A message from Director of Curatorial Services Dr. Anthony Mortimer

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

As many across the United States and the world pause on this holiday, it is important to not only learn about historical events and milestones that occurred during the lives of Dr. King and others, but also to deepen our understanding and apply the information to the challenges that we experience today. Our own dreams—that our future generations will not have to struggle to attain and experience equity, justice, and fairness—are inspired by Dr. King’s words and actions, and many others who have courageously spoken and acted in the interest of others throughout the decades since. The focus of Dr. King’s most famous speech was not himself, nor on what he did and would do to advance the cause of civil rights in the United States. Instead, the fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream is that we each actively seek the good of our fellow humans and act in ways that value and promote equity and respect.

MOSH is proud to join with museums across the country in telling the stories of Dr. King and others who risked themselves to benefit countless others across multiple generations—not only on this holiday, but every day in all we do.

If you would like some resources for your family, your class, personal growth, etc., there are some excellent books:

• Pre-K – 3^rd grade:
  I am Enough (Grace Byers)
• 1^st – 4^th grades:
  We are all Born Free (Amnesty International)
  Lillian’s Right to Vote (Jonah Winter)
• 3^rd – 6^th grades:
  Through my Eyes (Ruby Bridges)
• 6^th – 8^th grades:
  Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott (Russell Freedman)
• 5^th – 12^th grades:
  Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry (Mildred Taylor – first of a six-book series)
  March (Graphic Novel Trilogy—John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell)

Middle School & High School Teachers may also want to look at The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader (Edited by Carson, et al), which also has a documentary series available on YouTube.

The National Civil Rights Museum has an excellent book list available for download, which includes the above recommendations and more.