Dr. David Childs, D.D., Ph.D.
Northern Kentucky University
With the US becoming more and more diverse, there is a push around the country to diversify school curricula and provide more inclusive classrooms. As such, educators are seeking resources to do this in a more meaningful way. Martin Luther King Day is a wonderful time to integrate multicultural themes into the classroom, making it more inclusive. With this in mind, PBS Learning Media has provided some incredible resources for teaching about Martin Luther King, Jr. and civil rights in general for grades K-12 classrooms. See the resources below from the PBS website. Each resource below also includes the write up provided by PBS Learning Media to give educators and the public an idea of what the link provides. 
Image by: U.S . Embassy New Delhi “Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. | Civil Rights Leader Video
“In 1983, Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday (national observances started in 1986.) This year the holiday is observed on January 17. Help your students deeply understand and connect to King’s legacy by watching this short video and using the accompanying hands-on activities to explore how King’s leadership expanded social justice, particularly for African Americans.”
Dr. Martin Luther King at Gee’s Bend | Retro Report
“This eight-minute video illustrates the achievements of the civil rights movement, as well as the enduring challenges facing black Americans, by focusing on the small community of Gee’s Bend, Ala., a town that attracted the attention of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1960s. The video helps students draw a line between the battles fought by King’s movement nearly five decades ago and the barriers to equality and opportunity that residents of Gee’s Bend face today. For lessons focused on the civil rights movement of the 1960s, the video serves as a bridge between the past and the present, and sets up a discussion about the unfinished agenda of King’s movement.”
Kids Can Be Changemakers | Meet the Helpers
“Your students are their own changemakers. This resource provides vocabulary, critical thinking questions, and discussion prompts to engage students through poetry. Discover workshops that center student voice and exploration with robust educator guides.”
Selma to Montgomery | Yellowhammer History Hunt
“Cross Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965, with John Lewis and his fellow voting rights activists in this episode of Yellowhammer History Hunt. Learn about the Selma to Montgomery March, Courageous Eight, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the fight for voting rights.”
Arthur Takes a Stand | ARTHUR
“Discover ways to protest an injustice and have your voice heard using this video from the PBS KIDS series ARTHUR. When Mrs. MacGrady opens the cafeteria for breakfast and takes on double the work without any help, Arthur tries different ways to solve the problem. He begs the principal to hire help and even encourages students to boycott! Finally, after a pep talk from Congressman John Lewis, Arthur stages a peaceful protest. His classmates join him, and they refuse to leave the cafeteria until they are heard. But will it make enough of an impact to hire an assistant for Mrs. MacGrady?”
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Impact in Cleveland | Politics on Point
“Martin Luther King Jr. left the famous march from Selma to Montgomery to come to Cleveland. Why? To encourage voter registration as a way for black people to let their voices be heard.”
Missing from Texts: Critical Changemakers
“As we reflect on this past year, it’s important to understand and acknowledge the sacrifices and compromises that we have made as a community. And even more so, to recognize and celebrate the selfless contributions of people to our world – even during COVID. Here are some changemakers from around the country who do amazing work and deserve to be celebrated for their contributions, the pathways they have set before and ahead of themselves, and the inspiration they provide to the countless activists who will continue doing work for our communities.”
Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement had a very large impact on the fight for equal rights, and I do believe that kids, and everyone else, in fact should continue to learn about it. This was an great article and I also really enjoyed the quote where it stated, “Your students are their own changemakers.”
I really enjoyed being able to read this article. I believe the more I learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. the more I get more fascinated by him. I believe people need to understand everything that he actually did for the world when he was still on it, and be appreciative of him, and I believe that is why he’s got his own day is because of the impact that he left on the world while he was still here!
There are many different aspects about the Civil Rights Movement from the leaders of the movement to the events that helped advance the movement. I think it is important that students in grades K-12 classrooms learn about the Civil Rights Movement as well as other lessons that are diversified. It can expose them to different ideologies or concepts that they may take with them in life and that they may not have been expose to otherwise. This was a great article and I’m glad schools are trying to add more diversity in the school curricula!
It is always said that children are the future. This also implies a necessity in teaching, at a young age, that it should be encouraged to stand up and fight injustice when it is seen or experienced. It is necessary to take a stand and fight for others. The Arthur video is an excellent example of this. It is a show that has existed for many years and is a secondary resource to child education. Having this show demonstrate fighting for injustice and making one’s voice heard reinforces that it is okay to question what is being taught as well as to stand up to injustice.
I believe it is very important that students continue to learn about Martin Luther King every year. These resources all looked like amazing ways to get your students involved while also learning a lot about King. I remember watching the movie “Our Friend, Martin” and it was really eye-opening as a kid to see how much he helped change our country.
Awesome article! Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a pioneer in the movement for equal rights. Not only serving as an advocate for African-American equal rights but also serving as someone who set the tone for the equal rights movement for other people of color as well. This article is something that I will without a doubt be referring back to once I am in my own classroom in the future.
Powerful Resources for Teaching and Learning about Dr. Martin Luther King and Civil Rights.” I love that Dr. Childs took the initiative to compile a list of videos for teachers to use in their class on Martin Luther King Jr. day. I think that Martin Luther King junior was a wonderful person and I love how he protested peacefully he deserves the right to be recognized and taught upon in. I honestly think that when I start teaching in my own classroom that I might refer back to this article and use some of the videos provided as a resource for my curriculum.
I really like all the quotes in this article. My favorite is “Your students are their own change makers.”
Something that I like about this article is that there are many different things that can be done. Many different events and many activities that can be created from those events. I really like the Arthur idea. It shows kids how to not become bystanders, in any event.
Dr. David, thanks for sharing these fantastic resources!