I Have a Dream, Too!

When Bill Clinton stepped out in front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20 for his second presidential inauguration, he faced directly across the Mall, toward the Lincoln Memorial, where another great American left his mark in 1963. It was there that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his visionary "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963.

This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day coincides with the fifty-third presidential inauguration. It is only fitting that students understand the link between the power of the presidency and the power of love, non-violence, and justice as embodied by the life and work of one of America's greatest historical figures who never held elective office, Martin Luther King Jr.

Read about Martin Luther King.

As you read about Martin Luther King Jr. think about the following questions:

1. What do you think was the impact of Martin Luther King Jr. in your community?
2. How do you feel about race relations in the 1990s?
3. If Dr. King were to come to your school one day, and look around and listen, what would he say about the nature of race relations in 1997?
4. What do you think the 21st century will be like?

You can also learn about Martin Luther King Jr. by looking through these timelines of his life:

• Timeline by Buckman Elementary School.
• MLK Timeline by the Seattle Times.

Now that you have an idea about who Martin Luther King Jr. was, read his famous I Have A Dream Speech. As you read it, imagine being there ... how would his speech have made you feel?

As President Clinton begins his next term in office, he also has a dream. Read his Inaugural speech and find out how he wants to "build a bridge into the twenty-first century." How do you think Dr. King would have felt about President Clinton's speech?

Find out more about the Inauguration at the official Inaugural Web Site.

Now that you are inspired, it's time to think about your own dreams! John Lennon sang,"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..." This is just what we'd like you to find out.

Do you have a hero? Do you dream about being just like that hero one day? Do you have BIG plans right now about when you grow up? Children everywhere dream. Write a story about your dreams (150 words or less).

Once your stories are written, several of them will be sent to Midlink Magazine to be published along with other student's dreams from around the world. Read some of their dreams for inspiration!

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