Celebrating holidays with students can be a tricky task.  When the holiday is dedicated to someone who led a movement, and died as a result of his activism, what tone should be set for the day?  More importantly, MLK‘s role in the Civil Rights Movement (and others) should be addressed for its significance, rather than simply celebrated on empty terms.  What was the true impact?  Why do we have a day dedicated to him and his efforts in American history?  What should be done in his honor?

Above image from my Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes Analysis Task Card Activity Set.

And think about this as you plan your classes for this day…

What will be taught about MLK, JR. 50 years from now?  What will be remembered?  The same questions can be asked about every individual, every event, every movement.

I can only hope that history will be recorded in a way that will not only document the efforts of the entire movement and all its participants, but also the spirit of these people and those who preceded and followed them.  The true leaders in America are not, and have never been, the ones sitting in nice, clean, temperature-controlled offices passing legislation.  The true leaders are those in the streets, those in the factories, those on the battlefields who have been willing to risk their lives for the sake of a cause.

Resources to help you plan your day are available HERE in my TpT Store.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. (and all other activists in American history) Day!