Only three American federal holidays are named after specific people: George Washington’s birthday, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The impulse of Dr. King has been on my mind as of late, in this month of celebration of his life and legacy. I have long written about bringing the American impulse into Waldorf homeschooling and American festivals into the cycle of the year, and this is the first chance we have to do this in a formal way in 2016.
We are lucky to live in the Deep South and within driving distance of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic site. It was a beautiful day as we explored the site, which included the Ebenezer Baptist Church Heritage Sanctuary, The King Center (which includes biographical exhibits on Dr. King and Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, and Mahatma Gandhi), Historic Fire Station No. 6, the King Birth Home, the Historic Residential Area and the National Park Visitor Center. Dr. King is widely celebrated for his oratory prowess, his work in the American Civil Rights Movement as a strategist and his tireless purpose of peace. He was the youngest person to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize at the time.
The federal holiday of Dr. King has turned most frequently into a day of service, so I encourage you to use this day as a day of community service and giving with your family.
If you are searching for resources for songs and stories for the day, I recommend the following:
For stories, try the story “Impressions” over at Sparkle Stories. This story should be up on Monday. I believe telling stories from your own heart are the best and in keeping with Dr. King’s amazing oration, but there are amazing picture books regarding Dr. King. For picture books, I like the book “The Cart That Carried Martin” (pre-read, it is about his funeral) and the book “I Have A Dream”. I also have been looking at the book, “Love Will See You Through” (for older children).
For music, I love the spirituals: Yonder Come Day; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Go Down Moses; Hold On; Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around.
If you are searching for more regarding the impulse of Martin Luther King Jr in light of Waldorf Education and the work of Rudolf Steiner, I recommend AnthroMama’s post from 2009.
I would love to hear your family’s traditions for this holiday.
Blessings and love,