Celebrate Dr. King’s Life with Service, Learning and Change “One of life’s most persistent and urgent questions is: What are you doing for others,?” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said. Dr. King’s philosophy is worth examining closely, as the nation prepares to celebrate his life on Jan. 20. In his later years, Dr. King led a rather privileged life, but he always had compassion for those less privileged, including the poor, the unemployed, the homeless. He wanted everyone to have a hand up, an opportunity to realize their dreams.
On the day that celebrates Dr. King’s legacy, consider these activities with your children: n Participate in a Day of Service, giving your family’s time to help someone less fortunate. In 2013, 4,000 volunteers helped 55 organizations throughout metro Atlanta. Volunteers are being coordinated through Hands On Atlanta (handsonatlanta.org/ mlkday2014); contact Genora Crooke, gcrooke@ handsonatlanta.org or call 404-979-2820. For other activities, see MLK Events, Page 98. n Read or listen to Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered Aug. 28, 1963, in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and discuss its significance, simplifying his message for younger children and going more in depth with tweens. Talk about discrimination and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. n Take the children to visit the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in downtown Atlanta to learn about the civil rights movement and Dr. King’s life. Be sure to visit his boyhood home. Go early – the National Park Service says that on MLK Day the site isn’t crowded until a church service ends at 2 p.m. Find more at nps.gov/malu. Cont’d on page 26
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January 2014 Atlanta Parent 25