Martin Luther King Jr. Day – 2022

Celebrating Dr. King

Today is Martin Luther King Day in the United States. To honor the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we put together a read aloud video of his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. We’ve also included a new, uplifting work, The Undefeated, by Newbery-winning author Kwame Alexander. 

In YCL’s video (linked below) please enjoy these two story books about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy.

 

I Have a Dream is read by Joan Wright, Teen Services Manager at Martin Library. I Have a Dream is written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Paintings are by Caldecott winner Kadir Nelson. Read with permission from Penguin Random House.

The Undefeated is read by Marquez Mitchell, CEO of Integrity Mentoring. The Undefeated is by Newbery winner Kwame Alexander. Kadir Nelson won the 2020 Caldecott for his illustrations in this work. Read with permission from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

An Ongoing Legacy

Today, we uphold Dr. King’s legacy of peace and justice, and we also remember his quest of equality for all Americans, regardless of race or background. Today his message about the beauty of diversity continues to carry relevance. As we reflect upon Dr. King’s words and work and their resonance, think about what you can do to promote antiracism in your community.

Books & Resources

 Let the Children March
written by Monica Clark-Robinson
illustrated by Frank Morrison
available on Hoopla & in Print

Black is a Rainbow Color
written by Angela Joy
illustrated by Ekua Holmes
available in print

Martin’s Big Words
written by Doreen Rappaport
illustrated by Bryan Collier
available on BookFLIX, Hoopla, and in Print

As always, you can find more items on this subject (and thousands of others!) at yorklibraries.org