This article, by Museum Education Director Cathy Saunders, was also posted on Kidoinfo.
I started school in the early 70s, a white child in a Boston suburban
school that had integrated busing. I wondered what it would be like to
have an hour-long bus ride to school, but I gave no thought to why other
students traveled so far each day. A few years later, when a special
holiday was created to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. and our teachers began to talk with us about the civil rights
movement, I began to understand things that I was seeing around me.
I was shocked to learn that white and black children had not been
allowed to go to school together or even play together. I was relieved
to know that someone as courageous as Dr. King had stood up to the
injustice – and I was in awe of the pictures of thousands of people who
stood behind him at rallies and marches. They were all brave. It made me
scared and proud.
I was relieved to know that I wasn’t growing up in that confusing time
when children were barred from attending school. But then I started to
notice and question other things that didn’t make sense. How come the
children from Boston were bused to our schools, but we weren’t bused
into Boston schools? Even though black and white children played
together, how come we lived in different neighborhoods and why did we
have different toys?
My parents did not always know how to discuss these issues with me. But,
they were honest and truthful about their own experiences, even when it
felt insufficient to me. Sometimes I asked the questions at very
embarrassing moments. They compassionately answered my questions as I
posed them, and asked me how I thought things should be. I didn’t just
want answers, I wanted to make things right.
Fast forward to 2015. Now Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal
holiday and the president of the United States is African American. So
much progress has been made; we have moved beyond many of the problems
that spurred the civil rights movement. Yet, recent events in Ferguson
and New York City have made it painfully clear that discrimination,
prejudice and inequality based on race are still present.
Why is Dr. King’s work relevant to the issues of today? How do we talk
with children about these difficult issues? It’s important that we do
not put Dr. King on a pedestal. He didn’t work alone; many people, black
and white, old and young, were involved. These leaders and every day
heroes of the civil rights movement can be inspiration to us now – there
are things that both adults and children can do to help combat racism.
That’s why the Museum is committed to celebrating Dr. King’s legacy each
year. Through performance, displays and an interactive activity about
discrimination, parents and children are given a unique opportunity to
discuss these hard issues – about history as well as where children see
inequality in their own lives.
Every family will have their own starting point to this conversation. In
addition to the Museum’s event there are some excellent resources that
might be useful for your family:
How to Teach Kids About What's Happening in Ferguson
This article from The Atlantic has extensive resource lists for teachers
and parents including a list of recommended children’s books.
Talking About Racism With White Kids
This post on the The New York Times Motherlode blog also includes links
to other posts dealing with race, racism and difficult conversations.
Talking to Our Children About Racism & Diversity
This excellent document developed by the Leadership Conference on Civil
Rights Education Fund provides helpful guidelines for answering hard
questions from children and some suggestions of “what you might say when
your child says ‘….’”
Join the Museum’s Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. on Monday, January 19 from 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM. See history
come to life through songs and stories during powerful performances of
“M.L.K.: Amazing Grace” at 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM. Also explore a
display of photographs, words and books describing Dr. King’s life and
work and take part in a provocative anti-discrimination activity. Learn more.
