4 Resources Not Named ‘Selma’ to Help Your Family Learn More About MLK
All honor and respect to the reigning Queen of Screen Ava DuVernay. I loved ‘Selma’. We all did except for the people who went online and gave it one star reviews before the film was released because that’s what trolls do. Watching Selma as a family is a great way to spend time together as a family this Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, but if you’re looking for additional opportunities to learn or share more about MLK, here are some of the best options I’ve used in the past:
Written and illustrated in a way that appeals to younger kids, this book uses the tools of a graphic novel to help kids understand racial inequality using examples that resonate with them. Most of the book is set in King’s childhood, but still manages to effectively explain Dr. King’s work and philosophy. Part of Brad Metzger’s Ordianary People Change the World series, I am Martin Luther King, Jr. is available both in print and for Kindle.
A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Editor James M. Washington is a man after my own heart, in that he deemed 58 of Dr. King’s works essential enough to assemble them in this 700 page paperback. Considering most of us are only familiar with Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech and maybe the end of his Mountain Top speech, Hope provides an unmatched ratio of new content per dollar.
I’ve used some of the shorter entries, such as The Most Durable Power with students from grade school through college over the years. It’s one of the most read books in my personal library, and my only complaint is that it isn’t available in any ebook format. My copy has logged thousands of travel miles with me, and always takes up a good bit of real estate in my luggage.
Bonus: If you’ve always wanted to read Playboy for the articles but didn’t think anyone would believe you, included in this volume is Dr. King’s lengthy 1965 interview with the now defunct magazine.
Deeply moving and visually stunning, The Assassination Tapes manages to powerfully tell the story of Dr. King’s murder using recently rediscovered footage. Clocking in at just over an hour, the documentary employs efficient storytelling to provide a deep understanding of the events surrounding Dr. King’s death. The Assassination Tapes is available for purchase both physically and digitally, and tends to stream for free through The Smithsonian Channel in the weeks surrounding MLK Day.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute
Stanford University provides the most extensive collection of MLK materials available online. Everything from curriculum to a King Encyclopedia to scans of historical items such as the letter that Dr. King sent to Betty Shabazz following the assassination of her husband, Malcolm X. Navigation can be a bit clunky, but it’s worth taking the time to explore all that is freely accessible on the site.
