Daring to Dream:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A presentation for grades K through 2 by the

Rice University Black Student Association

and Office of Public Affairs.

MLK

This is a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We also know him by his initials, “MLK.”

Dr. King was a very famous and important man in thehistory of our country.

To understand why, it helpsto understand that our countryhas a history of slavery.

Slavery

A person who is forced to work without pay is called a “slave.”

For more than two hundred years, thousands of women, men, and children were taken from their homes in Africa and forced to work here as slaves.

Slaves on an American plantation

Freedom

Then, more than a hundred years ago, when Abraham Lincoln was the president of our country, he signed a law that outlawed slavery forever.

Segregation

But even though they were no longer slaves, most African Americans still were not treated fairly.

All around the country, black people were separated from white people, and not allowed to go to the same schools or restaurants or shop in the same stores.

This is called “segregation.”Students in an all-black segregated school

The Young MLKDuring this time of segregation, Martin Luther King, Jr. (“MLK”) was born in Georgia, on January 15, 1929.

He went to segregated schools when hewas growing up.

Education was very important to the youngMLK. After graduating from high school,he went to college to become a churchminister.

In college, he earned a “doctorate,” which isthe highest college degree you can get. That is why we now know him as “Dr. King,”even though he wasn’t the kind of doctoryou go to when you are sick.

The Life of MLK

Dr. King got married and he andhis wife had four children.

After he was married, he became achurch minister, just like his fatherand grandfather.

He was pastor of a church in thetown of Montgomery, Alabama,when something happened thatchanged Dr. King’s life forever…

The church where Dr. King worked

Becoming a Leader

…a woman named Rosa Parks wasriding a Montgomery, Alabama citybus when the driver told her to give up her seat for a white passenger.

She didn’t think that was fair andshe said no, so the bus drivercalled the police, who put her in jail.

Dr. King didn’t think it was fair either,and he organized a bus boycott. Theword “boycott” means “refuse to use,”and Dr. King convinced all the blackpeople in the city to refuse to use thesegregated buses.

Becoming a Leader

For more than a year, black peoplein Montgomery, Alabama refused touse the bus.

Finally the United States Supreme Court said that segregation onpublic buses was against the law.

Dr. King had stood up for what hethought was right, and he had won. It made him famous and he becamea leader of a national movement to win equal rights (also known as“civil rights”) for all Americans.

Leading the Nation

Dr. King traveled throughout the United States for many more years, speaking more than 25,000 times about how important it was for everyone to have the same civil rights.

Many Americans agreed with Dr. King, but others did not. He was arrested and put in jail more than once, he was threatened, and his home was even bombed.

Leading the Nation

Dr. King often led large crowds of people in civil rights marches. A march was a peaceful way for many people to show their support for the idea of equal rights for all Americans.

In 1963, more than 250,000 people came to the March on Washington, and heard Dr. King deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech.

Click picture to watch speech on CBS News

Leading the Nation

Shortly after the March on Washington, the United States Congress outlawed segregation and guaranteed equal rights for all American citizens.

For his work as a peaceful civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. became the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Leading the Nation

Dr. King continued to work for civil rights until he was shot and killed by an assassin in 1968.

Since his death, others have worked to continued his legacy.

Dr. King’s Legacy

Today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. remains a hero to millions across our nation and throughout the world. His example continues to inspire those who seeking freedom and equality for all people.

Dr. King’s Legacy

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dared to dream that he could make the world a better place. Then he set out to

get the education he needed to make that happen.

What do you dream of doing in your life?

What kind of education will you need to do that?

At Rice, we believe that you can make our world a better place, and we want to help.

To know more, please visit www.rice.edu/mlk.

“Intelligence plus character –

that is the goal of true education.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

www.rice.edu/mlk

References

Texts cited:

• http://wikipedia.org• http://www.thekingcenter.org/DrMLKingJr/ • http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html • http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/mlk/srs218.html

Image sources:

• http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/• http://www.freeclipartnow.com/• http://wikipedia.org• http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/images/slavery3.jpg• http://publicdomainclip-art.blogspot.com/2006/12/martin-luther-kings-birthday-2.html• http://www.clker.com/clipart-2363.html• http://webclipart.about.com/library/hvarious/blmlk10aa.htm• http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/education.shtml• http://namalt.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/rosa-parks.jpg• http://www.elcivics.com/martin_luther_king_jr.jpg• http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/ViewingAmerica/roundtables/roundtable7/section3_files/marchonwash.jpg• http://riverdaughter.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/nobelpeaceprize1.jpg• http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2398/2386195475_9bb8a0da0f_o.jpg• http://www.chicagostagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/martinlutherkingjr.jpg• http://publicdomainclip-art.blogspot.com/2006/12/martin-luther-kings-birthday-2.html