Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message of inspiration and hope lives on today in his words and memory. You can listen to Dr. King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. For the text of this and other history-changing addresses by the champion of the American Civil Rights Movement, stop by the Library, open regular hours on Monday, January 19.

Remembering the March on Washington: August 28, 1963

Wednesday, August 28th marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.  The March is still numbered among one of the largest political rallies in United States history.   The rally included approximately 250,000 people from across the country.  The iconic view of the rally is the large crowd that lined both sides of the reflecting pool from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument.

The March included speeches and songs to inspire the crowd.  But the day is best remembered for Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech.  This is especially true of the end of the 17-minute speech, when he cast aside his script and led into the words; “I have a dream”.  It not only caused great reaction across the Mall that day, the speech was deemed the top American speech of the 20^th century by a 1999 poll of scholars.

If you want to read the text of this speech, or other landmark speeches given by Dr. King, you can find them in “A Call to Conscience”.  This book is a collection of several of his well-known speeches, including “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” given the evening before his assassination.

Charles Euchner’s “Nobody Turn Me Around” is an hour-by-hour account of the March.  The author takes you behind the scenes where you’ll meet the people involved.   Any large gathering with differing opinions will have tension, and there was plenty here.  Despite it all, the day was a success.  It is known for spurring the country to action, and led to the passage of civil rights laws.

“The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.” was posthumously compiled from his writings.  The book was commissioned by the King family, and gives the background to the leader's motivation and thoughts throughout his tumultuous and world-changing life. 

It is good for us to learn about our country’s past, including this day, the most significant demonstration for freedom in the history of the United States.

Celebrate MLK Day

"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."   
~Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.
 
The life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968) remain beacons for those who seek freedom, peace, equality and justice. A powerful and eloquent speaker and author, he galvanized innumerable people to join the Civil Rights Movement and in 1963 led a peaceful march of over 250,000 in Washington, D.C., where he delivered his famous address, "I Have a Dream." Visit The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change for information about the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of "I Have a Dream." A recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at age 35 due to his philosophy and promotion of nonviolent action, Dr. King's memory and legacy continue to inspire countless individuals.


The Library has many books about Dr. King (visit our displays on the first and second floors) and you can also learn about him by visiting INSPIRE, a virtual library for Indiana residents. INSPIRE is an enormous collection of resources, including magazine and journal articles, websites, pamphlets, images, almanacs and more. It's a treasure trove of information available 24-hours a day, which is handy when you have to write a paper. One of the databases included in INSPIRE is "Gale Biography in Context," which contains authoritative, up-to-date biographies of over 525,000 individuals.


Make it a day on, not a day off.
The MLK Day of Service, occurring every year on the third Monday of January, is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service, a "day on, not a day off." It's part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service in which Americans from all walks of life work together to strengthen communities and create solutions to problems, moving everyone closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community."

You can find projects to help with by entering your zip code in the "Find a Project" page. While MLK Day is this upcoming Monday, January 21st, many opportunities to join with your neighbors to help your community and attend events honoring Dr. King will start this weekend. One such event is the Peace Learning Center 15th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Festival. Music, art, family activities, theater, poetry and more will be part of the festivities, and Peace Learning Center will present the "Power of Peace Award" to an individual or individuals who have made a significant positive impact on the City of Indianapolis.


Celebrate the life and message of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with your family, friends and community today, tomorrow and every day.



Image: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering "I Have a Dream" at the Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C., August 28, 1963. Public domain, ARC Identifier 542069 / Local Identifier 306-SSM-4D(107)16.

Open for MLK Day, and Honoring Him!

Yes, we are open our regular hours on Monday, January 16, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

In observance, we are having a Leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. program for Grades K-3 from 2-3pm. Register online (www.zionsville.lib.in.us) or come in and join us in the youth services department.

Also, check out our many adult and youth materials on Dr. King, his life and legacy (pictured, Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport).

Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

To commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library is proud to present Indiana author and historian Ray Boomhower on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 6:30pm in the Lora Hussey Room. Mr. Boomhower will talk about his book, "Robert F. Kennedy and the 1968 Indiana Primary," and how Kennedy's unplanned speech upon hearing of Dr. King's death on the evening of April 4, 1968 is credited with helping to keep Indianapolis free from the violent riots that erupted in other cities that night. To learn more about Robert F. Kennedy, visit the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

“It is the ideal of freedom which underlines our great concern for civil rights. Nations around the world look to us for leadership not merely by strength of arms, but by the strength of our convictions. We not only want, but we need, the free exercise of rights by every American. We need the strength and talent of every American. We need, in short, to set an example of freedom for the world- and for ourselves.”

-Robert F. Kennedy

On Monday, January 16, 2012, from 2-3pm, bring your kindergarten- through third-graders to the Mayfield North and South Rooms at the Library for the program, “Leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”, where they will learn about the leadership of Dr. King through activities and stories focused on the pivotal events of his life. Registration is required.

After the program, continue to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by doing something helpful for your community and your fellow man. The Corporation for National and Community Service MLK Day of Service encourages you to “make it a day on, not a day off.” United We Serve offers an online resource for finding as well as creating volunteer opportunities in your community. The Library offers many volunteer opportunities, too.

Now through April 15, 2012, you can watch and listen to a holographic recreation of Robert F. Kennedy’s famous 1968 speech in Indianapolis when you go to the “You Are There” exhibit at Indiana State Historical Society. I attended this exhibit and found it remarkable and moving.

Visit the The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change to learn more about “…one of the most important figures of the 20th century, not only for African-Americans but for all those seeking freedom, justice, equality and peace.” Visit the Library to see book displays in support of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and related topics. The books are here year-round, of course, so you can continue to learn about the leadership and vision of Dr. King every day as you nurture your own and offer your skills to your community.