Martin Luther King Jr.

Hello, my name is Martin Luther King Jr., and I have a story to share with you about a big dream I had. I was born on January 15, 1929, in a happy home in Atlanta, Georgia. I lived with my mom, my dad, my sister, and my brother. We loved to sing songs and listen to my father preach at our church. My childhood was full of love and laughter. But as I got older, I started to see things that didn't make sense and made my heart feel heavy. I saw signs that said 'White Only' on water fountains, in restaurants, and at parks. My best friend, who was white, was suddenly told he couldn't play with me anymore. It was confusing and it hurt. I asked my mom, 'Why do we have to be separate?'. She hugged me and told me that even though some laws were unfair, I was just as good as anyone else. Those words stayed with me and planted a question in my mind: How could I help make the world a fairer place for everyone, no matter what they looked like?.

I loved going to school. Books were like treasure chests that opened up the whole world to me. I read every book I could get my hands on. I learned so much and did so well in my classes that I was able to go to college when I was only fifteen years old. I wanted to use my words to help people and make a difference. Just like my dad, I decided to become a minister. I felt that as a preacher, I could speak to people’s hearts and encourage them to be kind and brave. While I was studying, I learned about an amazing leader from a country far away called India. His name was Mahatma Gandhi. He taught that you could fight for what is right without ever hurting anyone. He used peaceful protests, like marches and sit-ins, to change unfair laws. His idea was like a bright light in my mind. He called it 'nonviolence.'. I thought, 'This is it. This is how we can change things in America.'. I realized that love was the most powerful tool of all. You didn't need to fight with your fists; you could fight with love, courage, and peaceful words.

With this big idea in my heart, I began to lead people who wanted to see a change. My wife, Coretta Scott King, was always by my side, giving me strength. One day in 1955, a brave woman named Rosa Parks was told to give up her seat on a bus just because she was Black. She said, 'No.'. Her courage started something amazing called the Montgomery Bus Boycott. For more than a year, we walked everywhere instead of riding the buses. We walked to work, to school, and to the store. Our feet got tired, but our spirits never did. We showed everyone that when we stand together peacefully, we are strong. A few years later, in 1963, we organized the biggest march of all—the March on Washington. Thousands of people, Black and white, came from all over the country to ask for fairness and freedom for everyone. Standing in front of that huge crowd, I shared my biggest hope. I said, 'I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.'. It was a dream of a world filled with friendship and respect.

A person can go away, but a dream can live forever. My life ended in 1968, much sooner than I had planned. It was a very sad day for many people who believed in our peaceful fight for fairness. But here is the most important thing I want you to know: a person can go away, but a dream can live forever. My dream didn't stop. It lives on in every person who chooses kindness over hate. It lives on when you see someone being treated unfairly and you bravely speak up for them. It continues every time you share a smile or a helping hand with someone who looks different from you. You have the power to keep my dream alive. You can be a dreamer, too, and help make our world a more beautiful and loving place for everyone.