Black History Is For All Year

This January (tomorrow is the holiday), we again celebrate the life and achievements of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.  He would have been ninety-two this year had he not been assassinated in Tennessee at the age of thirty-nine (which is my current age, and shows how remarkable his achievements are). I love reading his writings, quotes, and hearing his words.  How overjoyed he would have been to see the fruits of his labor, a half-century later, including including Barack Obama get elected as President in 2008 (and this week, Kamala Harris take the office of Vice President). I'm sure he is beaming from heaven.

I am so glad that my kids, aged two and six, already know about his life and legacy (and even know his kids' names!). Niall calls him "Martha Lutha King," finding his name endings somewhat hard to pronounce (he also calls Mahatma Gandi "Hot Magandhi")! They love reading about MLK, and I'm loving finding books (both fiction and nonfiction) with other main characters/figures of color. 

These are some of the books we currently have lying around. (if you haven't read the recent book Kamala and Maya's Big Idea by Meena Harris (Kamala's niece), it is a huge hit with our boys and I highly recommend it for preschool- and school-aged kids. We got it from the library but may have to purchase our own).

Iver did some impressive cartoon art, including the words to his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Below is a very timely excerpt from Dr. King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail (which every American should read if you haven't, and which is in part the sentiment I channeled in my last blog post).

“First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says ‘I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;’ who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a ‘more convenient season.’”

In this house, we believe Black Lives Matter. A lot. And, every month, not just in February ("Black History Month"), we celebrate the lives and works of those great Black heroes and heroines that have persevered in this still very troubled country.  I stole this composite of MLK quotes from Carey, a friend on Facebook.

Thank you for your wisdom and service, Reverend King.  May we all strive to carry both the baton of justice as well as your faith in and ability to love people. To be sure, "The time is always right to do what is right," which is as urgent as ever.