Commemorating the Birth of Martin Luther King Jr. :: San Diego Unified School District

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Resources for Staff
Commemorating the Birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


•	Overview
•	Related Resources
•	Contact Information

Overview
It took 15 years to create the federal holiday commemorating the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legislation for a commemorative holiday was first introduced days after the civil rights leader's assassination in 1968. The bill stalled, but petitions containing the signatures of six million people endorsing the holiday were submitted to Congress in 1970. Legislation was resubmitted for a King holiday during subsequent legislative sessions, with public support for a holiday increasing during the 1980's, especially during the 1982 and 1983 civil rights marches in Washington.

Congress passed the holiday legislation in 1983, which was then signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. When some lawmakers felt the holiday was too close to Christmas and New Year's, it was moved to the third Monday in January as a compromise. The reason for state and lawmaker opposition to the declaration of a federal holiday varies. Some felt that the entire civil rights movement should be honored, and not one individual, no matter how significant the contributions. Others felt the holiday should be recognized on the day of his death, not his birth.

Each year, the Diego Unified School District Board of Education recognizes the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a formal resolution. District staff are encouraged to mark the event as best matches the needs of their school and community. Resources are provided below for staff convenience.

Related Resources

•	District Materials Available for Checkout from the IMC
•	District Resolution to Commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday

Recommended Books

•	Grades K-3
•	Grades 3-6
•	Middle School
•	High School
•	Complete Reading List

Teaching Resources


•	Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Right Movement (Source: Seattle Times) Article from the Seattle Times about the life and impact of Dr. King.
•	The King Center Established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King as a living memorial dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the work of Martin Luther King, Jr., the King Center provides contacts for the King Holiday and a wide range of resources including King related news and historical information.
•	PBS' American Experience: Citizen King (Source: PBS WNET Thirteen) American Experience brings stories of the people and events that shaped this. As television's longest-running, most-watched history series, American Experience brings to life the incredible characters and epic stories that helped form this nation.
•	The Martin Luther King Jr., Research and Education Institute Building upon the achievements of Stanford University's Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers Project, the King Research and Education Institute provides an institutional home for a broad range of activities illuminating the Nobel Peace laureate's life and the movements he inspired.
•	The Nobel Peace Prize Find out facts about all Nobel Peace Prize Laureates through press releases, biographies, Nobel lectures, interviews, etc.

Activity Ideas


•	Create a poster or timeline. (Source: eduplace.com)
•	Listen to speeches (Source: eduplace.com)
•	Take quizzes or do activity sheets (Source: familyeducation.com)

Contact Information

For help with...	Contact	Department
K-12 School Library Media Programs & Classroom Libraries	Barbara Baron bbaron@sandi.net (619) 725-7334	School Library Services

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