“Yes it is, sweetie. Because your great-grandma grew up in
Florida, she saw many horrible things happen to many good black people. Although
times were troubling in our country, Martin Luther King, Jr. always taught his
children and his church many, many wise things."
“Like what?"
“Like to handle things peacefully and not hatefully. He’d
tell them, “Don’t let anyone pull you so low as to hate them."
“But mommy,
I have black friends that I love. Like Tristan? I don’t understand why people
would want to be hateful to other people. When did everything change?"
“I’m not sure, but there was a very brave black woman named Rosa
Parks who one day refused to give up her seat in the
bus for a white woman."
“Why would she have to give up her seat?"
“Because of the segregation laws of those day, baby. It was
wrong, but it was the way it was. Anyway, because she refused to give up her
seat she was arrested after the bus driver called the police."
“That’s awful, mommy!"
“Yes it was and I am embarrassed about some of our history.
Anyway, Martin Luther King, Jr. and many other friends of Rosa Parks objected
and asked, “Why can’t America be a place where everyone is treated well?" All around the country, people, including white
people, wanted segregation to finally end.
“So, in 1957 our country made a law to end segregation on
buses. The judges in the courts decided that people could sit anywhere on a
bus, no matter what color their skin was."
“That should have been a decision that came naturally to
people. The courts shouldn’t have had to decide that."
“You are a very smart little girl. Anyway, in 1964, Martin
Luther King, Jr., along with many other people, helped our country pass more
laws so that black people could be treated as fairly as white people. The most
famous and touching…"
“Can I read some of it, Mommy? I remember reading it in
school. It was the day when Martin Luther King stood on the steps of The
Lincoln Memorial and recited his famous speech about his dream on how to treat
everyone fairly."
Witnessing my child’s innocence, I tearfully reply, “Go for
it, baby. My prayer is that we always remember that we are all God’s children
and that it is very important to treat everyone good no matter how different
they are from us. That, Laura is one of the principles for which we remember
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."
I Have A Dream
“…I have a dream that one day even the state of
Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and
oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but
by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama,
whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition
and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys
and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white
girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be
exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be
made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the
Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return
to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of
despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the
jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With
this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle
together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing
that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children
will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet
land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the
pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must
become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from
the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of
Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of
California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone
Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of
Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and every
molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every
village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to
speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and
Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the
words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God
Almighty, we are free at last!"
hi judi, that was a pretty powerful talk you had with your daughter. she will probably remember some, if not all, of the words, for the rest of her life. if we could all have the innocence of children still in our hearts and souls, no matter what cruelty we may have suffered in our lifetime. i've always said, if you want to know the truth of a situation, ask a child. thanks for a moving article, my best, sueThat's one of the most exciting parts of motherhood that I love - getting into the mindset of a child and looking at things purely. Believe it or not, I learn much from Laura! Thanks for commenting and 'hope you have a great weekend!
Wonderful job Ethel, You are blessed to have a curious child and she is blessed to have parents who fill the need. And thanks for this timely message. Love you bunches, LucyThanks, "L" -- Actually, as I mentioned to Sue (above) I actually learn a lot from Laura and love the questions and quest for learning and pure innocence. Hope your weekend is great! Hugs to you!
This is such an important conversation for everyone to have in some form or other. I would love to see children be inspired by a person like Martin Luther King, rather than the Hollywood personalities that are put in front of them all the time. Thanks for sharing this.
Judi~ You are a marvelous mom. Congratulations on rearing such a thoughtful and kind little lady. And thank you for sharing this missive. Well done, Ma'am!
Judi, I hope this finds you well? Another great job but why wouldn't it be. My kids all grew up with the same knowledge. Dr King, Rosa Parks and the persecution of the Jews and others in WW2. Asd a teacher I find it suprising that many young balcks do not know who of their race made such signifcant contributions, what lessons history has to offer. That good peole come in all ways, shapes, sizes, colors, religions and races. I'm sure, like my children, she willcarry that with her into and through life. Good job mom.