MLK Day: Books and Los Angeles Museum Exhibits Honoring the Civil Rights Movement

Jan 13, 2012 | Guest blogger, Kristy Gausman via KOREH LA

On Monday, January 16, how will you observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

His heroic role in the Civil Rights moment was first observed by some states in 1986, but it wasn't until 2000 that Martin Luther King Jr. Day was observed across all 50 states.

There are many books available for children of all ages about this incredible man. On their website, Reading Rockets has posted a fantastic list of books  in celebration of MLK day.

Here are some more top titles:

• White Water. By Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein (Grades K and up).
• My Dream of Martin Luther King. By Faith Ringgold (Grades 1&2)
• What is Martin Luther King Day? By Margot Parker (Grades 2&3)
• As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom. By Richard Michelson (Grades 2&3)
• ...If you Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King. By Ellen Levine (Grades 3&4)
• M.L.K.: The Journey of a King. By Tonya Bolden (Grades 4 &6)

Other opportunities to help you celebrate MLK Day in Los Angeles:

Visit the Museum of Tolerance on Monday, January 16. A special exhibit, "Para Todos Los Ninos: For All the Children," documents the desegregation struggles of Latinos working to gain acceptance in Los Angeles. This exhibit reminds us that Civil Rights is about equality for all people.

"Freedom Sisters," another special exhibit open until Wednesday, January 18, takes a look at 20 important women including Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King, who worked to ensure equality for all Americans.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!