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Black History Month Q&A |
February is Black History Month, a great time to educate your kids about some of the most important men and women in our country’s history and the lessons we can learn from their courage, bravery, intelligence, and perseverance!
To get you started, here are
some read-aloud answers to share with your young kids!
Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in 1929 in Atlanta, at a time when much of the U.S. (especially the South) was racially segregated, meaning people were treated differently based on their skin color. Lighter-skinned people had advantages that darker-skinned people didn’t have, without any good reason. Some places had separate water fountains based on skin color. People with darker skin even had to give up their bus seat to people with lighter skin, or else they could be arrested.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
was a leader who helped people take a stand against these unfair ways. He believed fighting was never an answer and
always tried to solve problems peacefully. He organized
demonstrations and boycotts (protests) that helped people to be heard without
violence! He was also a great speaker and in 1963 delivered a very famous
speech where he said, “I have a dream…” His dream was that people of
different skin colors and different beliefs could happily share the world
together.
Also see: What
is discrimination?, What
is prejudice?
Rosa Parks lived from 1913-2005, and is often called “the mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” The Civil Rights Movement was a major effort that took place in the 1950s and 1960s, and used peaceful methods to help end the unfair treatment of people based on their skin color.
Mrs. Parks was best known
for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man in December of 1955, even
though her city’s wrongful rules said she had to. She was arrested and fined, which upset lots of
people who knew it wasn’t right to have these rules, and that it also wasn’t
right to arrest Mrs. Parks for taking a stand against them!
After her arrest, Martin Luther King, Jr. organized a boycott of the buses. When passengers didn’t ride, it hurt the bus companies. It was a good way to show people, without violence, that African American citizens were serious about fixing the unfair way they were being treated! – The boycott, triggered by Mrs. Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat, is often seen as the first moment of the American Civil Rights Movement.
Also see: What is dignity?, What
is equality?
Jackie Robinson was the first African-American Major League Baseball player. In April 1947, Jackie played his first MLB game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Because America was still racially segregated (people of different races had unequal rights), it was an historic event!
Jackie was chosen to play
not only because he was a great athlete, but also because it would help to end
the unfair treatment of African American citizens. Not everybody was very happy about it when Jackie
first joined the Dodgers — people in the stands would shout and throw things, journalists would ask
hurtful questions, even some of his own teammates refused to play with him! But
Jackie never lost his temper when people said or did mean things, and
continued to play game after great game!
Soon, Jackie Robinson had become a national hero. His courage and actions directly influenced events like the Civil Rights Movement, and he played an important role in changing America's mindset and the face of baseball!
Also see: What
is sportsmanship?
Barack Obama is the 44th (and current) president of the United States. Obama’s election to the White House was particularly significant because it made him the first African American president of the United States!
Before becoming president,
Obama was a Senator from Illinois who gained attention from people all
over the U.S. for his hopeful visions of the country and beliefs that all Americans are united in
spite of any differences. In 2008,
he was nominated to run for president, and he made history later that year when
he won! When he was sworn-in to office in January 2009, an estimated 1.8
million people came to Washington, D.C. to witness the historical event!
Shortly after becoming president, Obama received a Nobel Peace Prize for his work improving relationships between people and governments. In addition to his political work, he is also often known for his family – his wife Michelle and their two young daughters, Malia and Sasha!
Also see: What
is tolerance?
The above answers were written by Brian Griffin, Mya Kagan, and Alli Rodenhauser. For more on these topics and endless others, just browse or search!