Blog
To commemorate this holiday, here’s a round-up of our finest stuff on the iconic civil rights activist
Without fail, social movements inspire art. Ella Jenkins started making music when the civil rights movement was still new. Her 50 year career came to earn her the title of “First Lady of the Children’s Folk Song” . Featuring many soulful African American spirituals, her work honors the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. We recommend “Wade in the Water” from her 1960 album African American Folk Rhythms. Give her a listen!
Picture book biographies, folk painting portraits, and a guest appearance from King’ s older sister: our MLK inspired Bunchbrary includes 14 stellar reads for all ages. Books are a great way to open up discussion about racism, segregation and standing up for your rights. Read more...
Blog
We talked to New York Public Library children’s librarian Betsy Bird
What should parents do to teach their kids more about MLK and Civil Rights?
Reading books is the number one best way. Ask your local libraries for the best books as there are always new ones coming out. Use the day off as an opportunity to talk to your kids and make sure they know their own history. But the bottom line is, just do it. Some parents are uncomfortable talking about what people had to put up with before Civil Rights. And there are a lot of violent images associated with the Civil Rights Movement— police setting dogs and fire hoses on peaceful protesters, Dr. King’s assassination, but these are important points of our history.
How do you introduce the topic of Civil Rights to kids? Read more...
